Centre For Genetic Research Established
December 9, 2003 For Immediate
Release
The Federal and Provincial Governments are supporting the establishment
of a new research centre at UNBC focusing on molecular and population
genetics.
Conceived by Biology professor Brent Murray, the centre will initially
allow expansion of research activity on wildlife genetics, including fish
and marine mammal immunology and its relationship to the environment.
The centre will be unique in BC and also facilitate research on broader
environmental issues and, with the development of the Northern Medical
Program, research on genetic issues related to human health.
The Canada Foundation for Innovation and the British Columbia Knowledge
Development Fund are each contributing $155,000 to creating the Centre
for Molecular and Population Genetics. The funding will significantly
enhance and update UNBC's existing DNA analysis facility (originally acquired
through a contribution from the Bank of Montreal) and the purchase of
a mobile molecular laboratory. The new equipment will more than double
the speed and capability of UNBC's genetic research capacity.
"The focus of my research is to better understand the evolution
and function of immune systems in fish and marine mammals," says
Dr Murray, who joined UNBC in 2001. "Understanding how the immune
system response is different from ours is critical for the treatment and
prevention of disease. This information will become more important as
efforts intensify to 'farm' many fish species."
To date, Dr Murray's research has focused on the immune system genetics
of marine mammals and fish populations. He has also examined the genetic
evolution of fish in extreme climates, such as the Tibetan Plateau and
Antarctica.
The Canada Foundation for Innovation and the BC Knowledge Development
Fund has contributed significantly to increasing the research capacity
at UNBC. Other projects that have received funding have included the Centre
for Environmental Disturbance and Assessment Research, a multimedia lab
for social science research, a high-performance computing facility, the
I.K. Barber Enhanced Forestry Laboratory, and equipment for measuring
the movement of airborne pollutants.