SickKids researchers receive over $12 million for research infrastructure projects through Ontario Research Fund

Four researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) will receive over $12 million in funding through the Ontario Research Fund, announced today by the Honourable Reza Moridi, Minister of Research, Innovation and Science.

The funding awarded to SickKids is part of a $137-million round given to 53 projects across 17 institutions.

The SickKids research projects that received funding include:

• 3D-ORG: 3D screening infrastructure for tissue ORGanoids and model ORGanisms - $1,409,429
  Lead researcher: Daniela Rotin, Senior Scientist, Cell Biology Program
  This project will contribute to an automated drug discovery platform for 3D organoids and small model organisms such as zebrafish and worms, which can be used to resemble simulate human diseases. Research emerging from this project will help researchers develop patient-specific therapies for childhood diseases, discover key differences between normal and disease states, and test the effects of genetic differences.
• Electron Microscopy to Advance 3-dimensional Study of Cells in Health and Disease - $2,577,371
  Lead researcher: John Brumell, Senior Scientist, Cell Biology Program
  Together with Mount Sinai Hospital, SickKids operates an electron microscopy (EM) facility, which is vital to many research discoveries and scientist training. This project is funding two new cutting-edge electron microscopes to help researchers answer fundamental questions about many diseases, including cancer, blood disorders and neurogenerative disorders.
• Resource for High-resolution High-throughput Biomolecular cryo-EM - $4,928,905
  Lead researcher: John Rubinstein, Senior Scientist, Molecular Medicine Program
  This project is establishing a joint cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM) facility between four research institutions, including SickKids, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute. The facility will provide these institutes and the surrounding area with a hub for high-resolution, high-throughput structure determination by cryo-EM.
• Infrastructure for the Analysis of Disease Proteins - $3,450,693
  Lead researcher: Michael Moran, Senior Scientist, Cell Biology Program
  This project is helping researchers develop and apply advanced proteomics technologies involving next-generation mass spectrometers and other complementary instruments to help find and characterize disease-causing proteins. The goal of this research is to invent a new way to classify and treat devastating, hard-to-treat diseases affecting Canadian children and adults.

SickKids Research Institute is Canada’s largest, hospital-based child health research institute, working to improve the health of children in Canada and globally. The Ontario Research Fund provides research institutions with funding to help support infrastructure needs, such as modern facilities and equipment. The province leverages matching federal funding through the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) for awarded projects. Learn more on the Ontario Research Fund website.