UBC researchers supported by CFI funding for COVID-19 research infrastructure

(November 6, 2020)

The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced close to $28 million in research infrastructure support through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) Exceptional Opportunities Fund. The funding, which covers the urgent need for equipment for ongoing research related to COVID-19, will support 79 projects at 52 universities and research hospitals, colleges, polytechnics and Cégeps across Canada.

Canadian researchers and scientists are helping to protect our health and safety and are key to finding our way out of the COVID-19 pandemic. With this funding through the Exceptional Opportunities Fund, the Government of Canada is ensuring these talented Canadians have the equipment and tools to support them in their very important work.

The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

Canadian researchers’ immediate response to the pandemic has demonstrated the research community’s crucial role in helping to resolve this crisis. Working to find a vaccine, to learn about how COVID-19 affects the human body, or to study how this pandemic has influenced every aspect of our lives, Canada’s researchers have taken centre stage as our guides and our source of hope. The CFI is proud to support their efforts by equipping them with the research infrastructure they need to further their significant work.”

Roseann O’Reilly Runte, President and CEO, Canada Foundation for Innovation

Read the CFI announcement

Projects led by UBC researchers

Five projects led by UBC were awarded $3m through this Exceptional Opportunities Fund - COVID-19 competition.

• The ABCD Consortium (“Accelerating Blood and Cardiopulmonary COVID-19 Diagnostics”)
  Principal Investigator: Mari DeMarco (Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
  $ 502,600
   
• Linking Transmission Metadata to Viral Genotype and Serological Response of COVID-19
  Principal Investigator: Mel Krajden  (Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)
  $ 630,000
   
• Preparing for the Next Wave: Technology to Detect and Analyze SARS-CoV-2
  Principal Investigator: Marco Marra (Medical Genetics)
  $ 377,738
   
• Assessing the effect of aerosol and droplet control measures in indoor spaces
  Principal Investigator: Steven Rogak (Mechanical Engineering)
  $ 250,000
   
• Expanding COVID19 structure-based therapeutic development at UBC through enhanced CryoEM and CryoET data acquisition
  Principal Investigator: Natalie Strynadka (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
  $ 1,225,000