Winnipeg, MB, March 24, 2026 – White Otter Biotech is pleased to announce that in collaboration with the University of Manitoba, Assiniboine Park Conservancy, and Agnico Eagle Mines, it has received $300,000 in funding from Genome Prairie under the Genomics Translation and Commercialization (GenTrac) Initiative. This will advance a $1.7 million 2-year research project focused on next-generation biodiversity monitoring tools.

As resource development accelerates across Canada, there is a growing need for effective ways to monitor wildlife and protect the environment while supporting sustainable economic growth. Traditional biodiversity monitoring methods, such as field surveys and tracking can be costly, time-intensive, and difficult to implement, particularly in remote and northern regions.

This project aims to develop and validate new monitoring approaches using environmental RNA (eRNA) and airborne sampling technologies. While existing environmental DNA (eDNA) methods have shown significant promise, they can struggle to distinguish between current and historical species presence. By leveraging eRNA, which degrades more rapidly in the environment, and airborne sampling technologies that enable passive detection of terrestrial wildlife, the project aims to better identify organisms that are actively present, resulting in more precise and actionable biodiversity assessments.

Researchers from White Otter Biotech, McKenna and Arino Groups at the University of Manitoba, and Assiniboine Park Conservancy will collaborate to design and test these new tools using both controlled settings at the Assiniboine Park Zoo, and validation fieldwork in northern Manitoba. Agnico Eagle Mines will provide critical field samples from their Meliadine operations based in Kivalliq, Nunavut to support the research. In addition, the project team will collaborate on training opportunities with local experts and Indigenous organizations in northern Manitoba.

Through this initiative, White Otter Biotech aims to bring next-generation monitoring tools closer to commercialization, supporting efficient, cost-effective, and informed decision-making in resource development.

About White Otter Biotech
White Otter Biotech is a Winnipeg-based biotechnology company specializing in environmental genomics. The company develops innovative molecular tools to detect and track biodiversity, enabling efficient, accurate, and scalable assessment of wildlife and fish populations. White Otter Biotech collaborates with partners from industry, academia, and conservation organizations to deliver solutions that enable economic growth with strong environmental stewardship.

Contact information
info@whiteotterbiotech.com