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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

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