AVC receives federal funding for equine and virology equipment

AVC recently received funding from the Government of Canada for new equipment for its equine and virology services. The equine equipment, like the 4-K arthroscopic system shown above, aids in the diagnosis and treatment of lameness, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal conditions in horses.  AVC is the only veterinary school in Canada to have a 4-K arthroscope.  AVC’s regional diagnostic virology unit purchased innovative diagnostic tools designed to increase animal health within the cattle and hog industry. See below for more information.

The following is a media release issued by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency at the announcement on  August 31:

The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri Food, and Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), today joined representatives from the University of Prince Edward Island to announce over $811,000 in Government of Canada assistance for four projects at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) in support of research and enhanced service delivery in various disciplines.

With the purchase and installation of state-of-the-art equipment resulting from these investments, UPEI and the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) at UPEI will continue to bolster their well-deserved reputation for research excellence. UPEI and AVC remain dedicated to keeping up-to-date with the latest innovative technology, supporting its mandate to provide top quality education experience and research capacity to students, faculty and industry partners.

The Government of Canada, through ACOA’s Business Development Program, is supporting two projects at AVC with a combined non-repayable contribution of $659,886. The UPEI Marine Natural Products Lab is also receiving a non-repayable contribution of $54,093, while the UPEI Chemistry Department is being provided with a non-repayable contribution of $97,500.

Quotes:

“As outlined in the Atlantic Growth Strategy, the Government of Canada and our provincial counterparts understand that innovation is a key element for growth across all industries and is essential in shaping our future. The University of Prince Edward Island has built an impressive reputation of innovation success and academic excellence. I am pleased to announce funding for these four projects that will further support UPEI research and development.”

- The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

“The Government of Canada is working hard to develop an inclusive Innovation Agenda, one that positions Canada as a global leader. Innovation is also a key element of the Atlantic Growth Strategy, which is focused on stimulating our region’s economy.”

- Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown

“Exploration, discovery, and innovation are key elements of UPEI’s success. With this generous support from the Government of Canada, we will expand our research capacity, and, in doing so, enhance the education of our students. I thank the Government of Canada for its ongoing support of UPEI.”

- Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President and Vice-Chancellor, UPEI

“With this new state-of-the-art equine and virology equipment, the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) is enhancing its support of the equine, bovine, and porcine industries in Atlantic Canada, all of which are important economic sectors. The equine equipment allows us to enhance our ability to diagnose and treat medical conditions affecting equine athletes such as standardbred race horses and equestrian competition horses. And the virology equipment builds on our ability to maintain and protect the health of cattle and swine.”

- Dr. Greg Keefe, Dean, Atlantic Veterinary College, UPEI

“We are excited to receive the new fermentation equipment in the Marine Natural Products laboratory. This will accelerate development of new microbial natural products discovered by our researchers and will strengthen industrial collaborations. The new infrastructure will also be invaluable in providing valuable opportunities for student training.”

- Dr. Russell Kerr, Canada Research Chair in Marine Natural Products, UPEI

“We are grateful for this support toward the purchase of an Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectrometer, a highly specialized equipment used to characterize nanocomposite materials synthesized by UPEI researchers. The researchers will collaborate with industry to find potential applications of these materials in lithium ion batteries, as coatings, and solid lubricants.”

- Dr. Rabin Bissessur, Chair, UPEI Department of Chemistry

Background:

Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) at UPEI – This project supports the expansion of the clinical services AVC provides to the equine industry in Atlantic Canada. The new equipment aids in the diagnosis and treatment of lameness, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal conditions in horses. The second project supports AVC’s regional diagnostic virology unit through the purchase of innovative diagnostic tools designed to increase animal health within the cattle and hog industries.

UPEI Marine Natural Products Lab – This project supports the purchase of new fermentation equipment to complement existing equipment in the natural products chemistry lab and allow for more in-depth investigations within the lab and increase collaboration opportunities with industry partners in the bioscience sector.

UPEI Chemistry Department – This project supports the purchase of specialized equipment that can assist in chemistry analysis. University researchers will collaborate with industry to find potential industrial applications such as coating materials, lubricants and batteries.