Project Leader:   
Elizabeth Simpson

Involved Institution:   
Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics

Research Funding Program:   
SOF 2

This project will generate unique tools to develop gene therapy interactions for brain diseases.  The research team will generate these tools for working in specific-genomic sites, which will be much easier for scientists and clinicians to use than current methodologies.

Dr. Simpson was an Investigator in the $13.2 M Genome Canada project Mouse Atlas of Gene Expression. She is Project Leader on the $10.1 M Genome Canada Pleiades Promoter Project.  Pleiades has been highly successful in generating Brain MiniPromoters (tools for specific targeting of molecules to the brain) for use in neuroscience research and gene therapy. This new project builds directly on the Pleiades Promoter Project using its MiniPromoters, collaborative relationships, equipment, protocols, and highly trained personnel.

The goals are essential, quickly achievable, with key steps that are transformative for the way research is done. In addition, they will substantially strengthen the competitiveness of the group of BC scientists at CMMT as they prepare to enter the international genomics community in a leadership position with an International Consortium Initiative on Brain MiniPromoters.