Image credit: Francine Nault
Canadian Optogenetics & Vectorology Foundry
Optogenetics is revolutionizing neuroscience and mental health from basic science to clinical applications. The Canadian Optogenetics and Vectorology Foundry (COVF) is a national facility at the heart of a worldwide effort to accelerate the development, production, dissemination, and use of genetically encoded light-activated tools.
Our biofoundry model responds to tool Design-Build-Test requests, accelerates translation across species, experimental paradigms and disease models, and aims to support porting optogenetics to clinical applications via gene transfer approaches. Our services also include consulting and training to democratize optogentics and viral vector technologies, especially Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors (AAVs) for neuroscience and beyond.
COVF’s operations are based on four Production Cores that are coupled to Testing Nodes across the country involved in tool characterization and validation.
Learn more about our organizational structure and the talented people involved.
Access publications highlighting the exciting research being conducted at COVF.
Follow along as our program evolves and our teams make exciting new discoveries.
Explore our Core technologies – Watch!
Researchers at Sunnybrook Research Institute are developing a non-invasive, reversible, and targeted procedure to breach the blood-brain barrier through the use of focused ultrasound and microbubbles. Watch the video on the left to learn more about this cutting-edge technique.
There are 3 technologies at the very core of the COVF: Protein Engineering, Viral Vectors, and Specialty Fibre-Optics. Watch the video on the right to learn more about these amazing tools.
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