Increased collaboration to highlight next phase of government genomics research

The ongoing value of government-performed genomics research received a major endorsement with the renewal of the Genomics Research and Development Initiative (GRDI) and funding of $99.5 million over five years. The funding extension marks the sixth time since its launch in 1999 that GRDI has been renewed — the first time for a five-year period — providing its eight members with the means to pursue individual and collaborative projects in support of policies, standards and regulations affecting Canadians and industry.

"We're very pleased. It's not the easiest environment for B-based type funding to be renewed but genomics is recognized as a powerful tool to increase the capacity of government," says Dr Roman Szumski, VP life sciences at the National Research Council.

With the sixth funding tranche, GRDI has brought in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) as a full member and is allocating increased resources for inter-departmental projects — indications that the program is moving to include significant collaborative activities. Discussions with Genome Canada on finding a mechanism for formal collaboration between the two organizations were initiated in 2011 when GRDI was last renewed, but to date collaboration continues to be on a project-by-project basis.

Participating departments and agencies are also finding that GRDI funding is attracting resources from other sources. In its FY12-13 annual report, the initiative reported that its investment that year of $19.9 million leveraged $31.9 million for an annual total of $51.8 million. The NRC achieved the highest leverage with $4.8 million, attracting an additional $10.1 million.

Projects have also resulted in 194 publications in refereed journals, dozens of material transfer agreements and hundreds of presentations at the national and international levels.

With the refunding, two inter-departmental projects launched in 2011 will receive support for another two years. Coordinated by the NRC, the Quarantine and Invasive Species project and the Food and Safety project were planned for five-years and continue into the new funding cycle. Szumski says the projects demonstrate the GRDI's evolution from a program that distributed funding to specific departments to one in which inter-departmental collaboration is becoming a defining feature.

"The pooling of funds is working great. There are 60-70 people involved from different departments," he says. "These projects are very engaging for staff and have a high profile."

Projects are now being tracked utilizing a horizontal performance management strategy. A formative review (last conducted in 2006) will be undertaken in the near future.

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