MORE FUNDS FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESEARCH, VACCINE DEVELOPMENT

The Government of Saskatchewan will increase its annual funding to the University of Saskatchewan's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) by $1.7 million.

The funding increase commits the province to an annual total of $3.5 million for VIDO, which researches infectious diseases in animals and humans and develops vaccines.

"This investment helps to secure our future by contributing to a world-class hub of knowledge and research," Advanced Education, Employment and Labour Minister Rob Norris said. "Along with Canada's only synchrotron, the new academic health sciences project, and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, VIDO and the International Vaccine Centre are part of a unique life sciences cluster at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) that will attract top medical, educational and research professionals to our province."

The funding increase will be introduced in two phases. In 2008/09, the province will provide an additional $1.3 million in operational funding to VIDO for a total of $3.1 million. The total provincial investment will increase to $3.5 million in 2009/10.

"This investment helps put VIDO on a sustainable path for the future, ensuring that its ground-breaking research significantly enhances Canada's capacity to fight infectious disease in both animals and humans," University of Saskatchewan president Peter MacKinnon said. "And as the cornerstone of the new U of S School of Public Health, VIDO will be able to continue providing high-level training for graduate students in leading-edge areas of human and animal health research."

Fully owned by the University of Saskatchewan, VIDO is a premier global research institute. Now expanding into human health applications, the organization is renowned for its research and for its development and commercialization of products for the food animal industry. VIDO's seven livestock vaccines have had a $1.2 billion impact on the western Canadian economy, and its humanitarian work with Microsoft founder Bill Gates' foundation promises to improve vaccines for newborns in the developing world.

"Life sciences will be a dynamic engine for innovation and growth in the 21st century," Norris said. "VIDO and the life sciences cluster at the University of Saskatchewan will lead to exciting health care developments for Canadians as well as new opportunities for Saskatchewan graduates."

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For more information, contact:

Shannon Dumba
Advanced Education, Employment and Labour
Regina
Phone: 306-787-1331
Email: shannon.dumba@gov.sk.ca

Kathryn Warden
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon
Phone: 306-966-2506
Email: kathryn.warden@usask.ca