New support for VIDO as a research facility of national importance
Aug 20, 2022
The benefit of VIDO’s cutting-edge infrastructure has been acknowledged through funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation Major Science Initiatives (MSI) Fund. The fund supports the ongoing operational needs of research facilities of national importance.
“This funding provides critical support to operate VIDO, one of Canada’s leading research organizations focused on emerging infectious diseases of humans and animals. This helps ensure Canada’s preparedness by enabling Canadian scientist access to world-class containment infrastructure,” said Director and CEO Dr. Volker Gerdts.
Stable operational support is vital to allow our organization to focus on strategic initiatives to protect the world from infectious diseases. This renewed investment provides VIDO with $53.9 million over the next six years to support pan-Canadian scientists conducting leading-edge infectious disease research and technology development.
VIDO received MSI funding in 2017 for our containment level 3 (CL3) facility, one of the largest and most advanced CL3 facilities in the world. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that VIDO’s facilities are inseparable from an operations and management perspective—this new award provides operational support for the entire organization.
VIDO’s capacity has been critical to Canada’s pandemic response, and the upgrades associated with becoming Canada’s Centre for Pandemic Research will continue to improve pandemic preparedness. This includes vaccine manufacturing, upgrading part of our CL3 facility to of containment level 4, and establishing a new advanced animal housing facility.