"Big science" genetics research in Canada may be left high and dry after the main agency that funds such work was left out of this year's federal budget. linkurl:Genome Canada,;http://www.genomecanada.ca/ a nonprofit established in 2000 to support large-scale genomics and proteomics research, was expecting a level of financing this year in the ballpark of C$120 million ($98m), which would be on par with its last two budgets. Instead, Genome Canada was completely absent from the linkurl:2009 budget,;http://www.budget.gc.ca/2009/home-accueil-eng.asp which was rolled out on Tuesday.
The agency currently funds 33 major research projects -- including efforts to find the genetic underpinnings of autism and other diseases -- and supports more than 2,000 people. The lack of funding shouldn't affect ongoing projects, which were funded through previous budgets, but it will limit the scope of future large-scale genetics studies. "We got nothing, nothing, and we don't know why," said linkurl:Martin Godbout,;http://www.genomecanada.ca/en/about/governance/godbout.aspx Genome Canada's...
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