Grant fuels UVic researchers to probe life's secrets

VICTORIA – A $9 million grant from the provincial government will help some of UVic’s leading researchers on their way to new discoveries, including what lies beneath the ocean floor, how to maintain good quality drinking water, the cause of cancer, and the future of wireless communications.

“This government made a commitment to advancing research in B.C.,” says Advanced Education Minister Shirley Bond. “By supporting innovative and diverse projects at the University of Victoria and our other post-secondary institutions, we’re recognizing the wealth of research talent in this province and building on B.C.’s reputation for scientific excellence.”

The funding will go toward the following UVic projects:
Dr. Verena Tunnicliffe’s VENUS project—the “Victoria Experimental Network Under the Sea”—will develop a revolutionary cabled observatory with a network of instruments to observe and interact with processes on the seafloor and within the ocean off the coasts of Southern Vancouver Island and Vancouver. ($4,119,738)

Dr. Randall Sobie’s “University of Victoria Research Computing Facility” is capable of storing large amounts of scientific and engineering data, health information and multimedia objects and will be used by researchers across the nation. ($2,990,701)

Dr. Ned Djilali’s novel water purification technology, known as “Centrifugal Membrane Separation” (CMS), will allow economic production of potable water, as well as treatment of waste and industrial process waters, from a variety of sources across B.C. and Canada. ($540,000)

Dr. Juan Ausio’s new “Facility to Study Macromolecular Interactions Using Analytical Ultracentrifuge and Plasmon Resonance” will allow him to examine interactions between proteins and DNA. This research has significance in many areas, including cancer, Rett’s syndrome, aquaculture, and forestry management. ($534,521)

Dr. Asit Mazumder’s regional facility for “Interdisciplinary Environmental Research for Innovative Techniques in Drinking Water, Fisheries and Forestry” will help Canadians manage their freshwater resources in a sustainable manner. ($523,570)

Dr. Frank van Veggel’s new supramolecular photonic research laboratory will be used for the development of leading-edge optical devices and biolabels—molecules that emit light and sometimes indicate tumour cell locations—and to determine how signaling occurs between cells. Because of this funding, he’ll be able to conduct experiments in strictly controlled environments without oxygen or water. ($310,000)

Dr. Colin Bradley’s new manufacturing laboratory will be used to develop new smart tools with the ability to self-adjust to changing environmental factors. ($158,036)

Dr. Vijay Bhargava’s new computer equipment will allow him to continue developing the main components for some of the technologies that support fourth generation wireless network services. ($56,116)

“Earlier this year, the university received its largest ever grant from the federally funded Canada Foundation for Innovation for new UVic-based research projects in these areas,” says UVic President Dr. David Turpin. “The matching funds from the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund ensure that these nationally and internationally recognized researchers have the facilities and equipment they require to conduct their work in B.C. Our continued success in securing research funding speaks to the exceptional quality of our faculty and their diverse work.”

To date, UVic has received $13.5 million from the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund for 23 research projects.

UVic and the Ministry of Advanced Education announced the funding today at PureEdge Solutions in Victoria. PureEdge is the leading provider of secure XML-based e-forms and a spin-off company from UVic’s Innovation and Development Corporation. The company also regularly employs UVic engineering co-op students and UVic grads.

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