EDMONTON, ALBERTA (Friday, July 12, 2019) - Between April 1 and June 30, 2019, the Canadian Glycomics Network (GlycoNet) awarded $885K in grants to support seven research projects involving 14 researchers from eight universities or research centers across Canada. GlycoNet's investment was leveraged with $916K in funding from private and public partners. These innovative projects share a common goal: improving the health of people from coast to coast, while generating positive economic outcomes.
"The projects funded this cycle show that collaboration between investigators and industry is instrumental to research translation. Partnerships with companies like Zucara help researchers uncover concrete solutions to health issues like diabetes," says Dr. Elizabeth Nanak, Executive Director, GlycoNet. "The projects were chosen based on their scientific excellence and commercial potential."
It's been a banner six months for glycomics research in Canada. In April, the federal government announced the creation of a new Canada Excellence Research Chair in glycomics. It will be held by Dr. Lara Mahal, who will be joining the University of Alberta, which is also home to GlycoNet's new Associate Scientific Director, Warren Wakarchuk. Several GlycoNet investigators promoted Canadian glycomics research leadership abroad, speaking at a conference in Taiwan in February. In May, scholars from Australia and Taiwan attended the Trilateral Partnership meeting which was held concurrently with the Canadian Glycomics Symposium.
Glycomics research leverages biology, chemistry, immunology, agriculture, and other disciplines of medicine and natural sciences to understand the role of glycans and carbohydrates in human and animal health. Glycans--chains of sugars--coat the surface of every cell in the human body. They interact with proteins and enzymes, sometimes altering their normal functions, which can lead to health issues ranging from infections, to cancers and degenerative diseases. GlycoNet investigators and their collaborators work to develop accessible, affordable and practical clinical solutions to many of these diseases. With a focus on glycomics, the projects funded in this cycle will attempt to uncover concrete solutions to pressing health needs by:
Summaries of projects funded
Ice recrystallization inhibitors to improve cyropreservation for engineered cell therapies
Hit-to-lead optimization of a novel Gram-negative outer membrane disrupting compound
Improving CNS delivery of therapeutic biologics with novel kinin functionalized, TRIOZANTM-based nanoparticles
Development of cardioprotective agents
Pharmacological targeting of CD33 in Alzheimer's disease
A novel mouse model for metabolic syndrome
Elucidating the role of somatostatin in dysglycemia in a rodent model of type 2 diabetes
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About GlycoNet
GlycoNet is a pan-Canadian, multidisciplinary research network aiming to deliver solutions to important health issues and improve the quality of life of Canadians through the study of glycomics. GlycoNet is funded by the Networks of Centres of Excellence, a Government of Canada program that supports large-scale, academic-led research networks to build research capacity and accelerate the creation of new knowledge in a specific research area. GlycoNet welcomes opportunities to collaborate with industry, not-for-profit and government partners to advance glycomics translational research. For more information, visit http://www.glyconet.ca .