… to continue groundbreaking biomaterials research at Trent University
Internationally-renowned Guyanese/Canadian professor and biomaterials expert Dr. Suresh Narine hhas been awarded a $3M Senior Industrial Research Chair in Biomaterials at Trent University , from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada, along with Elevance Renewable Sciences Incorporated and the Grain Farmers of Ontario. Over $1.5M in new NSERC funding was provided to match investments made by Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. of $1M and by the Grain Farmers of Ontario of $500,000 to create the research chair “NSERC/GFO/ERS Senior Industrial Research Chair in Lipid Derived Biomaterials,” awarded to Professor Suresh Narine, director of the Trent Biomaterials Research Programme, and professor of physics and astronomy, and chemistry.

This, in addition to Professor Narine being awarded one of two $1.25M Ontario Research Chairs in Green Chemistry and Engineering by the Ontario Research Chairs Selection Panel earlier this year in February, 2010, places Trent University’s Biomaterials Research Programme among the top-tier research facilities of its kind in the world, pursuing fundamental and applied research investigating the use of lipids in different applications.

“The new NSERC/GFO/ERS Senior Industrial Research Chair represents a unique addition to Trent University’s research and development strengths,” said Dr. Steven E. Franklin, president and vice-chancellor of Trent University .  “The biomaterials research led by Dr. Narine and his team of researchers has the potential of adding substantial value to the University.  The research being conducted in Peterborough at Trent University will have an impact at a local, regional, national and a global level.  We are extremely grateful for NSERC’s support.”

“Our research offers an alternative solution – to employ agriculturally-sourced renewable feed stocks (fats and oils) to design functional materials more environmentally benign and more in sync with the natural carbon cycle so as to abate and combat climate change,” said Dr. Narine, who was recruited to Trent from the University of Alberta in September 2009.
“It is research that is both timely and necessary. On behalf of my team of researchers and Trent University, I would like to offer our deep appreciation to NSERC and our generous founding industrial partners whose match investments are strategically placing Trent’s Biomaterials Research Programme among one of the top facilities of its kind in the world.”

Peterborough Minister of Parliament of Canada, Dean Del Mastro, emphasized how NSERC’s funding complements the government’s overall science and technology framework.  “The government’s Mobilizing Science and Technology Strategy focuses on building an entrepreneurial, knowledge and people advantage for Canada .  NSERC’s investment in Dr. Narine’s research in biomaterials reflects the importance that the federal government 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 needed research capacity supporting the training of Ph.D. level scientists in emergent biomaterial technologies.”

“The Grain Farmers of Ontario is an organization that represents 28,000 Ontario farmers. One of our strategic priorities is to facilitate the development of new high-value markets for soybeans,” said Crosby Devitt, manager, research and innovation for GFO.  “We are delighted that NSERC has matched our major investment in the Trent University Biomaterials Programme, and we know that this NSERC investment will help Dr. Narine and his team to expedite the development of new bioproducts which use soybean oil as the raw material.”

NSERC is a federal agency that helps make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for the benefit of all Canadians. The agency supports some 28,000 university students and postdoctoral fellows in their advanced studies. NSERC promotes discovery by funding more than 11,800 university professors every year and fosters innovation by encouraging more than 1,500 Canadian companies to participate and invest in post-secondary research projects.  The Industrial Research Chairs programme is an elite NSERC programme designed to recognize outstanding Canadian Professors whose work have significant commercial promise, by providing matching funding to industrial funds procured by the Professor from industry.

In the fall of 2009, Prof. Narine was recruited from Alberta to Ontario to lead the new Biomaterials Research Programme at Trent University , his alma mater, who awarded him with a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2006. He continues his work as a full professor of chemistry and physics & astronomy at Trent University .
He was lauded by Guyana ’s President, His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo, who attended, as a special guest, the launch of Trent University ’s Biomaterials Research Programme and the Centre of Knowledge in the Environment in October, 2010.