Research Project

Summary

In industrialized countries life expectancy is 80 years and rising, but in parts of the developing world it is 40 years and falling. While genomics/biotechnology can help address health challenges facing both the developed and the developing world, there are growing knowledge gaps in the global community. The goal of the Canadian Program on Genomics and Global Health (CPGGH) is to help close some of those gaps.

This world-leading program has influenced domestic and foreign policy decisions, helped Canadian genomics and biotechnology companies to internationalize in emerging and developing markets, and increased public awareness about the uses and misuses of genomics in addressing global health challenges. Highlights include:

• “Health Biotechnology Innovation in Developing Countries”:  An in-depth look into biotechnology in seven developing countries, this special Nature Biotechnology report is helping non-industrialized countries develop a biotechnology sector.
• “Top 10 Biotechnologies for Improving Health in Developing Countries”:  Journal articles and presentations by officials from the developing world refer extensively to this special Nature Genetics report, which helped shape the Grand Challenges in Global Health program at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Genomics and Nanotechnology Working Group - UN Millennium Project:  The United Nations Science, Technology and Innovation Task Force invited members of this team to form a working group to address the role of genomics and nanotechnology in responding to the UN Millennium Development Goals.
• Regulation of Genomics Research:  The conference “New Biomedical Research: Regulation, Conflict of Interest and Liability” and resulting book exposed weaknesses of the current regulatory review and provided arguments for more systematic oversight.

Fast Facts

• Highlighted outcome: Reports “Health Biotechnology Innovation …” and “Top Ten Biotechnologies …” have strongly influenced policy makers in Canada and abroad.
• Number of research personnel:  85.
• Number of peer-reviewed publications:  60 papers, 22 books and monographs, 17 book chapters and contributions to collective works, and 166 invited presentations.

Notable Publications
Thorsteinsdóttir H, Quach U, Daar AS, and Singer PA.  2004. Conclusions: Promoting biotechnology innovation in developing countries. Nat.  Biotech. 22 (Supplement):DC48-DC52.

Morel CM, Acharya T, Broun D, Dangi A, Elias C, Ganguly NK, Gardner CA, Gupta RK, Haycock J, Heher AD, Hotez PJ, Kettler HE, Keusch GT, Krattiger AF, Kreutz FT, Lall S, Lee K, Mahoney R, Martinez-Palomo A, Mashelkar RA, Matlin SA, Mzimba M, Oehler RG, Ridley P, Senanayake P, Singer PA, and Yun M. 2005.  Health  innovation  networks to  help  developing  countries  address  neglected  diseases.  Science. 309:401-4.

Acharya T, Daar AS, and Singer PA.  2003.  Biotechnology and the UN’s millennium development goals. Nat.  Biotech. 21:1434-6.

Daar AS, Thorsteinsdóttir  H, Martin DK, Smith, AC, Nast S, and Singer PA. 2002.  Top 10  biotechnologies for  improving  health in  developing  countries. Nat.  Genet. 32:229-32.

Morel CM, Acharya T, Broun D, Dangi A, Elias C, Ganguly NK, Gardner CA, Gupta RK, Haycock J, Heher AD, Hotez PJ, Kettler HE, Keusch GT, Krattiger AF, Kreutz FT, Lall S, Lee K, Mahoney R, Martinez-Palomo A, Mashelkar RA, Matlin SA, Mzimba M, Oehler RG, Ridley P, Senanayake P, Singer PA, and Yun M. 2005.  Health  innovation  networks to  help  developing  countries  address  neglected  diseases. Science. 309:401-4.