I have 20 researchers in my lab right now. We're focusing on two areas: one is diagnostics and one is in vivo cancer application. It's very clear, the directions are there. Because we work in an academic system, students graduate. By the time you train them well enough, they move on to do something else, so I keep on restarting the process every few years.
The way we do research in my lab is that everyone comes in and we're solving one set or block. When that's done we go to the next block in the next four years. The reason we have to do it that way is that CIHR grants, NSERC grants, are not enough to be able to move in that direction. My average CIHR grant is about $100,000, which will fund a couple of students, but you need a mass of people. That's one challenge.
The second challenge comes down to people. I'm on a CIHR review panel, which is why I'm stepping out to be here. Not that many nano cancer people have the expertise to review these things. A molecular biologist may not understand this aspect of cancer application. This is why they brought me in to do the nano. But if I'm applying, there might not be a person who understands this particular category. From that perspective, what we've done is piece a bunch of grants together to have enough money to move from step one to step two. I have about 13 grants right now. If you average 13 grants, each one is maybe about $50,000 or $55,000; combined it's about $600,000. That's my budget for 20 people.