Alberta Innovates spends $2.1M on COVID-19 research

Yesterday, the Alberta government announced that they will be providing $2.1 million through Alberta Innovates to fund technology projects to help fight COVID-19.

Alberta Innovates, an arms-length government agency reporting to the minister of jobs, economy, and innovation, invests in research, innovation, and entrepreneurship to drive provincial economic growth and diversity.

The funding will be shared between 7 projects, which were chosen by a panel that included participants from Alberta Innovates, Alberta Health, and Alberta Health Services.

• Jie Chen, University of Alberta, received $304,200 for developing and clinically validating a rapid COVID-19 antibody detection device.
• Andrei Drabovich, University of Alberta, received $182,098 for designing and standardizing serology testing.
• Matthias Hoben, University of Alberta, received $328,376 to study the experiences and support needs of COVID-19 caregivers at assisted-living facilities.
• Jia Hu, University of Calgary, received $392,080 to study how COVID-19 has changed behaviours through a targeted marketing campaign.
• Mark Lewis, University of Alberta, received $220,545 (supported through Alberta Health’s Pfizer Alberta Collaboration) to research predicting and managing COVID-19’s pandemic dynamics using machine learning.
• Ken Parhar, University of Calgary, received $362,285 to evaluate how lying in prone position may treat acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in COVID-19 patients.
• Puneeta Tandon, University of Alberta, received $326,297 to study appropriately connecting vulnerable outpatients with multidisciplinary care once released from hospital.

Originally published at kimsiever.ca on 29 September 2020.