“I have always been amazed at the high calibre research being conducted at UPEI and the Atlantic Veterinary College, I am proud to support our students at such a critical time in their career development and help grow our knowledge-based sectors,” said Minister Campbell.

The Graduate Student and Post-Doctoral Fellowship program offers up to $20,000 in student stipends for Masters and PhD students for two and three years respectively. Post-Doctoral awards are for $40,000 for a two-year period. The total contribution from Innovation PEI to the 12 recipients is $619,000.

A total of 28 applications were submitted to Innovation PEI and were subsequently peer reviewed. The peer review committees evaluated and ranked the applications, of which Innovation PEI was able to support the top four in each category. These students are working on the UPEI campus or with private sector companies on Prince Edward Island.

“I want to congratulate all the recipients for displaying such strong academic vigor and ambition to drive innovation in this province,” said Minister Campbell. “We are investing in the researchers and leaders of tomorrow and I hope they continue to thrive in our vibrant community.”

This is the third round of funding to be offered under the Graduate Student program since the Island Prosperity Strategy was released in 2008. The next call for applications for the Graduate Student and Post-Doctoral Fellowship is expected to be released in the winter of 2012. For more information visit the Innovation PEI website www.innovationpei.com

BACKGROUND

Students who have been offered funding are listed below along with their corresponding projects:

Annie Laderoute - Annie will further advance a new imaging technique using light and sound, called optoacoustics, to better assess how prostate cancer responds to laser thermal therapy.

Erin McCauley - Erin will develop an accelerated method to isolate microorganisms from corals that could produce a variety of pharmaceutical agents.

Evan Owen - Evan will further develop a new optical sensor technology combined with molecular beacons, to improve mastitis detection in dairy cows.

Laura Phalen - Laura will develop techniques to evaluate the immune competency of rainbow trout.

Robert Deziel - Robert will develop a model and potential therapies for treating cognitive deficits in victims of stroke.

Katherine Duncan - Katherine will characterize bacteria cultures from Atlantic Canadian waters to discovery potential cancer therapies.

Emilie Laurin - Emilie will create a procedure to detect infection with Johne's disease in colostrum (first milk).

Rebecca Pike - Rebecca will search for new resources of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents from gorgonian corals.

Jennifer Covello - Jennifer will evaluate a feed additive for farmed salmon to enhance immunity and prevent attachment of sea lice.

Rachid Ganga - Rachid will develop improved diets to enhance performance and growth of triploid Atlantic salmon.

Daphne Gill - Daphne will create a new model of autism and related neurological disorders to test novel therapeutants.

Andi Hanif - Andi will search for novel natural products with antimicrobial properties from marine fungi.