$2M supports research projects in Saskatchewan

Saskatoon, SK – Through its Innovation and Science Fund, Saskatchewan’s provincial government is providing just over $2 million to nine research projects at the University of Saskatchewan.

This funding includes almost $1.3 million for the BioXAS: Life Science Beamline for X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy at the Canadian Light Source Synchrotron.  The BioXAS beamline will investigate the molecular form and microscopic location of metals in biological systems with unprecedented sensitivity.  This will enable researchers to study the role of metals in brain diseases like Alzheimer’s, better understand how to treat deadly effects of toxic elements such as mercury and develop new drugs to treat cancer.

“This major provincial investment will greatly enhance the array of much-needed research tools to advance knowledge and benefit industry by providing solutions to challenges in agriculture, energy production, environment, and animal and human health,” said Karen Chad, the university’s vice-president of research.  “We are particularly grateful for the support for this exciting new synchrotron beamline which will advance the Canadian Light Source as a global hub for cutting-edge life sciences research using synchrotron light.”

The funded projects are as follows, with project title and funding amount:

• Facility for applied avian research: $195,000
•  Interactions of carbon and nitrogen during co-consumption of methane and nitrous oxide: $130,000
• A multifunctional vapor deposition system for the development and application of novel nanocomposite coatings: $120,000
• Advanced E-region imaging radar: $119,032
• Innovative bioprocessing catalysis research laboratory: $117,612
• Laboratory of computational synthesis: $99,017
• Body composition imaging suite to design more effective exercise and nutritional interventions and improve rehabilitation for older individuals: $5,500
• Infrastructure to study DNA repair proteins: $1,519
• BioXAS:  Life Science Beamline for X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy at the Canadian Light Source: $1,298,460

Total to University of Saskatchewan: $2,086,140