The Generative Brain

PrioNet Canada (Network of Centres of Excellence for prion research)

PrioNet Canada was a federally funded Network of Centres of Excellence for research on prion diseases, created after BSE was found in Canada in 2003. It was the only network funded in a 2005 targeted NCE competition paid for by 5 million dollars a year from the 2004 federal budget, with a funding period of 2005 to 2012. Its scientific director was Neil Cashman and its head office was at the Brain Research Centre in Vancouver, at the University of British Columbia. It funded and linked basic, applied and social research on BSE, CWD and human prion disease across Canada, co-funded projects with the Alberta Prion Research Institute, and gave project grants that reached human prion work such as a GSS mutation study. Trade press reported that it stopped operating on 31 March 2013 after its federal money ran out. It is not a live funder. Information only.

Key facts

  • The 2004 federal budget added 5 million dollars a year, from 2005-06, for an NCE network on BSE and other TSEs; one letter of intent was received, a full application was due on 6 September 2005, and the network funded was PrioNet Canada.
  • Trade press at launch reported 35 million dollars over seven years, Neil Cashman as scientific director and headquarters at the Brain Research Centre in Vancouver, and a partnership with the separately funded Alberta Prion Research Institute.
  • The official NCE grant tables give PrioNet a funding period of 2005 to 2012 and a yearly award of 5 million dollars in both 2009-10 and 2011-12, split across NSERC (2.0 million), CIHR (2.5 million) and SSHRC (0.5 million).
  • At 31 March 2008 the network reported 62 scientific members, 5 international collaborators, more than 150 students and young professionals and 25 government, non-government and industry partners.
  • Its stated research covered food and health safety and socioeconomic effects of BSE, CJD and CWD, including surveillance, diagnostics, vaccines, possible therapies and risk management for emerging human prion disease.
  • In June 2009 PrioNet and the Alberta Prion Research Institute put 1.6 million Canadian dollars into three BSE and CWD projects in Alberta and Manitoba.
  • PrioNet money reached labs outside Alberta, for example a 2011 Tanz Centre, University of Toronto study of the prion gene family funded in part by PrioNet.
  • A 2018 University of Alberta led study of a new GSS mutation in mice acknowledges PrioNet project and platform facility grants to two of its authors, Neil Cashman and David Westaway (the funding statement names them by initials NRC and DW, which match only these two authors).
  • University of Alberta prion protein structure work from 2013 also lists PrioNet among its funders.
  • A 2011 national study of CSF markers in 1,000 suspected sporadic CJD cases from the Canadian CJD Surveillance System has a PrioNet affiliated last author who declares PrioNet grant funding; the surveillance itself was funded by the PHAC Prion Diseases Program.
  • Trade press reported that the network would stop operating on 31 March 2013, its federal funding having run out the year before, with the last year spent winding up projects.
  • A new NCE prion network is unlikely: the federal government is moving the NCE programme into the New Frontiers in Research Fund over 2018-19 to 2023-24.
  • A Europe PMC search for PrioNet with CJD returns 53 records, but some are text matches only, so the count overstates PrioNet funded output.

Timeline

  1. 2005Deadline for the single full application to the NCE BSE/TSE targeted competition.
  2. 2005Trade press reports the launch of PrioNet Canada and its partnership with the Alberta institute.
  3. 2008Network reports 62 scientific members and 25 partners.
  4. 2009PrioNet and APRI announce 1.6 million Canadian dollars for three BSE and CWD projects.
  5. 2011Toronto prion gene family study funded in part by PrioNet is published.
  6. 2011Canadian CSF marker study for sporadic CJD with PrioNet affiliated author is published.
  7. 2012End of the NCE funding period shown in the federal grant tables.
  8. 2013Network stops operating, per trade press.
  9. 2018GSS mutation study acknowledging PrioNet project and platform grants is published.
  10. 2018New Frontiers in Research Fund launched, taking over NCE programme money.
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