Premier’s Medal of Innovation and Industry Research Chairs Announced
PEI Premier Robert Ghiz has given special recognition to individuals working in the field of research and development for their commitment to strengthen the innovative sectors of the PEI economy. A highlight of the recognition ceremony on June 29 included the presentation of the Premier's Medal for Innovation and the appointment of two Provincial Industry Research Chairs.
UPEI's Dr. Russ Kerr, CEO of Nautilus Biosciences Canada Inc., was awarded the Medal for Innovation. Dr. Kerr received the award for his research to further develop production methods and conduct pre-clinical trials for a marine-derived natural product known as desmethyleleutherobin. This compound is a highly promising cancer therapeutic whose development has been hampered by the lack of commercial supply.
Dr. Kerr is a professor and Tier I Canada Research Chair in Marine Natural Products in the UPEI Department of Chemistry and the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the Atlantic Veterinary College, UPEI. In 2007, he co-founded Nautilus Biosciences Canada to develop sustainable production methods of high-value, bioactive marine natural products and to discover new marine natural products with applications in human and animal health and wellness.
Premier Ghiz encouraged the development of Dr. Kerr's research agenda on Prince Edward Island. 'We are pleased to have scientists of such high calibre operating here in Prince Edward Island and we are excited about the possibilities of commercializing this important research work,' he said.
The Premier also announced the appointments of two Industry Research Chairs. UPEI researchers and industry leaders, Dr. Larry Hammell and Dr. Greg Keefe, were named to the five-year appointments. The purpose of the Industry Research Chairs Program is to encourage stronger partnerships between research institutions and the private sector to support the development of new products and services that show potential for commercialization.
'Dr. Hammell and Dr. Keefe are internationally recognized scientists who have made significant contributions to their area of expertise,' said Premier Ghiz. 'This program will allow them to further the research they are currently engaged in and explore opportunities to commercialize their work.'
Dr. Greg Keefe is a professor of dairy production medicine at UPEI's Atlantic Veterinary College. He is an internationally recognized leader in milk quality research and the application of new information and diagnostic technologies to advance disease surveillance and food quality. He is also Director of AVC's Maritime Quality Milk, a centre that has an integrated research and service capacity that is unparalleled within the Canadian dairy industry. The Research Chair position will focus on commercial opportunities developed from the current and future Maritime Quality Milk Platform.
Dr. Keefe was named to the Dairy Farmers of Canada Production Expert Scientific Advisory Committee in 2008. He is a former recipient of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Schering Plough Award for the advancement of large animal medicine and surgery. He is Vice-President of the USDA-affiliated Mastitis Research Workers.
Dr. Hammell is Director of the AVC Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences and a professor of epidemiology at the Atlantic Veterinary College. He is an aquatic species health expert who leads the Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences, one of the world's premier institutions for applied research on health management in aquatic food animals.
Dr. Hammell is a member of the OIE Group (World Organization for Animal Health aquatic disease surveillance), a leader of the Disease Technical Working Group for Salmon Aquaculture Dialogue with the World Wildlife Fund, and a member of the National Aquatic Animal Health Program Management Committee.
As Industry Research Chair, Dr. Hammell will further establish the OIE Collaborating Centre for Aquatic Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Health Management. In addition to improving health management in aquaculture, this work will guide policy decisions at all levels of the industry and help determine international standards for the industry.
