September 8, 2005 Source: Lakehead University: http://communications.lakeheadu.ca/news/?id=192 Lakehead U Receives FedNor Support for Research and Technology Initiatives The Honourable Joe Comuzzi, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay-Superior North, and Ken Boshcoff, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay-Rainy River, today announced FedNor support totalling $429,655 to Lakehead University for four projects involving research and technology (project list below). Of the total, $150,000 will assist with planning and design costs for a new research building, $141,000 will support research into the electrolytic production of metals, $111,155 will assist the purchase of special equipment to enhance Lakehead's toxicology testing services, and $27,500 will help employ a Youth Intern for a new Materials Science and Biotechnology research centre. "The Government of Canada is dedicated to investing in institutions such as Lakehead University, since they play a leading role in developing and commercializing innovative technologies that contribute to the economic diversification of the region," said Mr. Comuzzi. "This support allows Lakehead University to enhance its research capabilities on several fronts, helping it move toward the goal of becoming one of the top 25 research universities in Canada," said Mr. Boshcoff. A new multi-tenant research building is considered essential to attract new faculty to Lakehead, help commercialize research at the university and add another asset to the university's innovation cluster. The research program developing new materials for electrodes used in the production of metals, such as nickel, copper and gold, aims to create patented products that could assist Northern Ontario mining and smelting operations to remain globally competitive. The special equipment purchase will strengthen Lakehead's leading role in testing toxicity levels in water and further its innovative research in aquatic toxicology. "We are excited by the potential of these initiatives to help us continue to develop a critical mass of research capabilities that are both useful to regional industry and likely to create new, commercially valuable products and processes as well as long-term employment," said Dr. Fred Gilbert, President of Lakehead University. By supporting Lakehead University through its programs and services, FedNor is opening doors and building futures for a prosperous Northern Ontario. Funding for this initiative was provided for in the February 2005 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework. Research building design and planning costs $150,000 This project supports the cost of an integrated project team to design, plan and manage a new 150,000 square foot (13,935 square metre) multi-tenant research building. The team will find other funding, private sector tenants, and manage the project through construction to its opening and initial operation. The establishment of leading-edge research facilities is critical to attracting new faculty, and will hopefully lead to increased commercialization of university research. Following the creation of the Northwestern Ontario Technology Centre, the ATAC building and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (West Campus), the research facility will be the fourth major FedNor-assisted step toward creating an innovation cluster at Lakehead University Research into energy-efficient metal production electrodes $141,000 This project will contribute to a three-year research program involving the development of energy-efficient materials for electrodes used in the electrolytic production of metals, such as nickel, copper and gold. Researchers will collaborate with the Lakehead Intellectual Property Management Office to patent the developed test methodology and any novel electrode material(s). Such new products would assist many Northern Ontario and Canadian mining and smelting operations to remain globally competitive, and the research program would become a key regional resource for the mining industry. Enhance Lakehead's toxicology testing service $111,155 This project will fund special equipment that will strengthen Lakehead's leading role in testing toxicity levels in water and further its innovative research in aquatic toxicology. The new equipment and testing capabilities will add to recent research innovations at Lakehead's Aquatic Toxicology Research Centre (ATRC), including the Toxicology Identification Evaluation (TIE) and a Toxicology Early Warning (TEW) system. The TEW system, which bioassays effluent on a continuous flow basis, is undergoing pilot phase testing as a portable unit this year. Youth Intern to develop Materials Science & Biotech Research Centre $27,500 This project requires a Youth Intern who will assist the development of a new Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Materials Science and Biotechnology. Tasks include: helping develop a proposal for the Research Centre; preparing and maintaining an Internet website for the Centre; preparing promotional material; preserving contacts with interested university faculty, and soliciting and maintaining contacts with representatives of industry, government and community groups. To find out more about FedNor, visit us at: http://fednor.ic.gc.ca
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