Ottawa pledges more than $11M for UBC in funding to fight COVID-19

The University of British Columbia (UBC) is receiving $11.1 million in federal money for a pair of projects aimed at advancing mRNA vaccine technology.

These initiatives will work to improve the delivery and efficacy of mRNA vaccine technology, according to a federal government news release.

And to maximize the value and effectiveness of both projects, the two project teams will collaborate, meeting on a regular basis and coordinating research.

Minister for International Development Harjit Sajjan made the announcement Monday and said the money will be given through the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan) to UBC.

“PacifiCan is committed to supporting British Columbia’s life sciences sector and these projects at the University of British Columbia reflect that commitment,” Sajjan said in a news release.

“Establishing a home-grown pipeline for mRNA vaccine research will not only save lives, but create jobs for British Columbians and position Canada as a global leader in biotechnology innovation.”

Related Articles:

Breaking down where exactly the money will go, $3.5 million will go towards improving the delivery technology behind mRNA vaccines and other nanomedicines.

“Through analyzing how mRNA vaccines interact with cells and create defenses against pathogens, researchers will work to optimize the administration of those vaccines. Key objectives in this research project include minimizing any potential side effects, reducing the necessary vaccine dosage, and optimizing the potency of mRNA vaccines, among others,” the federal government said in a news release.

While the other $7.68 million will be directed at expanding B.C.’s biotech by developing in-vitro and in-situ antiviral therapy for SARS-CoV2 variants.

“Working closely with B.C. biotechnology companies, UBC will study the COVID-19 Delta variant at a molecular level and use AI predictive models to create mRNA vaccine treatments for potential future variants. Through this process, UBC and its partners will develop a pipeline for rapid anti-viral drug development, enabling a local response to new and emerging COVID-19 variants for worldwide commercial application,” stated the federal government news release.

“UBC has long been a major driver of the B.C. biotech sector, but those connections and their outputs really gained international attention during the pandemic. AbCellera, Acuitas, and Precision Nanosystems, among many others, are now major players in the treatment and prevention of diseases. This funding builds off many years of collaboration between UBC and local biotech companies and will enable us to continue developing and refining vaccines, drugs, and biologics,” said Dr. Leonard Foster, Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia.

According to the federal government, funding for the two projects is expected to create at least 240 jobs at UBC and with other industry partners.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today