New genomics funding to meet environmental challenges

$6.4 million investment to manage the spread of Mountain Pine Beetle

$6.3 million to study treatment of oil sands affected wastewater in northern environments

CALGARY, AB - Genomic technologies hold innovative solutions to a range of challenges, and new funding through Genome Alberta and Genome Canada will bring genomics to bear on important issues facing us today. The 2 Alberta-led projects were among the 8 projects selected under the Large-Scale Applied Research Project Competition: Genomic Solutions for Natural Resources and the Environment. There will be 75 new full time equivalent jobs created in Alberta over the life of the projects.

Risk assessment and forest resilience using genomic tools for the mountain pine beetle outbreak

The current mountain pine beetle (MPB) epidemic has killed approximately 20 million hectares of mainly lodgepole pine forests in British Columbia and Alberta. Enhancing lodgepole pine resistance to the MPB and improving risk assessment tools for industry and government decision makers are key aspects of the project. TRIA-FoR as the project is called, will be led by Janice Cooke at the University of Alberta and Catherine Cullingham at Carleton University.

Genome Alberta is pleased to work with Ontario Genomics on the project and welcomes the funding support from Genome Canada and Natural Resources Canada. For more information on the TRIA-FoR project visit the Genome Canada website.

Nature-based wetland treatment systems for remediation of processed water in northern environments

Constructed wetland treatment systems are a cost-effective method to clean-up industrial wastewaters. In the Athabasca region of northern Alberta, these nature-based, passive systems can be used to treat oil sands process-affected water. This newly funded project will apply genomics-based methods to enhance and study these systems to ensure the most efficient operation under the short summer and cold winter conditions of the region. The project is led by Douglas Muench from the University of Calgary and Christine Martineau from Natural Resources Canada.

Genome Alberta is pleased to work with Genome Quebec on the project and welcomes the funding support from Genome Canada and Natural Resources Canada. For more information on wetland treatment systems for remediation of processed water in northern environments visit the Genome Canada website.