Funding Partners & Collaborators
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Current Research Projects
Development of mussel cage study for PollutionTracker
Project with Peter Ross from Vancouver Aquarium and DFO
2016-onwards
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Influence of population origin, disease and environmental factors on oyster mass mortalities.
NSERC Engage funding, in review.
2016
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Integrated Coastal Ocean Acidification Program
MEOPAR funding (Principal Investigator)
2014-2016 plus renewal 2017-2022.
Coupling chemical oceanography with biological relevance: examining phyto- and zooplankton populations in a dynamic coastal environment over multiple years.
Pacific Salmon Foundation funding, W. Evans co-lead.
2016-2017
Functional physiological responses of clam garden habitats.
Tula Foundation funding.
2016-2018
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Microplastics and shellfish aquaculture: presence, extent, potential impacts and mitigation methods
Sarah Dudas, Helen Gurney-Smith
DFO Lead: Chris Pearce
Funded by Fisheries and Oceans (Canada), Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program
2015-2017
Molecular characterization of mussel larvae and adult responses to culturing conditions and toxic algal blooms
Helen Gurney-Smith, Nancy Nanjevan (University of Ghent)
European funding, University of Ghent
2014-2015
Using socio-economically important bioindicator species to increase our understanding of coastal ecosystem variance, health and resilience (OceanOMICS)
Helen Gurney-Smith, Wiley Evans, Eric Peterson
Funded by the Tula Foundation
2014-2016
A functional genomics approach to assessing ecosystem health and resilience in keystone bioindicator species
Helen Gurney-Smith
Funded by Vancouver Island University, President’s Tri-Agency General Research Fund
2014-2015
Past Research Projects
Climate change and aquaculture in Canada: Atlantic workshop
Gregor Reid (University of New Brunswick), Helen Gurney-Smith
Funded by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Partnership Program
2015
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Climate change and aquaculture in Canada: Pacific workshop
Helen Gurney-Smith, Gregor Reid
Industry partner: BC Salmon Farmers Association, Joanne Liutkus
Funded by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Partnership Program
2015
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Genetic characterization to identify Mytilus edulis species mussel broodstock and seed outputs
Helen Gurney-Smith
Funded by Island Sea Farms Ltd. (Industry)
2015-2016
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Coupling state-of-the-art chemical oceanography with biological relevance: examining phyto- and zooplankton populations in a dynamic coastal setting
Helen Gurney-Smith, Wiley Evans (University of Alaska Fairbanks), Eric Peterson (Tula Foundation)
Funded by Pacific Salmon Foundation, Salish Sea Marine Survival Program
2015-2016
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Genetic characterization of mussel broodstock and seed outputs
Helen Gurney-Smith
Funded by Island Sea Farms Ltd. (Industry)
2014-2015
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A functional genomics approach to assessing ecosystem health and resilience in keystone bioindicator species
Helen Gurney-Smith
Funded by Vancouver Island University, President’s Tri-Agency General Research Fund
2014-2015
Research strategizing to support scallop industry development and stabilization in northern British Columbia
Helen Gurney-Smith
Funded by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Interaction Program
2013-2014
Market and commercialization assessment and IP Protection of MytOME/H20ME
Helen Gurney-Smith
Funded by Genome British Columbia, Proof of Concept
2013
Marketing potential analysis of developed multi-species shellfish microarray for multiple sector commercialization
Helen Gurney-Smith
Funded by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Idea to Innovation
2012-2013
An assessment of the genetic and health status of the native basket cockle, Clinocardium nuttallii, in British Columbia for aquaculture operation facilitation
Helen Gurney-Smith
DFO lead: Ruth Withler
Team: Stewart Johnson (DFO), Cathryn Abbott (DFO), Aboriginal Aquaculture Association
Industry partner: We Wai Kai Seafood Corporation
Funded by Fisheries and Oceans (Canada), Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Fund
2010-2012
Longterm trends in oyster (Crassostrea gigas) larval abundance, settlement and recruitment in Pendrell Sound, British Columbia
Helen Gurney-Smith, Daphne Munroe (Rutgers University), Anne McCarthy
Funded by Vancouver Island University (VIU), Bamfield and VIU Fellowships, BC Shellfish Growers Association
2010-2011
Application of innovative technologies to improve the efficiency and sustainability of shellfish aquaculture nurseries- Renewable Energy Upweller
Brian Kingzett, Helen Gurney-Smith
Industry partner: Evening Cove Oysters Processing Ltd.
Funded by Fisheries and Oceans (Canada), Applied Innovative Market Access Program
2010-2011
Development of genomic health assessment tools for marine mussels (Myt-OMICS)
Helen Gurney-Smith
DFO lead: Stewart Johnson
Team: Catherine Thomson, Dan Sanderson, Angeline deBruyns, Jennifer Kimball (National Research Council), Nathan Stephani
Industry partner: Taylor Shellfish Canada
Funded by Fisheries and Oceans (Canada), Aquaculture and Collaborative Research Development Program
2009-2012
An assessment of the genetic variation of the Golden Mussel Mytilus edulic population, in comparison to wild and other manipulated stocks, and implications for mussel aquaculture management
Helen Gurney-Smith
DFO lead: Cathryn Abbott
Industry partners: Blue Frontier Adventures Inc., Island Sea Farms Ltd., Taylor Shellfish Canada
Funded by Fisheries and Oceans (Canada), Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Fund
2009-2011
Development of a health assessment tool for marine mussels (Myt-OME)
Helen Gurney-Smith
DFO lead: Stewart Johnson
Team: Catherine Thomson, Dan Sanderson, Angeline deBruyns, Jennifer Kimball (National Research Council), Nathan Stephani
Industry partner: Taylor Shellfish Canada
Funded by Genome British Columbia, Strategic Opportunities Fund
2009-2012
The development of genomics tools for the assessment of impacts of aquaculture on mussels (Mytilus edulis) and natice little neck clams (Protothaca staminea)
Stewart Johnson, Helen Gurney-Smith, Terri Sutherland
Funded by Fisheries and Oceans (Canada), Program for Aquaculture Regulatory Research
2008-2009
On-growing investigations for the optimal commercialization of the indigenous basket cockle (Clinocardium nuttallii)
Helen Gurney-Smith
DFO lead: Chris Pearce
Team: Anya Epelbaum, Simon Yuan, Nadia Plamondon, Amanda Bearens, Kate Rolheiser
Industry partner: Evening Cove Oysters Processing Ltd.
Funded by Fisheries and Oceans (Canada), Aquaculture Collaborative Research Development Program
2008-2010
Shellfish genome capacity expansion
Helen Gurney-Smith
Funded by Western Economic Diversification Canada
2008-2012
Development and optimizing commercial hatchery production techniques for the indigenous basket cockle (Clinocardium nuttallii)
Helen Gurney-Smith
DFO lead: Chris Pearce
Team: Wenshan Liu, Simon Yuan, Amanda Bearens
Industry partner: Evening Cove Oysters Processing Ltd.
Funded by Fisheries and Oceans (Canada), Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program
2007-2009
