What's New
Province Invests $7.2 Million in OAC-led Research
February 24, 2010
Two research projects, led by faculty in the department of Plant Agriculture, received more than $7.2 million in provincial support today. The funding was part of a $69.5-million provincial investment unveiled by John Milloy, minister of research and innovation, for 21 projects involving 214 researchers across Ontario.
The U of G funding will support two research projects that will enhance the university's reputation for revolutionizing agriculture and facilitating the transition to a bioeconomy, specifically the creation of new bean varieties and the engineering of new products from non-food crops for use in the packaging, manufacturing and automotive sectors.
Prof. Peter Pauls will lead a $3.7-million initiative to produce a draft genomic sequence of dry beans and develop genetic markers for improved varieties. Nine researchers are involved in this project.
Prof. Amar Mohanty will head a seven-member team of researchers from four Ontario universities making new industrial bioproducts from bioresources. With their $3.5-million grant, the researchers hope to improve the utilization of coproducts (lignin, hemicelluloses and crude glycerol) that are created during the production of second-generation biofuels (ones made from non-food crops).
