Photo from Nouvelles.uMontreal.
The Eastern Canada Pandemic Preparedness Center has been granted almost $100 million by the federal government to support two initiatives at UdeM, one at Polytechnique Montréal, and another at Université Laval.
Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, announced the results of the second stage of the Canada Biomedical Research Fund and the Biological Sciences Research Infrastructure Fund competition. The announcement took place at the University of Montreal's campus, specifically at Polytechnique Montréal, on behalf of François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. The funding, totaling over $575 million, represents a significant investment in research and infrastructure.
The Eastern Canada Pandemic Preparedness Hub (PPPeC), led by the University of Montreal, secured nearly $100 million for four projects. These projects involve collaboration with industry partners and various stakeholders from institutions under the hub's leadership.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for collaboration between research institutions, industry, non-profits, and government agencies to establish a robust and adaptable ecosystem capable of addressing future pandemics and health crises. The PPPeC, along with four other hubs across Canada, aims to enhance the agility, connectivity, and growth of the biomanufacturing and life sciences sector. It also aims to improve monitoring, identification of new threats, and public adoption of potential solutions to ensure Canada is better prepared for future health crises.
The pandemic spurred a global mobilization of research teams. UdeM and its partners are no exception. The funding announcement underscores the importance of multidisciplinary research teams and accelerated discoveries for the benefit of society, as stated by Daniel Jutras, Rector of the University of Montreal.
One of the funded projects, led by Yves Brun, a professor at UdeM's Department of Microbiology, Infectiology, and Immunology and a researcher at the Center for Biomedical Innovation, aims to address the challenge of antibiotic resistance. The $21 million project will focus on developing a rapid response platform to discover new antibiotics that can combat drug-resistant bacteria and prevent future pandemics. The project will leverage partnerships with researchers in artificial intelligence, microbiology, pharmacology, and chemistry to accelerate drug discovery.
The team plans to use computer-assisted design and cutting-edge assays to test and optimize drug candidates. This approach, combined with advances in artificial intelligence, offers a promising strategy for tackling antibiotic resistance.
Another project, led by Caroline Quach-Thanh, a professor at UdeM and a microbiologist-infectious disease specialist at CHU Sainte-Justine, aims to enhance pediatric research capabilities in Canada. The POPCORN platform, established during the COVID-19 pandemic, brought together 16 children's hospitals and pediatric networks across the country. The $16 million funding will support the platform's expansion to address challenges in conducting clinical trials in children and pregnant women, accessing real-time data, and tracking the progression of pediatric illnesses.
By becoming a national surveillance resource for maternal and child diseases, the POPCORN platform aims to facilitate collaboration between the public and private sectors, accelerate therapy and vaccine development, and improve preparedness for future health crises.
In addition to these projects, the funding also supports initiatives led by researchers at Polytechnique Montréal and Université Laval. Gregory De Crescenzo, a professor at Polytechnique Montréal, will lead research on the mass production of biological products during health emergencies, while Dr. Jérôme Estaquier at Université Laval will establish the National Center for Primatology for Pandemic Preparedness with the allocated funds.
