U of S research facilities get funding boost from feds

Canada’s brightest light is getting the chance to shine even brighter thanks to a funding bump from the federal government.

The Canadian Light Source (CLS), along with the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), will receive a $13.4-million increase in funding over the next two years.

Kirsty Duncan, the minister of science and sport, announced the total of $39 million in funding that will go to five other research facilities at the light source on Monday.

“In order to do your research, you need the funding for your research, you need the labs and tools to do your research,” Duncan said. “People living in Saskatchewan should be so proud of what exists in their backyard.”

Duncan said $11.6 million will go to the CLS, and $1.8 million will go towards VIDO-InterVac.

The money will go towards maintenance and upgrades of machines and systems, which is expected to reduce costs for research.

VIDO-InterVac director Volkan Gerdts noted that the backbone of all research is funding, especially when it comes to learning more about infectious diseases.

“Some of these diseases, like African swine fever, is a big threat to our Canadian pork industry,” Volkan said before mentioning other work involving the zika virus and tuberculosis.

“We’re developing vaccines for them, and (the funding) will allow us to expand the work we’re doing and bring in more people from around the world.”

The CLS is expecting to hire 30 more people with the money that is part of an additional $160 million in funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

Nazanin Samadi is a PhD student with the department of physics and engineering physics at the University of Saskatchewan. She’s hoping to continue her biomedical and cystic fibrosis research with the extra funding, while also keeping up with industry standards.

“I get to travel, go to different synchrotrons and see what they have. You want to have the same so you can do the same things,” she said.

Before speaking to the group of guests gathered at the light source, she was approached by a man who has a son who suffers from cystic fibrosis.

“This is amazing to see someone that is close to you, you can relate to people,” Samadi said. “What research you do is affecting people directly. The research stays here and I hope we can present it in an international level, too.”