NRC - Plant Biotechnology Institute (NRC-PBI)

The NRC - Plant Biotechnology Institute (NRC-PBI) performs, assists and promotes strategic discovery research and innovation in plant biotechnology in partnership with key stakeholders, to improve and diversify Canadian industry and strengthen Canada's competitive position in the global knowledge-based economy.

Eligibility Criteria

• Canadian industry;
• universities.

Summary

NRC-PBI pursues research in three strategic areas:

• strategic platform technologies;
• crop metabolic modification;
• crop performance.

NRC-PBI also pursues research in strategic technologies including genomics and proteomics and the development of new plant regeneration technologies and plant transformation technologies. NRC-PBI has already proven itself with cell culture techniques such as double haploidy, which has led to the development of canola varieties, a hardier, more productive variety of wheat, and is currently being applied to the development of improved nutraceutical plants.

NRC-PBI is a leader in the metabolic modification of oilseeds to increase oil content and to create specialty plant oils for new markets. NRC-PBI aims to improve and develop plants that produce natural health products as well as to produce pharmaceutical products in plants through molecular farming technologies.

Crop performance
With the aim of improving agronomic traits for Canadian growers, NRC-PBI is also investigating the mechanisms of drought tolerance and disease resistance, and developing novel approaches to improving fall seeding applications.

All of NRC-PBI's research programs are supported by state-of-the-art analytical services including DNA sequencing and synthesis, mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMR imaging). These services are also available to client and on a fee-for-service basis.

Along with its role in research and development, NRC-PBI has also served as a catalyst for economic growth and development. Through close collaborative efforts with public sector organizations and industry, NRC-PBI has contributed to the emergence of Saskatoon as one of the foremost agricultural biotechnology clusters in North America. In 2004, NRC-PBI welcomed innovative new plant science companies to its Industry Partnership Facility, an incubator for small and medium sized plant biotechnology companies who wish to incubate a research program in Canada.

Services Available

Technical services include DNA synthesis and sequencing, peptide synthesis and sequencing, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and high throughput robotics and bioinformatics in functional genomics.

NRC-PBI performs plant biotechnology research to specifications of our partners through fully-funded contract arrangements. Examples include transformation technology, haploidy and tissue culture. Contact the NRC to find out how our research can help you meet your goals.

NRC-PBI also offers incubation of small to medium sized companies at their Industry Partnership Facility.

Quebec Contact(s):
See National Contact.

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National Contact(s):
Mr. Royal Hinther
Business Development Office
Plant Biotechnology Institute (PBI)
National Research Council Canada
110 Gymnasium Place
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan  S7N 0W9
Telephone: (306) 975-5568
Fax: (306) 975-4008
E-mail: Royal.Hinther@nrc.ca
Web site: http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/main_e.html