April 4, 2005 Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island A new researcher and laboratory at the University of Prince Edward Island's Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) will focus on strategies to prevent and anticipate emerging mollusc diseases and improve disease management. The Honourable Shawn Murphy, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown, met with the Dr. Franck Berthe, Canada Research Chair in Aquatic Health Sciences, who recently joined the AVC Shellfish Research Group at UPEI. "The research underway at the Mollusc Health Research Laboratory is essential to the economic well-being of the shellfish industry," said Mr. Murphy on behalf of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). "Dr. Berthe has an international reputation for leadership in the study of mollusc diseases and we are very pleased to welcome him to P.E.I. to work with our scientific community at UPEI." The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency is contributing $174,285 through its Business Development Program to the Mollusc Health Research Laboratory for equipment including a state-of-the-art flow cytometry system. Dr. Berthe relocated to P.E.I. from France where he worked with the French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea and the Laboratory for Genetics and Pathology (LGP) in La Tremblade. At AVC, Dr. Berthe is investigating the interaction among molluscs and their environment and explores these complex interactions using an innovative holistic model of diseases in aquatic environments. "Dr. Berthe is an established world leader in mollusc health who continues to attract research funding from a variety of sources and graduate students to work in his lab. Dr. Berthe has just received $59,000 in research funding from AquaNet, Canada's research network in aquaculture," said Dr. Tim Ogilvie, Dean of AVC. "His appointment furthers our capacity to research production, food quality and health for the shellfish industry in P.E.I., the Atlantic region and Canada." To carry out his research, Dr. Berthe is working in collaboration with other research groups and institutions involved in mollusc health. As a faculty member at UPEI and AVC, he is also training and mentoring future scientists in the control of bivalve diseases. "The Atlantic Veterinary College has a history of research in the field of mollusc health. I am pleased to join the UPEI team and in turn support the sustainability of the mollusc fisheries and aquaculture in PEI and Atlantic Canada," said Dr. Berthe. - 30 - For more information, please contact: Ron Crozier Office of the Minister of ACOA (902) 888-4150 Lauranne MacNeill AVC (902) 566-0533 Lynn MacDonald ACOA PEI and Tourism (902) 566-7491
