Past Winner
2020 NSERC Synergy Awards for Innovation

Dr. Bonnie Mallard and her team at the University of Guelph have developed an innovative immunological tool well suited for the agri-food sector. This technology reduces the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals while battling diseases and antimicrobial resistance, which pose major threats to animal and human health. Mallard’s team was the first research group in the world to show that breeding values of immune response traits could be used in a genetic index to breed for naturally improved health and performance. Their High Immune Response (HIR™) technology identifies livestock that naturally produce the most robust immune responses to defend against invading pathogens, so that beneficial genes can be passed on to future generations to improve animal health, as well as food quality and safety. The technology is the result of a more than 35-year partnership between Mallard and Semex, Canada’s largest dairy genetics company. HIR™ is now marketed as Immunity+ in more than 80 countries, where it helps dairy producers make informed breeding and management decisions that naturally improve herd health and animal well-being.

In recognition of this innovative technology that will benefit the agri-food sector, Dr. Bonnie Mallard is awarded a 2020 NSERC Synergy Award for Innovation.

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