It was 71 years ago when scientists published groundbreaking research on the structure of DNA. That teamwork grew to become the internationally funded Human Genome Project which culminated in the most complete mapping of the human genome in May 2021. Genomics is all about DNA, and it’s DNA that tells us about life in all forms. It’s the basis of biology which is now fuelling biotechnology innovation. These technologies now have the power to move us away from environmentally damaging manufacturing methods.
After all, climate, food and health are all connected. Climate change is disastrous for food production and supply chains, as well as the health and well-being of everyone on this planet. The good news is, incredible solutions and technologies to address all of these very serious problems currently exist, likely in your own backyard!
Ontario Genomics has been leading the charge in the province since 2000 by supporting cutting-edge science to find homegrown solutions to challenges the world faces like climate change, food insecurity and in healthcare. We’ve done this by raising more than $3.7 billion for genomics applied research in the province which has created more than 20,000 jobs. We have over 330 projects and more than 500 partnerships!
Whether you realize it or not, DNA is all around us. What began decades ago as research to better understand what humans are made of, has since bloomed to include new ways of producing food and improving agricultural techniques as well as clean technology which is providing a new path to make and power the things we need.
One example is the wasteCANcreate program, which is bringing together Canadian researchers and industry partners in Aylmer, Burlington, Orillia, Vancouver and Regina spanning the energy, agriculture and food, plastic films and performance textiles sectors to bring real-world solutions to Ontario, Canada, and the rest of the world.
By using precision fermentation, microbes are used to turn food waste like potato peels into usable products like biodegradable plastics and fibres to create yoga pants! This new method of upcycling also reduces greenhouse gas emissions, replaces the need for petroleum-based plastics and is an economic boost to the province through job creation.
According to Ontario Genomics’ 2021 Cellular Agriculture Report, food biomanufacturing alone could explode to become a $7.5 billion industry creating 86,000 jobs by 2030, with greater growth projected in the long term. That’s why we’re involved with several food and agriculture projects and companies around the province, including the biggest Canadian cellular agriculture project ever that is led by McMaster University where researchers are developing efficient and economical ways to produce cultivated meat on a large scale.
While more commonly heard of cellular/cultivated products like red meat, poultry, seafood, foie gras and pet food are being made, dairy, eggs, honey and even chocolate are created through the same process! Food ingredients like these proteins, enzymes, flavour molecules, vitamins, pigments and fats can also be incorporated with existing products to create hybrid foods. This cellular agriculture technology is also creating textiles such as leather, wool, silk and cotton.
Amazing innovations like this may have seemed like a sci-fi fantasy years ago, but DNA is currently inspiring these kinds of creations here in Ontario. Work like this being done in this province can help propel Canada into global powerhouse status in the biotech-based economy. One way we’re helping to make this happen is through our annual SynBio conference that brings together national and international leaders in the field of engineering biology to build inter-sector partnerships.
Ontario Genomics has a very exciting partnership with FedDev Ontario for our BioCreate accelerator program that provides financial support, business and technical guidance to start-ups in southern Ontario to move the province’s biotechnology scene forward and get game-changing solutions scaled up and put into real world use as quickly as possible.
We’re currently supporting 16 companies in the health, cleantech and food and agriculture sectors, with more on the way! There are a lot of very smart and capable people doing amazing things in the province and it’s also incredibly encouraging to see that half of these companies are either run by women CEOs or have women on their leadership team. That stat alone shows science has also evolved greatly over the years, especially when you consider Rosalind Franklin’s discovery of DNA’s structure in 1953 has been greatly overlooked in the history books.
With all this in mind, we wish you a happy DNA Day – it’s incredible how far we’ve come, and you should feel a part of where we’re going!
