New safety guidance sets up corporate self-regulation of GMOs
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency both recently updated their guidance on regulating genetically engineered foods and seeds.
Biotech sector is having a generational moment in Canada
It is not possible to predict what or when the next global health challenge will be, or what solutions will be needed.
Genomics can both grow and green Canada’s economy
Genomic technologies can help ensure Canada’s place as a leading source of the materials needed for a low-carbon economy.
Big money to scale up our most promising, young companies often from the United States
And many of the most promising early-stage companies that go public do so on American, not Canadian, stock exchanges, where they can quickly fall under the control of U.S. private equity.
Canada’s life sciences sector has come a long way
Canada’s life sciences sector has a long and impressive history of international leadership: we invented the world’s first pacemaker, discovered insulin, first identified stem cells, and the list goes on. We have world-leading health institutions and incubators, recognized leadership in pharmaceuticals and medical devices and thriving expertise clusters. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, our […]
Biotechnology, statistics, collaboration, and the pursuit of the future
Canada has embraced the potential for biotechnology to revolutionize modern life. Substantial investments are being made in biotechnology in a range of fields including health care, the environment, agriculture, aquaculture, and sustainable development. Biotechnology is a strong contributor to the Canadian innovation economy and Canada places highly in international rankings of biotechnology development. However, capitalizing […]
Turning crisis into opportunity: a Canadian-made bio-revolution
Twenty years after the Human Genome Project, we have made significant strides in understanding what “genomics” can do to transform health care. Today, genomics pave the way for a bio-revolution that reaches far beyond human health into crop optimization, food production, and the sustainable manufacturing of products using yeasts and microbes as ‘mini-factories.’ A life-threatening […]
Rebuilding biotech sector requires diversified training, say researchers
Canada’s preparedness to tackle future pandemics will hinge heavily on attracting more talent to the biotech sector, but also on diversifying training to allow researchers to handle different health emergencies, according to health researchers. “What we’re short on right now are trained, skilled workers who have the ability to work in these vaccine manufacturing facilities,” […]
Going beyond the search for biotech unicorns
Canada is one of the global leaders in the application of biotechnology. We invest heavily in research into the technology and have great opportunity to apply new innovations to our economy, our society and our environment. The problem is that we are fixated on blockbuster innovations, the $1-billion-plus opportunities that the venture capital world calls […]
Stop the shift to corporate self-regulation of GMOs
The minister of health recently allowed Health Canada to give up its role as independent regulator when it comes to the safety of many future genetically engineered (genetically modified or GM) foods, and the minister of agriculture and agri-food is contemplating a similar set of proposals on seeds from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. This […]
