Four universities recently benefited from nearly $1.9 million in funding for 17 research infrastructure projects under the British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund, announced Ralph Sultan, Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology.

"These awards enable research and innovation at our universities that has the potential to make significant contributions to the quality of life in British Columbia, while supporting B.C.'s Technology Strategy," said Sultan. "We are proud of the work that is being done at our world-class universities - a great example of that is UBC's Brain Research Centre, which is addressing the growing crisis of dementia in our elderly population, including Alzheimer's, stroke and Parkinson's disease."

Since 2001, the B.C. government has invested more than $457 million for 847 research infrastructure projects worth over $1.32 billion at British Columbia's public post-secondary institutions. The latest awards include:

University of Victoria:

• $199,999 - Research lab to study effects of environmental change on fish populations and habitats.

• $80,000 - Equipment for a lab to study coastal erosion and sandy beach dune dynamics.

• $72,000 - Infrastructure to support the new Marine Ecology and Conservation Centre for research into coastal resources and ecosystem services.

• $62,000 - Research into alternative energy/power technology, and health and biotechnology.

University of British Columbia:

• $392,000 - Lab to study the effects of land use and climate changes on the ecosystem.

• $200,000 - Equipment for research in the health-biotechnology sector, focused on natural products biosynthesis and X-ray crystallography.

• $126,301 - Equipment used in studies aimed at improving lives and survival of people diagnosed with cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders.

• $125,000 - Research into the global increase in diabetes in people.

• $125,000 - Equipment for research in the biotechnology sector.

• $122,167 - Research into restoration ecology.

• $75,000 - Research to improve the health of individuals with spinal cord injury.

• $56,944 - Project to advance research in areas of physical activity, mobility and cognitive neuroscience.

University of Northern British Columbia:

• $11,349 - Equipment to study effects of absences from a person's home community for purposes of employment.

Simon Fraser University:

• $90,000 - Research into data collection activities in the areas of social networks-media, genomics and personalized medicine.

Learn More:

British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund: www.aved.gov.bc.ca/researchandinnovation/Funding/BCKDF/index.htm

Contact:

Dan Gilmore
Ministry of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology
250 952-6400
Dan.Gilmore@gov.bc.ca