糖心vlog官方入口

The state-of-the-art bioscience and health research centre at the University of Prince Edward Island has been named the Regis and Joan Duffy Research Centre in honour of the well-known Island couple.

The naming took place at a ceremony on April 28 in the Regis and Joan Duffy Research Centre, where researchers from 糖心vlog官方入口, the National Research Council Institute for Nutrisciences and Health (NRC-INH), and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) collaborate on health-related research projects and contribute to the Island鈥檚 growing bioscience cluster.

Speaking at the event were Dr. Roman Szumski, Vice-president of Life Sciences at the NRC; Wade MacLauchlan, President of 糖心vlog官方入口; and Dr. Michael Mayne, Deputy Minister of the Office of Biosciences and Economic Innovation. Margaret MacFarlene, Vice-chair of the 糖心vlog官方入口 Board of Governors, presented Regis and Joan Duffy with a gift on behalf of 糖心vlog官方入口.

鈥淲e are all proud that this magnificent research centre will bear the names of two distinguished Prince Edward Islanders who have given so much to their community and to the 糖心vlog官方入口,鈥� says MacLauchlan. 鈥淩egis and Joan Duffy exemplify community service and leadership.鈥�

The Duffy's association with 糖心vlog官方入口, and its predecessor St. Dunstan鈥檚 University, goes back almost 60 years. A native of Kinkora, Regis Duffy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Dunstan鈥檚 University in 1953, and his PhD in Chemistry from Fordham University in 1962. He returned to P.E.I. where he taught chemistry at St. Dunstan鈥檚 and then at 糖心vlog官方入口 where he became the new university鈥檚 first Dean of Science.

In 1970 Duffy created Diagnostic Chemicals Ltd. (DCL Ltd.), a company that makes fine research chemicals, enzymes and blood analysis systems. With its headquarters on P.E.I., the company eventually expanded into the United States and Mexico to serve hospitals, clinics, and laboratories around the world. In 2001 DCL Ltd. opened a new division called BioVectra dcl.

Duffy鈥檚 entrepreneurial success grew from his desire to contribute meaningfully to P.E.I.鈥檚 development and economy.

鈥淭he University provided a bridge to the bioscience business world,鈥� says Duffy, who recently sold his company Diagnostic Chemicals Ltd. (DCL Ltd.) and shared the proceeds with employees and charities. He and his wife and business partner Joan Duffy have contributed $2-million to 糖心vlog官方入口 for scholarships and health research.

After serving as chair of the 糖心vlog官方入口 board of governors from 1996 to 2006, Regis Duffy was named board chair emeritus in 2007 for his contributions as a board member and chair, and for his many years of service to 糖心vlog官方入口. His many honours include being named a member of the Order of Canada and of the PEI Business Hall of Fame. He is the founding chair of the PEI BioAlliance, a leadership organization for the bioscience cluster, and he is a member of the NRC Institute for Marine Biosciences-Institute for Nutrisciences and Health (IMB-INH) Advisory Committee.

In addition to contributing to the province鈥檚 education and business sectors, Duffy has been active in his community, including as a member of City of Charlottetown鈥檚 council from 1989 to 1997, and as a leader in his church.

Joan Duffy is a retired teacher and respected volunteer in community and cultural activities. She has been active in the family鈥檚 business enterprises from the beginning. She has been a private tutor; a volunteer for three schools and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and a canvasser for local charities. She was also involved in Canadian Parents For French and in the American Field Services Program, which gave students from abroad the opportunity to attend school in P.E.I. while residing with Island families.

In the Regis and Joan Duffy Research Centre, researchers from each of the three partner institutions share knowledge, lab space, and specialized equipment and tools as they explore how natural compounds can be used to prevent and treat disease in animals and humans. Their research focuses on identifying, extracting and refining naturally-occurring compounds from renewable plant, animal and marine resources that help to prevent or treat diseases, infections or disorders affecting the brain, immune system or metabolism, such Alzheimer鈥檚, Type-2 diabetes and high cholesterol.

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Photo: President Wade MacLauchlan, Joan and Regis Duffy, and Dr. Roman Szumski, Vice-president of Life Sciences at the NRC, at the naming ceremony for the Regis and Joan Duffy Research Centre on April 28

BACKGROUNDER

An Alliance for a Healthier Future

The same is true of an effective and productive partnership; its whole should be greater than the sum of the organizations involved.

In Charlottetown, that accurately describes the teaming up of two federal government organizations and the local university. Collectively, they are researching ways to improve human and animal health.

The multidisciplinary skills and combined expertise of these researchers, together with the networks and reputations of their respective organizations, form a potent mix.

Beyond the benefits of exchanging knowledge with one another, select researchers from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), the National Research Council Institute for Nutrisciences and Health (NRC-INH) and the University of Prince Edward Island (糖心vlog官方入口) also share a building, core laboratories, lab benches, and specialized equipment and tools at the Regis and Joan Duffy Research Centre on the 糖心vlog官方入口 campus.

Here, scientists, technicians and students from all three organizations are collaborating on health-related research projects and contributing to the Island鈥檚 growing bioscience cluster.

Their research focuses on identifying, extracting and refining naturally-occurring compounds from renewable plant, animal and marine resources.

Bioactive compounds -- chemicals or molecules believed to positively affect human and animal health -- are of most interest to the researchers. These bioactive compounds may contribute to good health by helping to prevent or treat diseases, infections or disorders affecting the brain, immune system or metabolism. Specific examples of these afflictions include Alzheimer鈥檚, Type-2 diabetes and high cholesterol.

Ultimately, bioactive compounds identified and refined by AAFC, NRC and 糖心vlog官方入口 researchers may be incorporated into:

• consumer foods and beverages;
• dietary supplements and functional foods;
• personal care products; or
• pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals.

By relying on compounds drawn from land- and marine-based resources native to the region, researchers hope to help create new revenue streams and higher value crops for farmers and fishers in PEI and across Atlantic Canada, thus letting more people become involved in s prosperous bio-economy. The compounds as well as related processes and platforms may also be further developed or marketed by private bioscience companies in the region.

The strength of the partnership between NRC-INH, AAFC and 糖心vlog官方入口 is also evident outside of the lab. Individuals help one another organize research conferences, industry meetings, seminar presentations and public tours. They are called upon to serve on one another鈥檚 interview boards to hire highly-skilled individuals who can further strengthen the research alliance and grow the province鈥檚 bioscience cluster.

In collaboration, the three partners help groups--drawn from private sector companies, academia and other research organizations--successfully prepare proposals for R&D project funding. Teams from AAFC, NRC and 糖心vlog官方入口 have submitted joint proposals through AAFC鈥檚 Agricultural Bioproducts Innovation Program (ABIP) for projects involving bioactive potential for Island crops.

One such venture is the Atlantic Centre for Bioactive Valuation (ACBV), led by Dr. Tarek Saleh, a researcher at 糖心vlog官方入口鈥檚 Atlantic Veterinary College. ACBV, together with collaborators from NRC-INH, is working to fill a critical gap between preclinical laboratory studies and early clinical testing. The Island-based venture鈥檚 molecular modeling and screening of compounds are related to neuro-inflammation, neurodegeneration and metabolism, and are likely to be of interest to pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.

The partners鈥� business development and technology transfer officers also collaborate to facilitate new advances, tap professional networks and encourage firms to pursue potential funding sources, for example, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency鈥檚 Atlantic Innovation Fund. This translates into stronger proposals, gains for local and regional companies as well as further value for PEI鈥檚 bioscience cluster.

Beyond industry applications, students reap rewards from the tripartite partnership. They can gain real-world lab experience with AAFC, NRC and 糖心vlog官方入口 researchers. In addition, federal researchers are appointed adjunct professors at 糖心vlog官方入口 where they teach, take part in various graduate committees, and benefit from proximity to important campus facilities, including the Atlantic Veterinary College.

The researchers also lead projects and supervise trainees supported by funding institutions like the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). Armed with guest worker status, AAFC and 糖心vlog官方入口 researchers interact with industrial technology advisors from NRC-IRAP and gain access to key NRC resources, such as the national science library, the NRC Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information.

For more information about joint research projects or partnership opportunities, please contact:

Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada (AAFC)
Dr. Christiane Deslauriers
Tel.: 902-367-7536
deslauriers@agr.gc.ca

NRC Institute for Nutrisciences and Health (NRC-INH)
Dr. Jeff Zidichouski
Tel.: 902-566-7465
jeff.zidichouski@nrc.gc.ca

糖心vlog官方入口 (糖心vlog官方入口)
Dr. Katherine Schultz
Tel: 902-566-0561
kschultz@upei.ca

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Dr. Gisli Sigurdsson, professor of folklore at the University of Iceland, will give a public lecture called 鈥淕etting Islanders Back Home鈥� on Thursday, May 8, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., in the Main Building Faculty Lounge at the University of Prince Edward Island.

There is no charge to attend the lecture, and light refreshments will be served with compliments of the Dean of Arts.

鈥淲e know all too well about Islanders leaving home--for work, education or adventure. But what about Islanders coming back, not for short visits or for retirement but to work, raise families and add value to the island of their birth?鈥� says Dr. Godfrey Baldacchino, Canada Research Chair in Island Studies at 糖心vlog官方入口.

鈥淭here is one particular island which manages to bring back most of its own: this is Iceland. How does it do it, luring so many of its Islanders back 'from away'? What are the lessons to other population-losing jurisdictions like Prince Edward Island?鈥�

Dr. Sigurdsson is an accomplished and noted research professor at the prestigious 脕rni Magn煤sson Institute in Iceland, where he has worked since 1990. He also teaches in the Department of Folklore at the University of Iceland. He has studied at universities in Iceland, Ireland, and at the University of Manitoba where he served as visiting associate professor.

A well-known and prodigious authority on Icelandic Sagas and related oral traditions, Dr. Sigurdsson has lectured at Georgetown University, University of Maryland, the Smithsonian Institute, the University of Manitoba, Greenland, Faroe Islands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. He has also lectured at 糖心vlog官方入口.

He has written several books and articles focusing on the Eddas, Sagas, and Icelandic folklore in Iceland and in Canada. He has also taught adult education courses about Icelandic emigration to North America and the Gaelic influence in Iceland.

Dr. Sigurdsson is also visiting P.E.I. for the occasion of the launching of the Vinland Society on the Island.

For more information, please contact Dr. Baldacchino at (902) 566-0909 or gbaldacchino@upei.ca.

AVC Vet Camp has been recognized as the Best Community Outreach Program in Canada by the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE).

CCAE is a volunteer-led organization that promotes excellence in educational advancement. Its membership is made up of universities, colleges, institutes and independent schools from across Canada.

'We are very proud to receive this prestigious honor,' says Dr. Tim Ogilvie, Dean of the Atlantic Veterinary College and founder of AVC Vet Camp. 'Many within the AVC community have been instrumental in the delivery of AVC Vet Camp over the past ten years. Their commitment and passion for providing a unique, hands-on learning opportunity for our young people is nothing short of outstanding.'

Judges in the Best Community Outreach Category for the CCAE's 2008 PRIX D'EXCELLENCE awards program recently selected AVC Vet Camp to receive its top prize - the Gold Award. The PRIX D'EXCELLENCE awards program is assessed by CCAE colleagues and external professional judges. The 2008 PRIX D'EXCELLENCE Gold Award will be presented in Kelowna, British Columbia in June at CCAE's annual conference.

Judges' comments regarding AVC Vet Camp were very positive, recognizing the impact of 'a highly successful and focused program which extends the College community outward.' Judges also recognized that the continued success of AVC Vet Camp was due to 'an impressive commitment on the part of AVC staff and students鈥�a real team effort, with excellent results maintained from year to year.' Describing AVC Vet Camp as 'the perfect program for the intended audience,' judges also praised the Camp as being 'admirably responsive to their market, hands-on and realistic.' Finally, judges recognized that 'the international reach of this small college's initiative is particularly impressive.'

'AVC Vet Camp requires a tremendous amount of organization and planning. And every moment is worth it. Each year we hear from AVC Vet Campers and their parents that we have helped make dreams come true,' says Ogilvie. 'This is what AVC Vet Camp is all about - turning dreams into reality.'

AVC Vet Camp celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Since its development, AVC Vet Camp has provided students in grades 7, 8 and 9 with a passion for veterinary medicine, animals and science to experience what the life of a veterinarian is truly like. As the only veterinary-based camp in Canada, AVC Vet Camp has attracted participants from as far away as Australia and Saudi Arabia.

The creative work of the 糖心vlog官方入口 departments of Integrated Promotions and Advancement has been recognized nationally by the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE). Judges from the 2008 PRIX D鈥橢XCELLENCE program selected 糖心vlog官方入口 for a silver award for a flyer that promotes the 糖心vlog官方入口 Annual Fund campaign to young alumni.

The full-colour flyer features graphic design and original illustrations by Integrated Promotions鈥� designers that depict the major buildings on the 糖心vlog官方入口 campus. Judges praised the design for its effectiveness in attracting the attention of alumni through the creative use of familiar images. They also commended the writing style on the front of the flyer.

CCAE is a volunteer-led organization that promotes excellence in educational advancement. Its membership is made up of universities, colleges, institutes and independent schools from across Canada.

The PRIX D鈥橢XCELLENCE awards program is assessed by CCAE colleagues and external professional judges. The 2008 PRIX D鈥橢XCELLENCE Silver Award will be presented to 糖心vlog官方入口 in Kelowna, British Columbia in June at CCAE鈥檚 annual conference.

The 糖心vlog官方入口 is pleased to announce that Dr. Darren Bardati, from Bishop's University, will take on the role of Director of Environmental Studies in July 2008.

As Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Geography, Bardati has taught at Bishop's University since 1996. He is also Adjunct Professor at the Universit茅 de Sherbrooke where he supervises graduate students in their Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Environment.

'I'm very excited to move to PEI, and to develop productive relations with faculty, students and staff, as well as various levels of government and community groups on and off the Island, in order to add to the good work that is being accomplished in the area of environmental studies,' says Bardati.

Bardati's research focuses on human interactions in, and relationship to, the natural environment, especially the involvement of 'ordinary people' in environmental planning and management decisions. He has published on such diverse topics as forest land use, boating conflicts on recreational lakes, landowner involvement in utility corridor management, residents' perceptions of walkability on urban streets, environmental impact assessment and environmental auditing. In 2007-08, he was awarded a research grant from the Qu茅bec government to study local participation in watershed management.

Bardati earned his PhD in Geography (Natural Resources) at McGill University where he examined the logging conflicts in British Columbia. He currently serves as the vice-president of the Eastern Townships Research Centre and as the Canadian representative on the executive board of the Association of American Geographers, Northeast division, and sits on the international advisory board of the International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education.

'The University of PEI looks forward to Dr. Bardati's arrival and his contribution to the further development of a vibrant Environmental Studies program,' says Dr. Christian Lacroix, Dean of the Faculty of Science.

糖心vlog官方入口's environmental studies program takes an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary liberal arts and sciences approach to the theory, research and practice of environmental sustainability. This "ecology across the curriculum" method encourages addressing ecological issues, themes and perspectives across the full range of academic subjects; courses are offered in 16 different departments across the faculties of Arts, Science, Education and Business.

For more information on the Environmental Studies program, visit

The Atlantic Veterinary College is proud to announce that Dr. Greg Keefe, Professor of Dairy Health Management with the College's Department of Health Management, and Director of Maritime Quality Milk has been named to the Production Expert Scientific Advisory Committee (PESAC) of the Dairy Farmers of Canada.

The role of the PEAC is to review research proposals in light of research priorities and recommend those deemed worthy of funding to the Board of Directors of the Dairy Farmers of Canada. The objective of the Funding Program of the Dairy Farmers of Canada is to gain a better understanding of the issues, which limit the efficiency of the Canadian dairy farm.

Dr. Keefe is one of seven committee members selected from leaders in the Canadian scientific community representing the different specialties involved in dairy production research. Dr. Keefe holds a DVM and MBA in Agriculture from the University of Guelph and an MSc from 糖心vlog官方入口. In addition, Dr. Keefe has been the lead investigator or major contributor to research projects valued at approximately $4.5 million in the last five years.

'The Dairy Farmers of Canada is a leading funding body of dairy research in Canada,' says Dr. Tim Ogilvie, Dean of AVC. 'It is a well-deserved honor that Dr. Keefe be selected to provide advice on their research program. The selection is a testament to the excellent work being done by Dr. Keefe, his research and service team at Maritime Quality Milk.'

Maritime Quality Milk is a regional research and service centre at the Atlantic Veterinary College, which focuses on milk quality and milk-based disease surveillance. Six initial research projects are underway examining mastitis diagnostic tools in the laboratory and on-farm, as well as milk-based diagnosis of Johne's disease, gastrointestinal parasite burdens and antimicrobial resistance. For more information on Maritime Quality Milk, visit .

Proud parents, families and friends filled the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre on Saturday, May 10, to share Convocation Day, the biggest event of the academic year, with the largest-ever graduating class at 糖心vlog官方入口.

Over 820 students received their degrees, diplomas and certificates during two ceremonies, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.

Honorary degrees were conferred upon Wayne Gray and James Carter during the morning ceremony, and Nona Macdonald Heaslip and Joe Ng during the afternoon ceremony. Gray gave the convocation speech to graduates at the morning event, and Macdonald Heaslip addressed those at the afternoon ceremony.

Lindsay Belmonte Renzullo, who received her doctor of veterinary medicine degree at convocation, gave the valedictory address in the morning, and Tricia Fleming, who was awarded her bachelor of science degree in biology, spoke at the afternoon convocation.

"Today we gather with each other for one last time to celebrate our accomplishments," said Renzullo. "Today marks the end of a very significant phase in life and the beginning of the next important chapter. I have no doubt that the 糖心vlog官方入口 has prepared us all properly to leave as graduates with the skills to learn, aptitude to succeed and the abilities and creativity to make a difference.

In her address, Fleming told fellow graduates that they should be proud to be receiving a degree from "such an extraordinary university."

"In fact, we should be gracious to be receiving a degree at all. University graduates are the minority in the world, thus, we have a responsibility to help make the world a better place through using our gift. Therefore, as one journey ends, another begins. Our time at 糖心vlog官方入口 has hopefully shaped our lives for the better in preparation for the new journey ahead of us."

The Class of 2008 included the first group of teachers from Fort McMurray, Alberta, to complete the requirements for their Master of Education in Leadership in Learning degrees. Of the 24 successful graduates, 11 attended the convocation ceremony on Saturday. As well, five graduates were the first to receive their Bachelor of Education in Human Resource Development.

During the morning ceremony, the following degrees and diplomas were awarded: bachelor of education; bachelor of education in French immersion; bachelor of business administration; bachelor of business administration (co-operative education); bachelor of business administration (honours); bachelor of business administration in tourism and hospitality; bachelor of business administration in tourism and hospitality (co-operative education); bachelor of science in nursing; bachelor of science of applied science in radiography; radiography post-diploma degree; doctor of veterinary medicine; master of science; master of veterinary medicine; master of veterinary science; master of applied health services research; master of arts in island studies; master of education; doctor of philosophy; diploma in inclusive education diploma; and diploma in public administration.

Students attending the afternoon ceremony received the following degrees and diplomas: bachelor of arts; bachelor of arts (honours); bachelor of music; bachelor of music education; bachelor of science; bachelor of science (honours); bachelor of science (co-operative education); and diploma in engineering.

For the class lists, click .

Photo: Proud Class of 2008 graduates Jill Youland, science, and Willy Gauthier, business.

As part of the 2008 Dr. Frank MacKinnon Lecture Series, Dr. Wendy Kline, associate professor of history at the University of Cincinnati, will give a talk called 'Surveying the Women's Health Movement: Technology, Research and Reading Our Bodies, Ourselves' at the 糖心vlog官方入口 on Saturday, May 17, at 4 p.m.

The Dr. Frank MacKinnon Lecture will take place in the K.C. Irving (KCI) Building's lecture theatre (Room 104) at 糖心vlog官方入口 in conjunction with a 'Women, History and Technology' conference organized by the Canadian Committee on Women's History (Atlantic Region) on May 16 and 17. Members of the audience are invited to meet Kline at a reception in the KCI foyer following her presentation.

Kline will speak about the impact that the book, Our Bodies, Ourselves, has had on women's knowledge about and attitudes toward their bodies. From its first publication as a stapled newsprint booklet in 1970 to its latest Russian re-edition in 2007, Our Bodies, Ourselves, a book about women's health and sexuality, has grown in popularity and influence throughout North America and the world. It is produced by Our Bodies Ourselves, a non-profit organization formerly known as the Boston Women's Health Book Collective.

Kline's lecture is part of her second book project entitled Taking Their Bodies Back: A History of the Women's Health Movement. She will talk about how web-based research tools can be used in innovative ways to evaluate the social impact of Our Bodies, Ourselves.

With assistance from the Center for History and New Media at George Mason University (2001), she created a web-based research survey that allowed her to reach a diverse group of respondents. Using the online survey, she is studying the social and cultural factors that led to the first publication of Our Bodies, Ourselves. Survey participants tell how the book, and its subsequent editions, influenced their perceptions of women's health and wellness.

Kline received her PhD from the University of California-Davis in 1998. The winner of many awards and research grants, she is an expert in the history of women's health, medicine and popular culture in the 20th century. She is the author of Building a Better Race: Gender, Sexuality, and Eugenics from the Turn of the Century to the Baby Boom (University of California Press, 2001).

The Dr. Frank MacKinnon Lecture Series is sponsored by the and the 糖心vlog官方入口. Named in honour of the late Dr. Frank MacKinnon, a leader in the Island's education system and in the establishment of the Confederation Centre, the series features leading personalities and focuses on issues of national interest in Canada such as public policy, the arts, and sciences and humanities.

The Canadian Committee on Women鈥檚 History (Atlantic Region) invites regional scholars and members of the public to participate in a conference called 鈥淲omen, History and Technology鈥� at the University of Prince Edward Island on May 16 and 17.

The conference is organized around the issue of how technology has shaped women's lives and how historians have addressed this issue in their teaching and research.

Presentations will revolve around women鈥檚 history and the production of historical knowledge, and the history of women and technology unfolding around them. Some papers assess the impact of distributed learning on women in rural economies, and others will discuss the implications and possibilities of the Internet for feminist research.

Some of the key questions that will be discussed include: How is technological 鈥減rogress鈥� defined, and how are the benefits of this progress distributed? Is there a 鈥済ender gap鈥� in the adoption and use of new media technology in the research and writing done at universities, for government, or in the community? In what ways have new technologies played a positive role to help share ideas and data, make women-focussed research easier, or helped support teaching activities?

The conference will feature prominent historians from Canada and the U.S., including Joy Parr, Canada Research Chair in Culture, Technology and Risk, University of Western Ontario; Margaret Conrad, Canada Research Chair in Atlantic Canadian History, University of New Brunswick; and Wendy Kline, Associate Professor of History, University of Cincinnati. Other presenters are drawn from the regional heritage community, government, NGO and academic sectors.

鈥淭his conference will bring together an interdisciplinary group of scholars with teachers, researchers and community workers, to foster what we hope will be some thought-provoking and inspiring discussions,鈥� says Lisa Chilton, of the 糖心vlog官方入口 History Department, and one of the conference organizers.

Co-organizers are Sharon Myers, also a professor of history at 糖心vlog官方入口, and Sasha Mullally, Hannah Post-doctoral Fellow in the History of Medicine at Saint Mary's University, Halifax.

The conference will be held in 糖心vlog官方入口鈥檚 New Residence鈥檚 meeting room on the Friday night and in K.C. Irving 104 on Saturday. Registration is $50, with a $30 fee for students. For more information, please contact Sharon Myers at shmyers@upei.ca or Sasha Mullally at sasha.mullally@smu.ca.

The province of New Brunswick will partner with the Atlantic Veterinary College at the 糖心vlog官方入口 (糖心vlog官方入口) to build a new $2.36-million fish-health laboratory in the Bay of Fundy.

Premier Shawn Graham made the announcement this week, joining Agriculture and Aquaculture Minister Ronald Ouellette and 糖心vlog官方入口 President Wade MacLauchlan to sign a co-operation agreement between the province and the Atlantic Veterinary College for the construction and use of the new laboratory.

'We're very pleased to partner with the Atlantic Veterinary College, which will position New Brunswick at the forefront of aquatic animal health science,' Graham said. 'Investments in fish health are essential for the aquaculture industry to continue to be an important player in the objective of New Brunswick achieving self-sufficiency by 2026.'

The province of New Brunswick's contribution to the project is $1.82 million. The Atlantic Veterinary College will provide $535,000, as part of a Canadian Foundation for Innovation grant, toward construction cost of the new facility.

The Atlantic Veterinary College, the region's only veterinary college, has a global reputation for aquatic veterinary medicine, particularly for the practical applications to health and productivity concerns facing aquatic-food-animal producers in Atlantic Canada.

'The Atlantic Veterinary College at 糖心vlog官方入口 and the Government of New Brunswick have shared a strong partnership aimed at improving aquaculture health for almost two decades,' MacLauchlan said. 'We are proud to be moving our collaboration to this next level, and look forward to the educational, research, service and industry benefits that will result from today's agreement.'

The agreement recognizes the long history of collaboration between the college and the Department of Agriculture and Aquaculture with respect to training veterinarians and graduate students, and serving the industry through research to solve fish-health issues.

'This agreement is a good example of our efforts to collaborate in supporting the sustainability of the aquaculture and fishing industries in New Brunswick,' Ouellette said. 'Healthy fish stocks are conducive to farm productivity and economic competitiveness, which in turn lead to investor confidence in New Brunswick's aquaculture industry.'

The new laboratory will be built in St. George, New Brunswick and will be about 513 sq. metres (5,700 sq. ft.) in size. It will provide space for fish necropsies; diagnostic sample collection; preparation and storage; bacteriology and virology processing; disinfection capabilities; and data entry and processing stations.

Construction will begin in the spring of 2008, with completion expected in late fall.

Photo: New Brunswick Agriculture and Aquaculture Minister Ronald Ouellette, 糖心vlog官方入口 President Wade MacLauchlan, New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham