New federal funds support pandemic preparedness research

University of Alberta researchers will continue to strengthen Canada’s readiness for future threats to health and security, thanks to newly announced federal support for pandemic preparedness initiatives.

Canada’s minister of industry, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, unveiled a $67-million investment through the Life Sciences Fund, including $1.55 million over three years to each of the five pan-Canadian research hubs.

The PRAIRIE Hub for Pandemic Preparedness is led by the U of A and includes research projects at the universities of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Calgary, along with biomanufacturing industry partners.

First created in 2024, the PRAIRIE Hub has focused on developing vaccines, small-molecule antivirals and diagnostic tools, as well as enhancing manufacturing and training future scientists.

“The PRAIRIE Hub has led efforts to bring together teams of academic and industry leaders from across the Prairies to find ways to develop new products, counter emerging health threats and accelerate biomanufacturing in Canada,” says Dr. Aminah Robinson Fayek, U of A vice-president of research. “This new investment will allow us to continue strengthening Canada’s health security, sovereignty and defence capacity.”

The new funds will allow the PRAIRIE Hub to continue pandemic-preparedness activities while expanding work related to health security, biodefence and dual-use life sciences, including strengthening collaboration across the research, government and industry ecosystem.

The federal minister also announced that Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation, an industry-led Alberta non-profit and a partner with the U of A on the Canadian Critical Drug Initiative, will receive up to $21.9 million toward its $23.5-million initiative to launch the Canadian Allied Antimicrobial Supply Resilience. The project aims to secure a variety of broad-spectrum antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs to treat priority pathogens, antimicrobial-resistant threats and combat-related infections.