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
Influence of population origin, disease and environmental factors on oyster mass mortalities.
NSERC Engage funding, in review.
2016
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
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
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
Genetic characterization to identify Mytilus edulis species mussel broodstock and seed outputs
Helen Gurney-Smith
Funded by Island Sea Farms Ltd. (Industry)
2015-2016
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
Genetic characterization of mussel broodstock and seed outputs
Helen Gurney-Smith
Funded by Island Sea Farms Ltd. (Industry)
2014-2015
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
