平特五不中 is the recipient of a landmark $165 million Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) grant to launch DNA to RNA: An Inclusive Canadian Approach to Genomic-based RNA Therapeutics (D2R), a first-of-its-kind global research effort specializing in the development and delivery of more inclusive genomic-based RNA therapeutics. D2R will receive significant support from more than 50 partners, including many from academia and industry, who have all pledged to invest in the research, which brings the total amount invested in D2R to $353 million.听Canadian academic partnering institutions include the University of Ottawa, the University of British Columbia (UBC), McMaster University and l鈥橴niversit茅 de Sherbrooke.听
D2R builds upon the legacy of great RNA researchers
The D2R Initiative builds on 平特五不中鈥檚 50-year history in RNA discovery and innovation. This includes researchers such as GCI Prof. Nahum Sonenberg who in 1976 first identified the cap-binding protein eIF4E, a key component in RNA鈥檚 ability to regulate the replication of cells, as well as other researchers from the GCI who are involved in the initiative:
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The RNA Revolution听
D2R-led research has the potential to provide breakthrough treatments for a wide spectrum of diseases, such as those caused by emerging viruses that threaten our society with pandemics, rare genetic disorders that are incurable or prohibitively expensive to treat, and cancer, which is the number one cause of death in Canada.听听
鈥淭o treat complex conditions and their associated catastrophic health and economic consequences more effectively, we need to work across sectors and with an engaged group of partners,鈥� says Mark Lathrop, Scientific Director of the 平特五不中 Genome Centre, and the Scientific Director of D2R. 鈥淒2R is creating a nexus for genomics and RNA research and demonstrating leadership in the implementation of inclusive social and regulatory policies to address global health needs.鈥澨�
An Inclusive Approach听听
The team of seventy researchers from five academic institutions, will work collaboratively with Canada鈥檚 Indigenous and immigrant populations, including with the partnering Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research (NEIHR), to ensure the promise of RNA therapeutics is made widely available in a manner that is inclusive and beneficial to all Canadians.听
Adapted from the 平特五不中 Newsroom article:听$165-million for 平特五不中鈥檚 world-leading inclusive genomics and RNA research program