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Funded Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP)

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The Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP) funds translational research and development projects that address real-world challenges and opportunities as identified by industry, government, not-for-profits, and other “receptors” of genomics knowledge and technology. Launched on June 03, 2013, Genome Canada’s GAPP program aims to fund projects that have a clear and defined partnership between Academia and User partners (receptors) to promote the application of genomics-derived solutions that address key sector challenges or opportunities and which will have socioeconomic benefit to Canada.

Funded Ontario GAPP Projects

On March 9, 2022, The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced federal support through Genome Canada to five Ontario Genomics-led and co-led research and development projects as part of the Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP), that will mobilize genomics out of the lab and deliver real-world benefits.

 

Data Coordination and Collaboration Hub (Data Hub) Funding Opportunity

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Ontario Genomics is pleased to announce new funding opportunities in Genome Canada’s Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative. This Initiative will create a portfolio of projects that will be managed for integration of activities and objectives across the various portfolio elements.

Data are a central component of the Initiative. Data will act as a bridge or connector between projects and as an output supporting the ability to achieve and measure impact across a diverse portfolio of projects.

To that end, this Initiative will fund two cross-cutting coordination Hubs: the Data Coordination and Collaboration Hub (Data Hub) and the Knowledge Mobilization and Implementation Coordination Hub (KMIC Hub). The cross-cutting, coordinating Hubs are designed to support and maximize the impacts produced by a portfolio of selected Interdisciplinary Challenge Teams (ICT) projects.

These Hubs will provide administrative, technical and coordination leadership to the project portfolio with a focus on:

  • Intentionally connecting projects across the ICT portfolio.
  • Supporting the coordination and alignment of portfolio activities across projects.
  • Engaging stakeholders and end users at the portfolio level.
  • Adding value to project outputs.
  • Addressing gaps to create portfolio coherence in achieving impacts

A single pan-Canadian team will be selected to provide data coordination and technical expertise for the portfolio of projects. This team will work with the ICTs and other partners to develop and implement a portfolio data plan.

Data Coordination and Collaboration Hub (Data Hub)

The Data Hub will be responsible for coordinating the scientific data within the portfolio that are required to validate and replicate research findings. Beyond genomic datasets, relevant scientific findings will include information about how the data were generated (e.g., software, workflows and protocols) and the context in which the data should be interpreted (e.g., metadata, policy, socio-economic measures, etc.). Collectively, scientific data outputs from the Initiative will be referred to as “data assets.”

The Data Hub intends to leverage existing digital research infrastructure or software platforms and focus on adding value to these, as opposed to engineering new software. Moreover, the intent is to support the success of individual projects by providing data resources and broader connections to stakeholders. To facilitate climate impact, the Data Hub will help provide a common framework for portfolio outputs. It will not link disparate projects under one overarching research question.

The Data Hub will be responsible for data governance, research data management and analytics. Data governance will ensure that the appropriate data stewardship and data sharing policies are implemented for access, security, and privacy. Research data management will focus on the infrastructure for data storage, processing, and data sharing. This will include advancing data interoperability standards so that data flow and data linkages are optimal. Data analytics will provide value to the portfolio through expertise in statistics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). Analytics would include developing tools and workflows that support ICTs and/or that make the data more useful to external partners.

This funding opportunity aims to support a single pan-Canadian team that will develop and implement a data plan for Genome Canada’s Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative. First, the team will internally coordinate data-related activities across the interdisciplinary research teams to add value and consistency to the genomic data assets that are being generated. Second, the team will help the projects leverage these data assets to externally advance genomic technologies and policies that have the potential to measurably mitigate climate change, such as by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and/or increasing carbon sequestration.

The broader vision is to co-develop the foundation of a collaborative Canadian climate genomic data hub.

To ensure that the objectives of the funding opportunity are met, all applications must address the review criteria established for the competition (see Appendix 1 of funding opportunity).

Available funding and term

  • Genome Canada will fund one pan-Canadian team.
  • There is up to $4 million available for the Data Hub from Genome Canada (phased approach – see funding opportunity).
  • Co-funding at least equal to the Genome Canada contribution is required (phased approach – see funding opportunity). 
  • The successful team will be awarded funding for a term of up to five years.

Eligibility Criteria

  1. The team must be pan-Canadian with representation from at least three provinces.
  2. The team must include relevant expertise in:
    1. Data governance (i.e., data-sharing, access, security and privacy policy).
    2. Data management (i.e., standards, metadata, data portals and cloud computing).
    3. Data analytics (i.e., bioinformatics, statistics, and AI).
    4. Agriculture science (e.g., crops and livestock).
    5. Climate science (e.g., carbon accounting, climate modelling, geographic information systems).
  3. The project must include public or private sector partner(s) to:
    1. Support computational infrastructure and longer-term sustainability.
    2. Facilitate the downstream use and/or impact of the data resources.
  4. Project leaders from the ICT teams cannot be Project Leaders of the Hubs. However, members of the ICT teams can be involved in the Hub team as co-applicants.

See Data Hub Funding Opportunity for complete eligibility requirements.

Knowledge Mobilization and Implementation Coordination Hub (KMIC Hub) Funding Opportunity

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Ontario Genomics is pleased to announce new funding opportunities in Genome Canada’s Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative. This Initiative will create a portfolio of projects that will be managed for integration of activities and objectives across the various portfolio elements.

Knowledge mobilization and implementation will be critical to the Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative. The projects within the portfolio will intentionally and regularly connect, convene and learn from each other to drive greater collective impact.

To that end, this Initiative will fund two cross-cutting coordination Hubs: the Knowledge Mobilization and Implementation Coordination Hub (KMIC Hub) and the Data Coordination and Collaboration Hub (Data Hub). The cross-cutting, coordinating Hubs are designed to support and maximize the impacts produced by a portfolio of selected Interdisciplinary Challenge Teams (ICT) projects.

These Hubs will provide administrative, technical and coordination leadership to the project portfolio with a focus on:

  • Intentionally connecting projects across the ICT portfolio.
  • Supporting the coordination and alignment of portfolio activities across projects.
  • Engaging stakeholders and end users at the portfolio level.
  • Adding value to project outputs.
  • Addressing gaps to create portfolio coherence in achieving impacts

A single pan-Canadian team will be selected to develop and implement a portfolio-level knowledge mobilization and implementation plan for Genome Canada’s Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative.

Knowledge Mobilization and Implementation Coordination Hub (KMIC)

The KMIC Hub will have broad and specific knowledge, skills, and expertise in Genomics In Society (GIS) – a field that encompasses the environmental, economic, ethical, legal and social aspects of genomics (GE3LS) research – as well as skills in stakeholder relations, partnership development, project management, stakeholder and end-user engagement, policy and regulation, economics, and implementation science. These skills and knowledge areas will equip the KMIC Hub to lead and coordinate cross-cutting GE3LS research and activities at the portfolio level and to launch and manage other knowledge mobilization activities that will help drive the adoption of genomic solutions and mobilize knowledge to help the portfolio deliver net carbon reduction.

The KMIC Hub will focus initially on developing mechanisms and structures to enable the ICT teams to connect with the Hub. The Hub will work with ICTs to refine, cocreate and harmonize project-specific knowledge mobilization and implementation plans into a single unified portfolio plan. This plan should describe an ambitious yet practical vision of what a Canadian KMIC Hub for climate genomics could be and how it will work across the portfolio of projects to support Canada’s goals to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and to reduce the carbon footprint of its agriculture and food production system.

The objective of this funding opportunity is to support a single pan-Canadian team that will develop and implement a portfolio-level knowledge mobilization and implementation plan for this Initiative. The team will coordinate knowledge mobilization and implementation activities to ensure that research and investments produce the intended impact and outcome. Consistent with the overall initiative objective, this will include undertaking key GE3LS research at the portfolio level and advancing genomic technologies and policies that have the potential to measurably mitigate climate change by reducing carbon emissions and increasing carbon sequestration.

To ensure that the objectives of the funding opportunity are met, all applications must address the review criteria established for the competition (see Appendix 1 of funding opportunity).

Available funding and terms

  • Genome Canada will fund one pan-Canadian team.
  • There is up to $2.1 million available for the KMIC hub from Genome Canada (phased approach – see funding opportunity).
  • Co-funding at least equal to the Genome Canada contribution is required (phased approach – see funding opportunity).
  • The successful team will be awarded funding for a term of up to five years.

Eligibility Criteria

  1. The team must be pan-Canadian with representation from at least three provinces.
  2. The team should be multidisciplinary and include representatives who have expertise, skills and knowledge in areas such as:
    1. Knowledge mobilization and implementation (e.g., implementation science, knowledge translation and exchange, knowledge brokering).
    2. Research (e.g., implementation science, GE3LS).
    3. Policy and regulation (e.g., shaping and influencing policy, understanding federal and provincial or territorial governments and processes).
    4. Stakeholder engagement and outreach (e.g., consultations, public engagement).
    5. Partnership development (e.g., the ability to identify, establish and maintain partnerships with public, private, non-governmental and academic sectors).
    6. Science communications and marketing.
    7. Economics and economic evaluation.
    8. Evaluation and measurement.
    9. Inclusion, diversity, equity and access (IDEA) and Indigenous knowledge and engagement.
    10. Climate and agriculture science (e.g., genomics in society, crops, livestock).

Please note that different sources of expertise and experience can be pulled in at different phases; the full complement is not necessarily expected at the start of the project.

  1. The project must include partner(s) from the public, community or private sector to facilitate the use and/or impact of the Initiative.
  2. Project Leaders from the ICT teams cannot be Project Leaders of the Hubs. However, members of the ICT teams can be involved in the Hub team as co-applicants.

See KMIC Funding Opportunity for complete eligibility requirements.

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Ontario Genomics-CANSSI Ontario Postdoctoral Fellowship in Genome Data Science

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Ontario Genomics-CANSSI Ontario Postdoctoral Fellowship in Genome Data Science

We are pleased to open the Request for Applications (RFA) for the Ontario Genomics and CANSSI Ontario Postdoctoral Fellowship, establishing another joint Postdoctoral Fellowship in Genome Data Science.

This Fellowship, now in its third year, will support the work of an early-career investigator pursuing research in the areas of genomics and data science with an emphasis on genomic medicine, including, but not limited to, methodology, application, and translation of genomic prediction tools such as polygenic risk scores; human-computer interactions; or novel genomic computational approaches to therapeutic identification.

Proposed projects should be innovative, generalizable across applications, and not restricted to developing a predictive tool for a single application.

The Fellowship offers two-year salary support for up to $50,000 per year for postdoctoral fellows undertaking full-time research at a CANSSI Ontario partner university or their affiliated research institutes.

Candidates are responsible for selecting, contacting, and securing the commitment of two faculty members to jointly supervise them in their project, where at least one is a faculty member with a PhD in statistics, biostatistics, epidemiology, computational biology, genomics, or computer science. The second supervisor can be from any other field.

The Fellowships offer two-year salary support for up to $50,000 per year for postdoctoral fellows undertaking full-time research. Candidates are responsible for selecting, contacting, and securing the commitment of two mentors to jointly supervise them in their project.

Eligibility and Requirements

Read all eligibility and all required materials at the Eligibility and Application Guide

  • Postdoctoral fellows with a PhD in the fields of statistics, computational biology, biostatistics, bioinformatics, computer science, epidemiology, genomics, or other related quantitative fields
  • Applicants must be undertaking full-time research during the term of the postdoctoral fellowship at a CANSSI Ontario member university or any of their affiliated research institutes.
  • Research projects that focus on statistical methodology and tool development, including computational tools, may be considered. We encourage applications from candidates combining ’omics data with other data to overcome challenges, especially as it applies to the environment and climate change. Final selection is at the discretion of the adjudication panel.
  • Funding eligibility of submissions will be assessed based on defined eligibility criteria related to scientific excellence and innovation by a joint adjudication panel.

Funding and Tenure

  • Funding Availability: Up to two years.
  • Maximum Fellowship Value: $50,000 per year for up to $100,000 over two years.

* We expect to fund the highest-ranked candidates.

Landing Pad Investment Program (LPIP)

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This competition is closed. All submitted proposals will be assessed according to the process outlined in the competition timeline, and results will be announced as indicated.

Call for genomics or engineering biology start-ups solving global challenges in therapeutics, future of food, biomaterials, biological tools, diagnostics and bioinformatics/AI-based technologies

The Ontario Genomics (OG) Landing Pad Investment Program (LPIP) seeks to provide investment and support to help Ontario-based genomics and engineering biology1 companies to start and scale successfully. To enable this, OG is offering support to start-ups that attend an approved International Accelerator Program and return to Ontario upon completion. The Landing Pad Investment Program partner IndieBio (San Francisco & New York), offers a minimum of $275,000 USD upon acceptance to their program, and is backed by the global venture capital firm SOSV.

  • Successful applicants will receive a $100,000 investment from Ontario Genomics
  • Companies will benefit from mentorship which may include: regulatory pathway assistance, global outlook and connections, understanding of export markets, business model strategy, technical development, funding and foreign investment.
  • Companies can be connected to Ontario’s leading incubators and support organizations such as Velocity, Synapse, McMaster Innovation Park and Ryerson’s SDZ.

How it works:

Icon of a lightbulb with text below: "Contact OGif your genomics or engineering biology start-up has potential for large impact. Key icon: Attend an international Accelerator Program to qualify for the LPIP. Rocket Icon: Apply for LPIP for investment, connections to lab space and mentorship

*Impacting at least 1B people or is part of a $1B market

Get Started

  • Step 1: Contact Britney Hess, Ontario Genomics Manager, Investment and Venture Development, if you have any questions about the program or your eligibility!
  • Step 2: Fill in the application form (linked above) and send it to Britney Hess by December 1, 2021.
  • Step 3: Eligible top-ranked applicants will pitch to an expert panel on December 15, 2021. Top-ranked applicants will undergo a due diligence process.
  • Step 4: Successful applicants will receive $100,000 in investment from Ontario Genomics, as well as opportunities for mentorship and connections to lab space.

1.Genomics can encompass proteomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, bioinformatics and other related disciplines that involve systematic, comprehensive and high-throughput procedures to study cellular constituents and function. Engineering (or synthetic) biology is a convergence of genomics and molecular biosciences with computing, automation, miniaturization, artificial intelligence (AI), and the application of engineering principles to biological systems. See OG Engineering Biology Whitepaper for examples

Industry Challenge 2020 Program

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This competition is closed. All submitted proposals will be assessed according to the process outlined in the competition timeline, and results will be announced as indicated.

Industry challenge program banner, a man standing with his hands on his hips and looking at a whiteboard that has DNA drawn on it
Healthy Lives, Healthy Economy, Healthy Planet through Genomics

Open Call for Challenges

Purpose

With the Industry Challenge Program, Ontario Genomics will provide teams with funding for novel and innovative projects to solve pressing challenges and address industry opportunities through the application of genomics-based solutions across key sectors of the Ontario economy with the intent to drive economic growth, improve quality of life and Ontario’s global leadership.

Ontario Genomics is issuing an “Open Call for Challenges” for genomics and engineering biology innovators to solve industry and other end-user identified challenges within and across agriculture and agri-food, human health, industrial biotechnology and natural resources and the environment in one or more of the five areas identified below.

  • Sustainable Food and Biomaterials Production
  • Rapid Genomic Diagnostics in Healthcare, Food Safety & Agriculture, and the Environment
  • Biomanufacturing and Scale Up from the Lab to the Factory
  • Roadmaps for Reducing Red Tape, Regulatory Burden or other Barriers
  • New Paradigms for Rare Disease Treatment

The Industry Challenge 2020 Program intends to catalyze and support collaboration in the application of genomics and engineering biology solutions to solve challenges identified by industry. This “industry-pull” approach is designed to enable market-informed outcomes and maximize the impact of these projects. This program is open to creative partnerships and collaborative teams (e.g. teams comprising industry, industry-academia, industry-industry, industry-other) that are in the position to address the identified challenge or opportunity and implement the results from the project.

Project outcomes should enable the applicant to implement the next steps, e.g. follow-on investment, increase technology readiness through next level applied research, validate a new business opportunity, obtain future partners etc. It is expected that the knowledge generated will have a high potential for future implementation by the industry, resulting in a marketable or translatable asset and will ultimately create social and/or economic benefit for Ontario, including the creation of jobs.

Funding

Ontario Genomics will provide up to twelve (12) individual awards of $25,000 each for teams to be used for short duration (up to 12 months) research projects. Each project must be matched with a minimum of $25,000 contribution from the industry (cash and in-kind acceptable), to a total project size of $50,000 or more. Higher funding could be requested in exceptional cases and would have to be matched dollar for dollar by the industry partner. Applicants must ensure that the research funded through the Industry Challenge Program is independent of current funding or is incremental to previously funded projects.

Eligibility

To be eligible for Industry Challenge 2020, a proposal must conform to the following criteria:

  • The proposal must respond to the objectives and intent of the Industry Challenge 2020 program (as described above)
  • The project must address an industry-identified challenge within one or more of the five areas identified above that can be solved with a genomics or engineering biology solution
  • The team must comprise of an Ontario-based industry or other industry partnerships (as described above)
  • If the industry is a company, the company must be incorporated prior to the application date
  • Funded research must be performed in Ontario, and awarded funds will not flow outside of Ontario
  • Ontario Genomics funds must flow to the industry team member. In exceptional cases, it may go to another team member and only if agreed upon by all parties
  • Co-funding is required from the industry, at a minimum of $25,000 (cash and in-kind acceptable)
  • Project duration should not exceed one year in length unless agreed upon by all parties

How to Apply

The Industry Challenge Competition will consist of a three-stage gated application process:

  • Intent to Apply (screening calls with Ontario Genomics, see below)
  • Submission of Written Application and
  • Pitch to Expert Panel.

Potential applicants must contact Elaine Corbett, Director of Strategic Partnerships to discuss their project idea. Ontario Genomics will help determine eligibility, positioning of the project and will provide an invitation to apply for eligible applicants.

2020 Large-Scale Applied Research Project Competition: Genomics Solutions for Natural Resources and the Environment

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This competition is closed. All submitted proposals will be assessed according to the process outlined in the competition timeline, and results will be announced as indicated.

2020 Applied Research Project Competition Genomics Solutions for Natural Resources and the Environment. Ontario genomics banner using DNA visuals and Health, agriculture and environment icons

Genome Canada, together with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), has announced a Request for Applications (RFA) for the 2020 Large Scale Applied Research Project Competition “Genomics Solutions for Natural Resources and the Environment”. The Competition aims to support applied research projects that use genomic approaches to address challenges and opportunities in Canada’s natural resources and environment sectors, including interactions between natural resources and the environment, thereby contributing to the Canadian bioeconomy, a healthy environment and the well-being of Canadians.

The scope of this funding opportunity will include areas such as genomics research related to energy, mining, forestry, water stewardship, healthy oceans, wildlife management/conservation and bioproducts that help conserve natural resources, protect the environment and support sustainable resource management. It also includes the use of genomics to understand the adaptive genetic potential of species, populations and ecosystems to climate and other environmental changes and stressors, and identify those key elements that impact ecosystem structure, function and diversity.

The natural resource and environment sectors have a history of using research to assess challenges and develop various solutions. Knowledge and innovation emerging from genomics have the potential to help address the challenges in these sectors and thereby drive sustainability, growth, productivity, commercialization and global competitiveness. Previous investments from Genome Canada in these sectors have led to the development of genomic tools, resources and policies for biomonitoring and ecotoxicological risk assessment, bioremediation, increased efficiency of hydrocarbon extraction, and increased forest sustainability. See previous LSARP projects

Research into the implications of genomics in society (GE3LS research)

Because genomics and its applications in the natural resource and environment sectors can have significant social and economic impact, all projects must undertake research into the application and implications of genomics in society (GE3LS research). GE3LS research can either be the major focus of the project or an integrated component that is shaped by, and helps shape, the overall project.

Funding Available and Term

This funding opportunity makes it possible to collaboratively carry out joint projects with NRCan researchers, where Genome Canada funds will support the Genome Canada eligible researchers and NRCan funds will support the NRCan researchers.

  • There is approximately $25 million available for the term of this competition through Genome Canada, and approximately $1.5 million from NRCan.
  • The contribution from Genome Canada must be between $1 million and $3 million, and the amount of co-funding from eligible sources must be at least equal to the Genome Canada contribution.
  • NRCan will only invest in projects it determines to be relevant; projects are encouraged but not required to include a component that would be funded by NRCan.
  • The NRCan funding for this competition cannot be included as co-funding.
  • Successful individual projects will be awarded funding for a term of up to four years.

Eligibility

Genome Canada funds can only be awarded to individuals affiliated with one or more of the following types of organizations:

  • Canadian universities and affiliated institutions including research hospitals and research institutes
  • Not-for-profit organizations (including community or charitable organizations) with an explicit research mandate
  • Canadian non-federal government departments or agencies

Individuals eligible to receive and administer Genome Canada funds must be:

  • Autonomous regarding their research activities; and,
  • Have an academic or research appointment such that the individual is:
  • allowed to pursue the proposed research project independently for the duration of the funding, to supervise trainees, and to publish the research results; and
  • obliged to conform to institutional/organizational regulations and guidelines concerning the conduct of research, the supervision of trainees, and the employment conditions of staff.

Research teams may include as co-applicants international, private sector, or federal laboratory scientists. However, Genome Canada funding is restricted to activities performed within Genome Canada eligible institutions and NRCan funding (from this funding opportunity) is restricted to activities performed within NRCan.

Genomics in Society Interdisciplinary Research Teams Program (GiSIRT)

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This competition is closed. All submitted proposals will be assessed according to the process outlined in the competition timeline, and results will be announced as indicated.

Genomics in Society Interdisciplinary Research Teams Program

A webinar about the GiSIRT program was hosted by Genome Canada on March 22 & 25. Download the presentation to learn more.

Genome Canada has announced a Request for Applications (RFA) for the Genomics in Society Interdisciplinary Research Teams Program. This program aims to facilitate collaborations and dialogue among researchers and other key stakeholders to ensure effective and responsible translation of innovative genomics applications into sectors capable of transformation by genomics advances.

This program will support teams of researchers from diverse disciplines to address issues at the intersection of genomics and society. Research teams of at least three researchers from different disciplines investigating the advancement, adoption, evaluation, and governance of genomics research are encouraged to apply.

Proposal Focus Areas

  • Stream 1: proposals mainly impacting the human health sector
  • Stream 2: proposals mainly impacting the agriculture/agri-food and/or aquaculture/fisheries sectors
  • Stream 3: proposals mainly impacting the natural resources (forestry, energy, mining) and/or environment sectors

Proposals that address multiple sectors across two or three streams are also eligible to apply.

Project Eligibility

To be eligible, proposals must:

  • Respond to the objectives of the competition;
  • Take an interdisciplinary approach to address topics that will have a national impact;
  • Include at least three researchers from different disciplines at the Leader or Co-Investigator level;
  • Demonstrate an active collaboration with relevant genomics scientific and user communities in the planning and conduct of the research with findings having the potential to enhance practices or policies within these communities.

Funds Available

  • There is approximately $3 million available from Genome Canada.
  • Approximately one-third of the available Genome Canada funding will be invested in each of the three streams as defined above with the goal of funding at least one team in each of the three streams.
  • Genome Canada will contribute between $500,000 and $1 million with the amount of co-funding from eligible sources at least equal to the Genome Canada contribution.
  • Successful teams will be awarded funding for a term of up to four years.

Ontario Regional Priorities Partnership Program (ON-RP3)

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This competition is closed. All submitted proposals will be assessed according to the process outlined in the competition timeline, and results will be announced as indicated.

Ontario regional priorities partnership program (ON-RP3)

Rapid advances in genomics research and their application within Ontario’s diverse agriculture and agri-food sector have the potential to dramatically impact and improve both Ontario’s economy and the well-being of its people. Genomics, which to date has been applied primarily in major field crops and select livestock species, offers tremendous untapped potential to enhance the productivity, sustainability and profitability of many more segments of this sector. Ontario is well-known for its extensive research community and robust private sector, which have led to highly successful industry-academic partnerships. Through partnerships like these, Ontario is uniquely positioned to lead the application of genomics/genomics-derived technologies, tools and processes to advance the agriculture and agri-food sector.

To this end, Ontario Genomics (OG) has partnered with Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC) and Genome Canada (GC) to deliver the new Ontario Regional Priorities Partnership Program (ON-RP3). Funding through this program will support co-led industry-academic, proof-of-concept stage projects within Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food sector. These projects will deliver genomics-derived technologies, tools and processes for industry-identified challenges and opportunities. The outcomes of these projects will position teams for successful implementation within two years or less of project completion.

Objectives

The primary objectives of the ON-RP3 are to:

  • Develop industry-academic partnerships that will drive the adoption of genomics-derived technologies, tools and processes to advance the Ontario agriculture and agri-food sector
  • Address industry-identified challenges and/or opportunities in the agriculture and agri-food sector and demonstrate the readiness of genomics solutions for implementation
  • Achieve the benefits of genomic discoveries by bridging the gap between applied research and implementation

Key Parameters of the Program

The ON-RP3 program is open to Ontario-based, co-led industry-academic projects. Industry includes for-profit companies and not-for-profit organizations actively operating in the Ontario agriculture and agri-food sector. Proposed projects must address real-world challenges and/or opportunities in Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food sector by using genomics/genomics-derived solutions.

  • Eligible Projects: Proof-of-concept stage projects with a clear plan for implementation within two years or less of project completion.
  • Eligible Applicants: Projects must be co-led by an Industry Lead and an Academic Lead, both based in Ontario.
  • Funding Available: Up to $2 million.
  • Project Size: $375,000 – $500,000 total project budget; smaller projects of at least $150,000 will be considered if they are well-justified and still meet the review criteria.
  • Co-funding: 1/3 of the total project budget must be obtained from eligible sources including the Industry Lead. A minimum of 1/6 of the total project budget must be in the form of cash obtained from the Industry Lead.
  • Funding Duration: One to three years, beginning no earlier than July 1, 2019 and ending no later than June 30, 2022.
  • Communications Plan: Projects must present a strong plan to communicate the project outcomes to a broad audience.

ON-RP3 Public Education and Engagement Initiative: Successful project teams that are selected for funding will be required to work collaboratively with OG, AAC and GC on a common, group-identified public education/engagement-themed initiative. The aim will be to identify and implement an initiative that benefits all projects. This initiative is expected to begin in the summer of 2020 and will be financially supported by OG, AAC and GC.

Eligibility

To be considered eligible, projects must:

  1. Respond to the objectives and intent of the ON-RP3 program
  2. Have an eligible Industry Lead and Academic Lead located in Ontario and demonstrate that the project being funded will be performed in, and benefit Ontario
  3. Put forward a genomics or genomics-derived solution (technologies, tools and processes) for an agriculture and agri-food sector-driven challenge or opportunity
  4. Align within one or more of the outlined strategic priorities listed below
  5. Build on existing research/preliminary data to demonstrate proof-of-concept by the end of the funding period
  6. Provide a plan that demonstrates how implementation will be achieved within two years or less of project completion
  7. Provide a communications plan

Proof-of-concept stage projects are defined as projects that build on existing discovery research and/or preliminary data towards Research & Development (R&D) that demonstrates the feasibility of implementing the genomics/genomics-derived solution. With the proof-of-concept data generated by end of the project, teams should be well-positioned to execute their defined implementation plan.

Discovery research with a seed sprouting icon, proof of concept with a growing sapling icon, implementation with a tree icon

Strategic Priorities

Projects must align with one or more of the strategic priorities outlined below, that are  based on the recommendations from the sector strategy report, Genomics for Agriculture & Agri-Food: Ontario’s Strategic Opportunity.  This report was prepared by Ontario Genomics following extensive sector review and consultations with academic, government, industry and other sector stakeholders:

  • Multidisciplinary Research – Augment multidisciplinary R&D using a systems biology approach, with a focus on increased understanding of microbiomes and their interconnectivity to human health
  • Sustainable Agriculture & Food – Prioritize programs for sustainable agriculture and food that consider the economy, the environment, and society, for crop production and livestock
  • Advanced Processing Systems – Enhance advanced manufacturing and processing systems for both food and industrial bioproducts, including fermentation and traceability
  • Rapid Diagnostics & Biologics – Develop rapid diagnostic methods to support regulation and trade, rapid disease detection and traceability in crops and livestock, and biologics to reduce the use of antimicrobials
  • Address Barriers to Adoption – Address barriers to the adoption of genomics innovations including issues related to data sharing, intellectual property, regulation and public acceptance
  • Leverage Computational Biology & Artificial Intelligence – Leverage Ontario’s strengths in computational biology and artificial intelligence to accelerate the development and application of agricultural genomics-based innovations

Application Review Process

The ON-RP3 application process includes three stages, as follows:

  1. Registration (Eligibility Assessment)
  2. Application Submission
  3. Application Review

2017 Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (B/CB) Competition

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This competition is closed. All submitted proposals will be assessed according to the process outlined in the competition timeline, and results will be announced as indicated.

Ontario Genomics banner with coding imagery

Genome Canada has announced a Request for Applications (RFA) for the 2017 Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Competition.

This funding opportunity will support projects that build the tools and methodologies needed to analyze and integrate the vast amounts of data being gathered in the ‘omics research community. Of particular interest will be proposals that address challenges associated with data handling and analysis associated with new technologies.

For examples of previously funded projects, see Funded B/CB Projects

RFA Objectives:

  • To support the development of next generation B/CB tools and methodologies needed to manage, analyze and integrate complex data sets produced by modern genomics technologies to better understand the associated biology; and,
  • To provide broad and timely access of these B/CB tools to the research community.

Proposal Focus Areas:

  • Stream 1: proposals mainly impacting the human health sector
  • Stream 2: proposals mainly impacting one or more of the other sectors, i.e., agriculture, aquaculture/fisheries, forestry, energy, mining and/or environment

Project Eligibility

To be eligible, proposals must:

  • respond to the objectives of the competition,
  • be applicable to at least one of the two streams described above; and
  • ensure that the essential components and deliverables of the project will be realized by the end of the project and will apply directly to the genomics research community.

Funding Parameters:

  • Total Funding Available: $12M (approximately $6M per stream)
  • Project Size: $500k-$1M per project (total)
  • Co-funding: 50% from Genome Canada + 50% from other eligible sources (1:1)
  • Award Duration: Up to 3 years

Key Definitions

The term bioinformatics is defined here as the development and application of computational tools and approaches for maximizing the use of genomics data.

The term computational biology is defined here as the development and application of theoretical data-analytical methods, mathematical modeling and computational simulation techniques in the context of the study of biological systems.

The term genomics is defined here as the comprehensive study, using high throughput technologies, of the genetic information of a cell or organism and its functions. The definition also includes related disciplines such as bioinformatics, epigenomics, metabolomics, metagenomics, nutrigenomics, pharmacogenomics, proteomics and transcriptomics.

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