Applauding Fed’s $36.5 Million Investment in Research

Families of the CAI were very pleased to learn of the multi-million dollar, multi-year commitment the federal government recently announced for Canadian research on allergies.  This is fantastic and speaks to the CAI’s call for long-term government support of anaphylaxis research.

Here is the Government’s press release:

     Hamilton, March 23, 2012– A network of research experts from the academic, private and public sectors has received renewed federal funding to carry out its battle against allergic and related immune diseases. The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology, today announced $36.5 million to support the AllerGen Network of Centres of Excellence for the coming seven years.

     “How do we improve lives, create jobs and economic growth through Science and Technology? Innovation. We are investing in Networks of Centres of Excellence to improve the quality of life of Canadians, strengthen the economy and support job creation,” said Minister Goodyear. “Because, as Canadians, we are not unique in the problems we face, we can sell our solutions to the world. AllerGen’s research will help improve the lives of millions of Canadians suffering from the complications of allergic diseases through innovation.”

     The network’s recent advances include improving asthma diagnosis and predicting attacks, unravelling the genetic connections to allergies and asthma, and revealing the impact of socio-economic factors on the development of the immune system.

     “The AllerGen team features a highly talented and diverse group of researchers who tackle all aspects of this problem,” said Suzanne Fortier, Chair of the NCE Steering Committee and President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. “In addition to finding underlying causes, developing new treatments and laying the groundwork for prevention strategies, their contribution includes expanding the number of highly trained people working in this area.”

     Judah Denburg, Scientific Director and CEO of AllerGen NCE added: “Over the next seven years, AllerGen aims to focus on commercialization and knowledge mobilization activities. AllerGen’s research and development efforts will also create new “high value” jobs, prepare the next generation of researchers, entrepreneurs and experts to fill them, and leave international legacies of socio-economic benefits and improved quality of life for individuals and their families living with allergies, asthma and anaphylaxis.”

     AllerGen, which stands for Allergy, Genes and Environment Network, consists of almost 200 researchers based at 23 universities and other organizations, with its headquarters at McMaster University. Its research focuses on three main areas: Gene-Environment Interactions; Diagnostics and Therapeutics; and Public Health, Ethics, Policy and Society.

To read the press release in its entirety and to view the accompanying background note, go here.