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The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) announced today that it has awarded nearly $500,000 to Dalhousie’s Faculty of Agriculture through its Leaders Opportunity Fund in support of a variety of projects including marine bio-products research, insect management, greenhouse gas emissions and more.

The Leaders Opportunity Fund is designed to help universities acquire infrastructure for their leading research faculty to undertake cutting-edge research.

“The investments being announced today will further enhance our country’s reputation as a destination of choice for outstanding researchers,” said Dr. Gilles G. Patry, President and CEO of the CFI. “They will make our universities even more competitive when it comes to attracting the best and brightest researchers from around the world.”

Dr. Richard Donald, Associate Dean Research, welcomed the CFI’s investment.  “We are very appreciative to CFI for their continued support of our researchers, our infrastructure and our mission."

Dr. Chris Cutler is developing ways to improve plant health, better manage insect populations and protect the environment by reducing the amount of chemicals needed. Chris and his team conduct experiments looking at effects of pesticides on bees that pollinate crops and studies that try to understand how to increase populations of insects that help, not harm, agriculture.

“I work with various insects that are pests or beneficial to agriculture,” said Cutler.  “Support from CFI ensures that I have environmental chambers and laboratory equipment that is necessary to carry out experiments that we hope will help improve insect management programs for growers.”  

Dr. Jim Duston will create a Broodstock finfish freshwater research facility.  Once operational, this facility will contribute to new knowledge in the diversification of the Canadian aquaculture industry, healthy salmon rivers and healthy salmon farming and broodstock nutrition.

“Funding for the broodstock facility will enable us to expand the ongoing striped bass program and provide much needed diversification of the finfish aquaculture industry in this region,” explained Duston.   

Dr. David Burton’s research will support the advanced study of greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural production systems and waste management.  The research that this infrastructure will enable is critical to understanding the potential impacts of the management of agriculture and its wastes on the environment and the adaptation of agriculture to climate change.

Photosynthetic microalgae have often been discussed as a new feedstock for food, biochemical and biofuels. Their productivity requires the design and optimization of specific processes, namely photo bioreactors.  Tri Nguyen-Quang and his research will help to answer the fundamental question of biomass productivity in terms of light, nutrients and climate change factors.

Chibuike Udenigwe will use the funded infrastructure to play a major role in advancing Canada’s research and development in the area of animal bio-products and health promotion, which will enhance Canada’s stance in the global agri-food economy.

Dr. Balakrishnan Prithiviraj and his team study seaweed products for plant and animal health.

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