Internationally recognised Guyanese/Canadian profes-sor and biomaterials ex- pert Dr Suresh Narine has been awarded a Cdn$3million Senior Industrial Research Chair in Biomaterials at Trent University from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada, in conjunctionwithElevanceRenewable Sciences Incorporated and the Grain Farmers of Ontario. Over $1.5 million in new NSERC funding has been provided to matchinvestments made by Elevance Renewable Sciences Inc of $1 mil- lion, and by the GrainFarmers of Ontario of $500,000, to create the research chair. This, in addition to Professor Narine’s being awarded one of two $1.25 million Ontario research chairs in green chemis-try and engineering bythe Ontario Research Chairs Selection Panel in February 2010, plac-es Trent University’s Biomaterials Research Program among the top tier research facilities of its kind in the world pursuing fundamental and applied research in-vestigating the use of lipids in different appli-cations. “The new GFO/ ERS Industrial NSERC/Senior Research Chair represents a unique addition to Trent University’s re-search and developmentstrengths,” Dr Steven Franklin, president and vice-chancellor of Trent University said.“The biomaterials re-search led by Dr Narine and his team of researchers has the potential of adding substantial val-ue to the university. The research, being con-ducted in Peterboroughat Trent University, will have an impact at a lo-cal, regional, national and global level. “We are extremely gratefulfor NSERC’s support.” “His research career has a remarkable trajec-tory,” said Dr SuzanneFortier, president of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).“This is a person on a very clear, accelerated path of accomplishments and contributions.” P e t e r b o r o u g h ’ s Parliament Minister of Canada, Dean Del Mastro, emphasized how NSERC’s funding complements the gov-ernment’s overall science and technology framework. “The gov-ernment’s Mobilizing Science and TechnologyStrategy focuses on building an entrepre-neurial, knowledge andpeople advantage for Canada. NSERC’s in-
vestment in Dr Narine’s research in biomaterials reflects the importancethat the federal govern-ment attaches to basic
and applied research in the environmental sciences and technology.”“Elevance Renewable Sciences Inc is extremely pleased with the partnerships established around the NSERC/GFO/ERS Industrial Research Chair, which has been awarded to Dr. Suresh Narine,” said Dr Steve DiBiase, chief scientific officer. “The NSERC investment will help develop much-need-ed research capacity supporting the training of Ph.D. level scientists in emergent biomaterial technologies.”“The Grain Farmers of Ontario is an organi-zation that represents28,000 Ontario farm-ers. One of our strategic priorities is to facil-itate the development of new high-value mar-kets for soybeans,” said Crosby Devitt, manag-er, research and innova-tion for GFO. “We are delighted that NSERC has matched our major investment in the Trent University Biomaterials Program, and we know that this NSERC investment will help Dr Narine and his team to expedite the develop-ment of new bioproducts which use soybean oil as the raw material.” NSERC is a federal agency that helpsmake Canada a country of discoverers and inno- vators for the benefit of all Canadians. The agen-cy supports some 28,000 university students and post-doctoral fellows in their advanced studies. NSERC promotes dis-covery by funding morethan 11,800 universityprofessors every year,and fosters innovation by encouraging more than 1,500 Canadian compa-nies to participate and invest in post-second-ary research projects.The Industrial Research Chairs program is an elite NSERC program designed to recognize outstanding Canadian professors whose works have significant com-mercial promise, by pro-viding matching funding to industrial funds pro-cured by the professorfrom industry. In the fall of 2009, Dr Narine was recruited from Alberta to Ontario to lead the new Biomaterials Research Program at Trent University, his alma mater, which awarded him with a Distinguished Alumni award in 2006. He continues his work as a full professor of chemistry and physics and astronomy at TrentUniversity. He was lauded by Guyana’s presi-dent, Bharrat Jagdeo, who attended, as a spe-cial guest, the launch of Trent University’s Biomaterials Research Program and the Centre of Knowledge in the Environment in October, 2010.
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