City of Saskatoon Invests $250,000 in U of S Vaccine Research Centre
Posted November 02, 2004
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Nov. 2, 2004 2004-11-08-VIDO
City of Saskatoon Invests $250,000 in U of S Vaccine Research Centre
The $62-million International Vaccine Centre, to be built on the University
of Saskatchewan campus by 2009, has a new funding partner.
At its Nov. 1 meeting, City Council agreed to provide $250,000 over five
years to the new research centre which will be one of the largest vaccine
research laboratories in North America.
The U of S-owned facility, a multi-institutional collaboration that includes
the university's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), the
College of Medicine, and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, will
conduct research aimed at protecting human and animal health from the threat
of emerging diseases including SARS, avian influenza ("bird flu"), and West
Nile virus. It will be the only facility of its kind in Western Canada.
Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison said that the City's involvement follows the
model for the very successful Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron
project.
"The Centre represents a unique opportunity to strengthen Saskatoon's
position as a centre of excellence in life science research and
application," Atchison said. "The investment will mean enhanced employment
and economic development opportunities, and provides further evidence to
investors from around the world that Saskatoon is the city of the future."
U of S Vice-President of Research Steven Franklin welcomed the City's
contribution, noting the new, state-of-the-art laboratories will help the U
of S to stay competitive as a modern health research centre.
"This project will greatly advance health, veterinary and life sciences
research and help retain and attract high-calibre medical researchers and
students to the campus," he said, noting that at least 29 new, highly
skilled jobs will be created.
"It is a critically important addition to the outstanding life sciences
cluster on our campus which includes one of the world's three biomedical
imaging beamlines (to be built at the CLS), a renowned biotechnology
community that represents 30 per cent of Canada's ag-biotechnology industry,
a full range of health science colleges, and a wide array of bioprocessing
and analytical services."
Last March, the project was awarded $19.2 million by the Canada Foundation
for Innovation, the largest CFI award in animal and human vaccine research.
In addition, the U of S has contributed $300,000 to date to cover
preliminary design and other initial project support costs. Other sources of
public and private funding are currently being sought.
Internationally, diseases are classified at different levels on a scale of 1
to 4, depending on the seriousness of the infection. The highly secure new
facility will enable researchers to respond to "biosafety Level 3" diseases
which include tuberculosis and hepatitis C. It will be the province's first
Level 3 facility dealing with both human and animal diseases.
"This state-of-the-art facility will save lives and strengthen Canada's
leadership in infectious diseases research, prevention and emergency
response," said VIDO Director Lorne Babiuk, a U of S Canada Research Chair
in Vaccinology and Biotechnology. "It will serve the Canadian bio-science R
and D community and also link strongly with leading national and
international commercialization programs."
Members of the public who have questions about the new facility can phone
(306) 966-1525, or send an e-mail to intervac@vido.org. Responses will be
provided within three business days. Additional information and an artist's
rendition of the new facility is available at:
http://www.usask.ca/research/intervac.shtml
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For more information, contact:
Kathryn Warden
Director, Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
Phone: (306) 966-2506
kathryn.warden@usask.ca
Tess Laidlaw
Communications Officer
Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization
Phone: (306) 966-1506
Fax: (306) 966-7478
www.vido.org
Chris Dekker
Communications Manager
City of Saskatoon
Phone: (306) 975-3207
