Karim Bardeesy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry, made the announcement today at UCalgary, on behalf of the Hon. Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry.
"We know that building Canada into the world’s leading hub for science and innovation will help create the strongest economy in the G7," said Bardeesy. "The projects announced are a great example of how Canadian ingenuity is tackling some of the world’s toughest problems, finding solutions, and driving real change."
"Using innovative genomic tools, UCalgary researchers are working on canola crops that can stand up to drought conditions, creating more food security for a hungry world," he said. "A second initiative is focusing on commercializing a new treatment of the most common form of thyroid cancer with fewer complications or followup procedures. And a third project is de-risking underground energy storage in Atlantic Canada through deep biosphere genomics.
"Making strategic investments in research that partners with industry leads to positive economic impacts and a better quality of life for all Canadians.".
Government of Canada Announcement at the University of Calgary
Genome CanadaUCalgary funded projects
Clinical Utility of Thyroid GuidePx : An Alberta-Led Genomic Innovation in Thyroid Cancer CareDr. Oliver Bathe , MD’90, professor, Departments of Surgery and Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine; member, Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute This project will evaluate the clinical utility of Thyroid GuidePx , a genomic test developed in Alberta that helps doctors better understand how aggressive a patient’s thyroid cancer is likely to be. Today, many patients undergo surgery or additional treatments without clear information about how their cancer will behave. By analyzing patterns of gene activity in a tumour, the test can help guide decisions about the extent of surgery, the need for radioactive iodine therapy, and the intensity of followup care. Clinical studies at UCalgary and the University of Alberta will assess whether using this genomic information improves treatment decisions and reduces unnecessary care.
"Genomics is giving us new tools to understand the biology of cancer in ways that weren’t possible before," said Bathe. "This funding allows us to test whether that information can help doctors make better treatment decisions for patients with thyroid cancer. It’s exciting to see Alberta-developed innovation being evaluated in our own health-care system, with the potential to improve care while also reducing unnecessary treatments."
Identifying Genetic Traits for Abiotic Stress Resilience During Canola Reproduction
Heat and drought stress are two of the most significant yield-limiting factors for Canadian canola, especially during flowering and pod development. With climate change increasing the frequency of extreme weather, Prairie producers face growing economic risks. High temperatures during flowering can reduce yields, while drought only compounds these losses.
Despite the scale of the problem, no commercial hybrids provide targets genetic resilience to heat or drought stress at flowering. This project will deliver non-GMO heatand drought-resilient canola traits by integrating mutagenesis (the process of inducing changes in the genetic material of an organism), phenotyping (the process of measuring, analyzing, and characterizing the observable physical, physiological, and biochemical traits of an organism, resulting from its genetic makeup and environment), and genomics to identify the genetic basis of stress tolerance.
"Stress-resilient canola will reduce yield volatility and improve profitability for farmers," explained Yeaman. "Working with partners at AgGene and the National Research Council , this project will generate new intellectual property, licensing revenues, and strategic positioning in climate-smart crop development while strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of Canada’s $43-billion canola industry, helping maintain our leadership in sustainable oilseed production."
De-Risking Underground Energy Storage in Atlantic Canada Through Deep Biosphere Genomics
Dr. Casey Hubert , BSc’98, PhD’04, professor, Biological Sciences; associate member, The Calvin, Phoebe and Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases
A cross-Canada research project led by UCalgary, in partnership with Triple Point Resources and Memorial University, is helping de-risk underground hydrogen storage by addressing an often-overlooked challenge: microbial activity. The collaboration was initiated by Omid Ardakani, PhD, at Natural Resources Canada , and focuses on hydrogen storage in underground salt caverns - environments thought to limit microbial activity due to extreme salinity. However, some salt-loving microorganisms, known as halophiles, can survive in these extreme conditions, potentially consuming the hydrogen or contributing to corrosion. Hubert’s lab will study these "extremophiles" to better understand whether they pose a risk, helping ensure hydrogen can be safely and reliably stored as Canada works toward a low-carbon energy future.
"This project and partnership are exciting because it allows us to apply energy sector knowledge about subsurface microbiology to tackle new challenges associated with the transition to clean low-emissions energy like hydrogen," explained Hubert. "It also allows expertise from Alberta to contribute to an opportunity in Atlantic Canada, and collaborate on a national scale."
This project builds on an Alberta Innovates grant Hubert received in 2023.
