Archives for October 2019

Ontario Genomics appoints a new Chair and Vice-Chair and welcomes two new board members

Ontario Genomics is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Deb Stark as the new Chair of the Board. Dr. Tom Corr has been appointed to be the Board’s Vice-Chair.

Dr. Deb Stark has served on the Board since 2017 and is the former Deputy Minister of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), holding a wealth of experience in the agriculture and agri-food policy space. Dr. Tom Corr has served on the Board since 2018 and is the former President and CEO of Ontario Centres of Excellence, with more than 40 years of experience in the technology transfer, ITC, entrepreneurship, academic and venture capital sectors.

Ontario Genomics is also pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Alison Paprica and Colin Kelleher to its Board.

Dr. Tom Corr, Dr. Bettina Hamelin, Colin Kelleher, Dr. Deb Stark and Dr. Alison Paprica

Dr. Alison Paprica is the Vice President of Health Strategy and Partnerships at the Vector Institute, where she leads the health strategy, overseeing research collaborations, data partnerships and AI application projects in the health sector. Colin Kelleher is a serial entrepreneur specializing in angel investing in early-stage tech companies. Colin also serves on the Board of Directors for the Ontario Centres of Excellence.

“At a time when genomics technologies in Ontario are truly at a tipping point, we welcome the impressive diversity and expertise of our Board of Directors. Together we can make sure that genomics-based solutions continue to grow Ontario’s economy and improve quality of life. I look forward to new opportunities to collaborate across sectors and industries to create jobs and generate more investment in Ontario,” said Dr. Bettina Hamelin, President and CEO of Ontario Genomics.

Ontario Genomics thanks Dr. Jack Gauldie for his leadership as interim Chair and looks forward to continuing to work with him in the capacity of Past Chair in the coming year. We also thank retiring Board members Jay Lefton and Dr. Shana Kelley for their invaluable service over the years and their many contributions to Ontario Genomics and the province’s genomics ecosystem.

For more information and detailed biographical notes, visit our Board of Directors page.

Dr. Bettina Hamelin, Dr. Shana Kelley and Dr. Deb Stark

Notice of Upcoming Funding Opportunity: 2020 Large-Scale Applied Research Project Competition: Genomic Solutions for Natural Resources and the Environment

Genome Canada is pleased to advise the research community of an upcoming funding opportunity – the 2020 Large-Scale Applied Research Project Competition: Genomic Solutions for Natural Resources and the Environment. This Competition is anticipated to be formally launched in January 2020 with detailed guidelines and application forms available at that time. Genome Canada is in discussion with other organizations as potential partners for this competition.   

This funding opportunity aims to support applied research projects focused on using genomic approaches to address challenges and opportunities of importance to Canada’s natural resources and environment sectors, including interactions between natural resources and the environment, thereby contributing to the Canadian bioeconomy and the well-being of Canadians. 

To help promote the use of genomic-based research and innovation, all projects must include research into the implications of genomics in society, historically referred to as research into GE3LS (genomics and its ethical, environmental, economic, legal and social aspects), either as the major focus of the project or as an integrated component that is shaped by, and helps shape, the overall project.

There is approximately $25 million available for this competition from Genome Canada. Genome Canada’s investment will range from $1 million to $3 million per project over a term of up to four years. A project’s eligible costs must be co-funded from eligible sources such that the co-funding is at least equal to the Genome Canada contribution. 

The application process will be comprised of three steps: Registration, Pre-Application and Full Application. Based on a January 2020 Competition launch, the deadline for Registrations is expected to be in March 2020.  

Note that stakeholder engagement and strategy sessions will be organized over the next two to three months. Information from these sessions will help inform the design of the funding opportunity.

For more information, contact Laura Riley, Ontario Genomics, Manager, Sector Innovation & Programs

Learn more about LSARP 2020: Genome Canada Pre-announcement