Program ID: Innovation Anthology #452
Program Date: 01/31/2012
Program Category: Funding, Health and Medicine
Alberta Pfizer Collaboration Fund
The Alberta Pfizer Collaboration Fund is a new program designed to move Alberta medical discoveries closer to practical application or commercialization.
Partners in the 2.5 million dollar fund include Pfizer Canada, Alberta Innovates Health Solutions, Alberta Advanced Education and Technology, and Western Economic Diversification.
Dr. Ghislain Boudreau is Pfizer’s Vice President of Public Affairs.
DR GHISLAIN BOUDREAU: One thing that is happening in Canada is we’re extremely good, we have good basic researchers. Great innovators. But when it comes to commercialization of the findings, Canada is a little bit weak here. So by creating this fund, we’re forcing people not only to discover but also put applications to the discovery. And that’s the uniqueness of this program really. How can we translate all the knowledge into application or applicability? And that’s hence the commercialization of it. And of course, gearing up to a better health care delivery system.
According to Dr. Boudreau, the fund will target translational research in two areas, - genetic markers to aid personalized medicine and data systems to improve health care delivery.
Thanks today to Alberta Innovates Health Solutions
FOR INNOVATION ANTHOLOGY
I’M CHERYL CROUCHER
