Genomics Research Competition to Enhance Livestock Sector Now Open

CALGARY, April 16 /CNW/ - Genome Alberta has launched a competition for bovine and swine genomics research projects that will contribute to the success and growth of Alberta's highly competitive livestock and meat industry. This Competition is open to researchers based at provincial, national or international research institutions and private industry, but must be led or co-led by an Alberta or Canadian Investigator. All proposed research projects must be collaborative and must clearly demonstrate support from, and benefit to, end users. Genome Alberta will fund up to a maximum of $500K (Cdn) per Research Project. Letters of Intent are now being accepted and can be submitted until May 17, 2010. The Alberta Livestock Genomics Program Guidelines and the Letter of Intent template can be downloaded from http://genomealberta.ca/livestockgenomics

Genome Alberta's Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Gijs van Rooijen said that "Genome Alberta is very pleased to partner with ALMA to solicit and fund internationally vetted national livestock genomics Research Projects that will benefit Alberta and Canadian Livestock producers and the value added meat sectors."

For more on the research competition you can contact Gijs van Rooijen, Chief Scientific Officer directly at Genome Alberta at [email protected]

The research competition is made possible through 4.8 million dollars in funding from the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA) to invest in livestock genetics research to help improve the health, reputation, and quality of Alberta livestock.

Genome Alberta's CEO, Dr. David Bailey said, "We are excited about our new strategic partnership with ALMA, and our intent is to deliver the highest quality return for this investment in livestock genomics. Our organization will be working with the academic community and various industry sectors to ensure the high priority areas are funded with results that will benefit both consumers and the livestock sector."

With 5.5 million head of cattle in Alberta providing over 3 billion dollars in farm cash receipts there is little doubt that an investment in bovine genetics is an important investment with the potential for a significant impact on Alberta's herd quality. Just as important is the potential impact of stronger genetics on Alberta's 2.3 million hogs raised every year.

Alberta has a strong history of research in livestock genetics and Canadian researchers played an important role in the international effort to sequence the bovine genome announced in April of 2009 so we are well suited to lead the way in this area of applied research.

For more on this announcement and to learn more about genomics please visit our home page at http://genomealberta.ca

Genome Alberta is a publicly funded organization that initiates, funds, and manages genomics research and partnerships. We are based in Calgary but lead projects around the province and participate in a variety of projects across the country. We are one of Canada's six Genome Centres and work closely with these centres to advance the science and application of genomics, metabolomics, and many other related 'omics'. Apart from the scientific contributions and advances that come from our research, we contribute directly to the economy and have put almost 20 million dollars into salaries, benefits and consumables since we were created in mid 2005.

You can find out more about Genome Alberta at http://www.genomealberta.ca/about/

Media can download high resolution images from http://picasaweb.google.com/MikesGene/LivestockGenomics#

For further information: Mike Spear at Genome Alberta, Director of Corporate Communications, No. 115, 3553-31st N.W., Calgary, Alberta, T2L 2K7, office: [phone], fax: [phone], cell: [phone], Website: www.genomealberta.ca, Twitter: @mikesgene, Facebook: look for the Genomics News application at http://facebook.genomealberta.ca