The Newfoundland Genealogical Toolkit has received a major grant from the Canadian government under Round VII of the Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF). In this project, The Memorial University of Newfoundland's Population Therapeutics Research Group (PTRG) will develop the Newfoundland Genealogical Toolkit – a state-of-the-art information technology platform able to generate large sample groups (family trees) to conduct studies on the identification of genes implicated in common diseases and research on undesirable drug reactions. The research will help make drugs more effective, optimize drug dosage decisions, and enhance drug therapy. This project, with total estimated costs of $3.1 million, will receive approximately $1.8 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a three-year period.
The population of Newfoundland and Labrador largely descends from Irish and English immigrants, making it relatively homogeneous. This “founder population” is internationally recognized as an ideal resource for genetic studies on the identification of genes implicated in common diseases and research on drug effectiveness and adverse reactions. Findings from studies carried out in Newfoundland can often be generalized to the Caucasian population worldwide.
You can read more at http://www.med.mun.ca/Medicine/NewsMedicine/February-2010/ACOA-funding-for-Newfoundland-Genealogical-Toolkit.aspx.
