Two new networks based in Montréal, Quebec, have been awarded federal funding to take the latest research findings related to cybersecurity and regenerative cell therapies and turn them into better policies and practices.

The Smart Cybersecurity Network (SERENE) will help protect Canadian governments and companies from on-line security threats. Its efforts will offer Canadians a safer on-line experience, guard privacy and help this country’s digital economy continue to grow.

The CellCAN Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy Network will help accelerate patients’ access to regenerative medicine. Building on Canada’s world-leading stem cell research, the network will promote innovative therapies for conditions such as diabetes, heart problems and cancer.

Quick facts

Investments in SERENE and CellCAN are the result of the most recent competition in the Networks of Centres of Excellence Knowledge Mobilization (NCE-KM) initiative.
The new networks will each receive $1.6 million over four years, with a possibility of a three-year extension.
These networks join three existing networks, which were created following the first NCE-KM competition held in 2011.

Quotes

Canadians are world leaders in stem cell research and in information and communications technology. These new networks will take the next step by putting that knowledge to work in leading clinics across the country and in the computer systems we rely on every day. Our government is proud to support this research and put it into practice in ways that bring real benefits to Canadians.

Ed Holder, Minister of State for Science and Technology

The Networks of Centres of Excellence Knowledge Mobilization initiative brings together academia, industry, governments and not-for-profit organizations in ways that connect the best research with the people who need it. These tremendously effective collaborations synthesize knowledge from across all sectors to generate solutions to some of our most pressing problems.

Janet Walden, Chief Operating Officer of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council

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Contacts

Scott French
Director of Communications and Parliamentary Affairs
Office of the Minister of State (Science and Technology)
613-943-6177

Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502
1-800-328-6189
media-relations@ic.gc.ca

Martin Leroux
Media and Public Affairs Officer
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
613-943-7618

The Networks of Centres of Excellence, which manages the NCE-KM initiative, operates a suite of national funding programs on behalf of the three federal granting agencies—the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)—in partnership with Industry Canada and Health Canada. NCE programs support large scale, multi-disciplinary collaborations between universities, industry, government and not-for-profit organizations, which focus Canada’s research capacity on economic and social challenges, help commercialize and apply research breakthroughs, increase private-sector R&D, and train highly qualified people.

Backgrounder

2013 Networks of Centres of Excellence Knowledge Mobilization Competition Announcement

The Networks of Centres of Excellence Knowledge Mobilization (NCE-KM) initiative supports networking and collaborations between academia, industry, government and not-for-profit organizations across many sectors. Networks focus on transferring knowledge to end users who can put it into practice in ways that bring social, health and economic benefits to Canadians.

Networks composed of well-established research teams and receptor communities develop tools that facilitate the uptake and application of world-class research results. They focus on addressing key problems, challenges and opportunities of high strategic importance to Canada.

As a result of the 2013 NCE-KM competition, two new networks were awarded funding for an initial cycle of four years. Each network will receive approximately $400,000 per year for four years, with a possible three-year extension. In the competition, new networks had to demonstrate that they are strongly driven to address key problems, challenges or opportunities of high strategic importance to the end user community and Canadians in general. Their activities must be multi-disciplinary and significantly involve key individuals in areas that fall under the domains of two or more of the three federal granting agencies.

The NCE-KM initiative was launched as a pilot project in 2005 and was made permanent in 2010. The initial competition for the NCE-KM initiative was held in 2011 and resulted in the funding of three NCE-KM networks.

Competition Results

The following new networks will receive a total of $3.2 million over four years (2014-2017):

Smart Cybersecurity Network – SERENE ($1.6 million)
SERENE will help protect Canadian governments and companies from current and future on-line security threats. Working with private and public sector partners, the network will mobilize the growing knowledge about on-line risks to promote the most effective strategies and minimize the consequences of cyber attacks. SERENE’s activities will provide Canadians with a safer on-line experience, protect privacy and help this country’s digital economy continue to grow.

CellCAN Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy Network ($1.6 million)
CellCAN will help accelerate patients’ access to the almost limitless potential of regenerative cell therapies. Building on decades of stem cell research breakthroughs and the availability of new cell therapy facilities across the country, the network will standardize and promote innovative therapies for a variety of conditions, including diabetes, heart problems and cancer. It will also share knowledge that allows clinics to identify suitable patients and administer therapies, help companies develop and commercialize products and services, and arm patients with information about treatment options.

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New investment to enhance on-line security and accelerate the use of regenerative cell therapies