Alberta Innovates facilitates the growth of technical industries by supporting quality research in areas of that Alberta has special expertise in. These include nanotechnology, information communication technology and genomics. AITF works in joint effort with entrepreneurs and researchers to ensure that Alberta’s technologies can be sustained in a business level through commercialization and growth. This is accomplished by ensuring that useful products, protocols and services are delivered to the meet global demands.

Corning life sciences is a company that has been developing and manufacturing laboratory supplies for more than 90 years. In 1915, Corning introduced the first Pyrex glass products, and ever since it is a global leader in consumable glass and plastic laboratory tools. Throughout the last century, Corning has not only been a trusted source of supplies, but also has been a major player in research and development of new technology, advancing the field of life sciences.

VWR International is one of the world leaders in the distribution of laboratory materials. They currently have over 250 000 customers in North America and Europe which is quite large as a biotechnology distributor. They are based in West Chester, Pennsylvania and specialize in the supply of chemicals, equipment, instruments, apparel, and lab furniture. They have many offices based worldwide from Northern Ireland to Switzerland and even one based in Singapore. The unique guarantee that they offer is shipping of ordered material within 24 hours due to large quantities of stock and many distribution offices in various countries. They have been a significant sponsor of our iGEM team in the past and we appreciate their contribution to our team this year.

Autodesk is one of the world's leaders in 2D and 3D design. Established more than 25 years ago, Autodesk revolutionized the world of design with the introduction of AutoCAD in 1982. Now, Autodesk provides a wide range of products for engineers, architects, manufacturers, designers, and artists. Over 10 million professionals worldwide use Autodesk products to streamline the design process and help digitally visualize their ideas. Digital modelling allows designers and clients alike to visualize projects long before they even begin construction. This year, Autodesk was generous enough to sponsor iGEM, providing each student access to Autodesk Maya(R). Maya(R) is a powerful animation and 3D-modelling software that can be used to animate and simulate various cellular molecules and processes. Autodesk has also graciously agreed to sponsor iGEM Calgary, and we have used Maya(R) this year for our animations. Thanks, Autodesk!

O' Brien Center of health sciences is located in the University of Calgary and it is responsible for providing iGEM team with lab space as well as funding. The O’Brien center was founded by David O’ Brien who is a member of the Board of Director at the U of C. O’ Brien center is the hub of top notch research interdisciplinary research and education. It is responsible for supporting the researchers with funding approximately $ 9 million/ year. The 2010 iGEM team thanks O’Brien center for its generous contribution of O’ Brien Center summer studentship as well as lab space this year.

For over 30 years, New England Biolabs has led the industry in the discovery and production of enzymes for molecular biology applications. At NEB, enzyme production is linked to basic research in the cloning and overexpression of restriction/modification systems. Their focus on providing the largest selection of recombinant enzymes has resulted in lower dollar/unit costs and improved purity and consistency of product. Presently, NEB supplies more than 240 restriction enzymes, over 160 of which are available in recombinant form, as well as numerous recombinant DNA and protein modifying enzyme.

Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT) is a world leader in the supplying of custom oligonucleotide sequences. They have been in operation since 1987 and have continually been expanding, with the manufacturing expansion in 2001, the ISO 9001:2008 Certification in 2005 and the acquisition of RNA-TEC in 2006. With all these expansions, they have a 134 000 square foot facility for production as well as the ability to do large-scale RNA and DNA synthesis along with purification. With DNA synthesis being as important as it is in the research world, IDT is integral in the success of many research developments today.

Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) was created in 1980 by the Government of Alberta to support quality research in the areas of health and development in Alberta. Currently, AHFMR has invested more than $850 million in research with over 8500 researchers and researchers in training being funded by this effort. As well the foundation has supported more than 235 Alberta-based biomedical and health researchers. World renouned research currently funded by AHFMR include: islet transplantation for diabetics, heart attack therapy, nerve regeneration, the cell biology of cancer, drugs for viral infections, electrical therapy for paralyzed people, vaccines, and better understanding and treatment of arthritis. AHFMR is has made significant progress in shaping Alberta’s medical education programs to be the top in Canada.

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