Genome Canada announces $6M investment for enhancing early-warning systems to promote public health and $2.88M for improving the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
From insights to impact we are putting genomics to work on promoting public health.
Generating better information on pathogens and other influenza-like illnesses and diseases is vital for supporting decision making by public health authorities. The COVID-19 pandemic showed us the urgent need for early warning surveillance systems that can enable objective population-level monitoring independent of clinical testing. Wastewater-based monitoring, using genomic technology, provides a cost effective, comprehensive, and non-invasive early warning system that has demonstrate that clinical case numbers can be predicted with a six-day lead time.
University of Calgary researchers in partnership with Alberta Health and municipalities are expanding the platform technology to other high priority diseases. Genome Alberta is proud to work as regional partner and welcomes the funding support from Genome Canada.
From insights to impact we are putting genomics to work on autoimmune disease treatments.
With autoimmune diseases, a group of approximately 100 different diseases including diabetes, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune liver disease and inflammatory bowel disease, the body’s immune system improperly attacks and destroys a patient’s own tissues. Currently, non-specific treatments can result in unacceptable side effects and there is a need to improve treatments which can restore immune tolerance to specific tissues without causing generalized immune suppression.
Autoimmune diseases have complex immune responses to autoantigens. Nanoparticles coated with autoimmune-disease-relevant peptides (Navacims) have the potential to halt and cure autoimmune disease by restoring immune tolerance without compromising systemic immunity.
University of Calgary researchers in partnership with Parvus Theraputics are working together to expand the commercial and clinical potential of Parvus Therapeutics’ proprietary platform. Genome Alberta is proud to work as regional partner and welcomes the funding support from Genome Canada.
These projects are funded through Genome Canada’s Genomic Applications Partnership program (GAPP). The program is marking its 10th anniversary this year, and its 100th funded project, leveraging work-leading expertise and diversified partnerships to accelerate translation of scientific knowledge into broad economic and societal benefits for Canada.
Read the Genome Canada News Release and more about the funded projects.
About Genome Alberta
Genome Alberta is a publicly funded not-for profit corporation which invests primarily in large-scale genome sciences research projects and technology platforms focused on areas of strategic importance to the province (human health, forestry, plant and animal agriculture, energy, and environment). By working collaboratively with all levels of government, universities, and industry, Genome Alberta is a catalyst for a strong life sciences sector with social and economic benefits for Alberta and for Canada.
Author: Genome Alberta | Published date: April 18, 2023
