The University of Windsor was awarded $15 million from the federal government to continue research in pandemic preparedness.
The INSPIRE project, short for the Integrated Network for the Surveillance of Pathogens: Increasing Resilience and Capacity in Canada’s Pandemic Response will research ways to improve biomanufacturing and health sector supply chains, bolster cross-border trade and mobility, and explore new technologies in pathogen surveillance.
“We need to shore up the ability of the private sector in Canada to meet demands of the health sector in case of another pandemic,” said Mike McKay, the lead researcher on the project. “We must learn from experience to develop proactive strategies to prevent the devastating impact of infectious diseases on the biomanufacturing and health sectors, and improve efficiencies moving assets across borders.”
INSPIRE is being funded through the Canada Biomedical Research Fund and the Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund.
Another key part of the study will examine Windsor-Essex's location in terms of potential biothreats entering Canada.
“This announcement speaks to our local to global scale expertise, experiences, and excellence in research and innovation within the University of Windsor, our ability to engage a diverse cadre of experts and trainees, and collaborate with other universities, community, and industry partners throughout the province and in the United States,” said Shanthi Johnson, Vice-President – Research and Innovation at the University of Windsor.
Part of the funding will also go toward purchasing equipment for a mobile lab that can analyze samples off campus.