Two 91亚色-led industry-academic partnerships have received a total of $1,237,136 through the 's (NSERC) Strategic Projects Grants program.

Sergey Krylov, professor in the Faculty of Science聽& Engineering and Canada Research Chair in Bioanalytical Chemistry, has received $773,200 over three years to explore new therapies to treat metastatic cancers聽鈥� secondary tumors that originate from a malignant primary tumor and subsequently invade different organs.

Right: Sergey Krylov

Laurie Wilcox, associate professor in the Faculty of Health鈥檚 Department of Psychology, is co-principal investigator on Depth in Motion with Ali Kazimi, associate professor in the Faculty of Fine Arts鈥� Department of Film. Theirs will be the first research project to rigorously assess human responses to moving content in stereoscopic 3D film (S3D), while challenging current practices and intuitions filmmakers have garnered through 2D and static 3D experience. The grant is provided through a collaborative initiative between NSERC and the ; NSERC has provided $286,836 while the Canada Council has provided $177,100 for a cumulative three-year total of $463,936.

Left: Laurie Wilcox

Krylov has partnered with , whose Canadian offices are based in Concord, Ontario, to create personalized diagnoses and therapy monitoring for metastatic cancers. Current difficulties in detecting and eradicating these tumors significantly contribute to cancer mortality rates; therapies that are efficient for one patient often do not work for others. Their research uses "aptamers"聽鈥� short DNA strands capable of selectively binding molecules on cell surfaces聽 to serve as tracers for metastatic cancer tumors and, potentially, as vehicles to deliver drugs to metastatic cells.

Wilcox and Kazimi will collaborate with , associate professor in the Faculty of Science & Engineering鈥檚 Department of Computer Science & Engineering and member of the , to create an independent S3D film installation based on a piece of dance choreography and presented in both a large-scale S3D projection format and on multiple S3D displays. Audience members will move through a gallery space and choose to view the large-scale screen or one of the alternative displays containing different motion in depth sequences. The project will evaluate movement鈥檚 effect through depth on observer preferences, determine if these preferences are contingent on the nature of the movement, and determine if pacing differences exist between 2D and S3D film content.

Right: Ali Kazemi

Jim Mirkopolos, vice-president of operations for Toronto-based , is the project鈥檚 industry collaborator; Cinespace's Kleinburg studios are providing space to set up and test the installation later in the project.

鈥淭hese projects build on 91亚色鈥檚 expanding expertise in digital media and life science research, and our value-added industry-academic partnerships,鈥� said Stan Shapson, vice-president Research & Innovation. 鈥淒epth in Motion is a natural next step in the 3D film research 91亚色 began through the in partnership with Toronto-based industry leaders, and demonstrates the innovation unleashed when the creative arts and science converge. Professor Krylov鈥檚 work with in 91亚色 Region has a six-year history that involves two past successful collaborations and will further contribute 91亚色鈥檚 scientific expertise to the region鈥檚 growing and vibrant biotech sector.鈥�

91亚色鈥檚 projects were among 120 chosen to receive a total of $55 million in funding under聽NSERC鈥檚 Strategic Project Grants program, which aims to turn the results of academic research into real benefits for Canadians.

The announcement was made by聽Gary Goodyear, minister of state (Science聽& Technology) in Waterloo, Ontario. 鈥淪upporting science and research is critical to Canada鈥檚 future economic growth,鈥� said Goodyear. 鈥淭his investment will bring together 100 teams of some of the world鈥檚 top researchers to work with industry on promising new projects that will help strengthen our economy, create jobs and bring other benefits to communities.鈥�

鈥淭hese Strategic Project Grants show that the NSERC community has risen to the challenge and is putting the federal S&T strategy to work,鈥� said NSERC President Suzanne Fortier. 鈥淲e received a high number of quality submissions, and the peer review committees were impressed with the research teams鈥� excellence, their proposals鈥� importance and potential impact, and the strong support from partners.鈥�

For a complete list of NSERC recipients, visit the website.

By Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer.

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Scientists at the new Centre for Research on Biomolecular Interactions (CRBI)聽at 91亚色, which officially opens today,聽aim to make discoveries that will impact global health care and the treatment of diseases.

Understanding the foundation of key interactions at the molecular level is the research focus at the聽new centre,聽which will be housed聽in聽91亚色's Faculty of Science聽& Engineering. Scientists will study how biomolecules interact at every level聽鈥� from pure molecules to single cells to the entire organism. They will examine these interactions聽under normal circumstances and in the development of a disease. Their research will result in a deeper understanding of the聽"mechanical" changes that occur in disease during biomedical interactions that have gone awry.

The CRBI members have already been busy at work聽exploring important molecular interactions of biomolecules such as nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and proteins.聽With the formation of the centre, they will now聽have the opportunity to combine their forces and share resources. The centre encompasses聽faculty members and research teams that include聽more than聽70 graduate students, research associates, postdoctoral fellows and undergraduate students.聽 Researchers from chemistry and biology departments at 91亚色 include Professors Gerald Audette, Samuel Benchimol, Kathy Hudak, Philip Johnson, Sergey Krylov (director), John McDermott,聽Andrew White and Derek Wilson.

Above: Some of the members of the new Centre for Research on Biomolecular Interactions at 91亚色. Front row, from left:聽Sergey Krylov, John McDermott and聽Derek Wilson.聽Middle row, from left:聽Philip Johnson and聽Gerald Audette.聽Back row, from left:聽Mark Bayfield and聽Andrew White. Missing from the photo are Professors Samuel Benchimol and Kathy Hudak.

The group鈥檚 combined expertise, which varies聽from analytical and physical chemistry to structural, cell and molecular biology,聽provides an opportunity for聽research projects to be pursued in an interdisciplinary and comprehensive manner. The team uses cutting-edge approaches to gain full understanding of key molecular players and events that can lead to disease, and by doing so,聽hopes to address聽prevention and future treatment of many diseases.

The centre is bustling with energy and activities, and future plans include extending the centre鈥檚 external and industry collaborations, launching a new peer-reviewed journal, Journal of Biomolecular Interactions, and hosting a research retreat.

鈥淭he creation of the Centre for Research on Biomolecular Interactions is an important step that will strengthen the existing collaborations and foster new ones at 91亚色 and beyond,鈥� says 91亚色 chemistry Professor Sergey Krylov,聽director of the CRBI and Canada Research Chair in Bioanalytical Chemistry. 鈥淭he centre is a nucleus for great researchers and it encourages a stimulating and cooperative environment. We have energy, enthusiasm and research synergy; I anticipate our collaborative research will lead to advances in various areas including disease detection and understanding of disease processes.鈥�

There will be an opening celebration for the CRBI today in the Seymour Schulich Building on 91亚色's Keele campus. The invitation-only event includes聽a reception and a keynote lecture by Professor Jack Greenblatt from the Terrace Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research at the University of Toronto,聽who will address the importance of studying biomolecular interactions in his talk titled 鈥淧rotein complexes and functional pathways in yeast, bacteria and mammalian cells鈥�.

From YFile - 91亚色's daily e-bulletin

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