Nearly $15 million in federal funding to support genomics research in health, agriculture and environment
March 2, 2020 – Montreal, Quebec – Canada is a world leader in genomics research, producing dramatic breakthroughs in science, and transforming our understanding of the world around us. The results of this research are being used to tackle important challenges and develop innovative solutions, not just in human health, but across diverse sectors of the economy.
Today, on behalf of Minister Navdeep Bains, William Amos, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry (Science), announced $14.7 million to support 11 genomics research projects awarded through Genome Canada. In addition, provincial governments, businesses and research partners are investing $29.7 million for a total of $44.4 million in support of these projects in the areas of health, agriculture and the environment.
This investment will support researchers at McGill University including Dr. Lucy Gilbert, who is working on DOvEEgene a new genomics tool for early detection of ovarian and endometrial cancers. Dr. Gilbert has partnered with Dr. Guy Rouleau and his team at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) on a genomic uterine pap test to screen for these cancers while they are at the early stages and still curable. This could save thousands of women’s lives and reduce healthcare costs by up to $250 million from the more than $1 billion that is currently spent each year on treatment for the 10,000 Canadian women who are diagnosed with these cancers.
Genomics research collaborations have real, positive impacts on the health and well-being of Canadians.
These networks of partnerships between the research sector and post-secondary institutions support the responsible uptake of new technology, and targeted investments in initiatives with economic and many other benefits to Canada.
Welcome: The Honourable Todd Smith Minister Todd Smith kicked off the day with words of welcome, and emphasized the opportunities of synthetic biology to solve some of our greatest challenges, from food security to cancer treatments and beyond. He thanked Ontario Genomics, Genome Canada and all of our partners for fostering the synthetic biology community to develop applications that will benefit all Canadians. 
Opening Remarks: Marc LePage Marc LePage, President and CEO of Genome Canada, discussed the exponential growth of synthetic biology on a global scale and the opportunity for Canada to become a leading force. 
Keynote: George Church – Synthetic & Highly Edited Genomes Dr. Church discussed the global genome projects he’s leading such as GPWrite, as well as the foundational projects his lab is working on including developing mammalian cells that are immune to all viruses. His lab is now setting records around the number of genes that can be edited at any one time. Moderated by Dr. Janet Rossant, key issues raised during the ensuing discussion were who benefits from these technologies, and the need for appropriate surveillance in addition to the moratoria that are already in place to ensure ethical synthetic biology practices and applications. 
Human Health and Engineering Biology Panel Moderated by Catalina Lopez-Correa, Genome BC, the panelists highlighted the idea of ‘One Health’ based on the impact of agriculture and the environment have on human health. They highlighted the diversity of applications for synthetic biology in human health – from engineered probiotic therapies, to engineered stem cells, to cell-free diagnostics. 
Synbio and Industrial Technology Panel Panelists illustrated the potential for synthetic biology approaches to sustainable bioprocesses – from early stage to optimization and commercial scale-up – and the opportunities for commercialization of renewable chemicals. Sandy remarked that while the petrochemical industry has a 150 year head start on synthetic biology, it would be wise to integrate into that value chain the development of renewable chemicals at the high-value-add end of the chain. 
Cannabis Panel Mary Dimou, Canopy Rivers, moderated a lively discussion on some of the advantages of the biosynthesis of cannabinoids in yeast compared to the traditional growth of the cannabis plants. Jess compared this to the development, scale-up and accessibility of medicines, such as aspirin – which originally relied on the extraction from the willow bark. Health Canada is being proactive, keeping up to speed on cutting-edge technologies, and working closely with the community from a safety and regulatory perspective. 
Agriculture Panel Panelists talked about the opportunity of gene editing in crops and livestock to speed up traditional breeding, and many of the other advantages it can provide. One example Michael highlighted is gene editing for hornless cows and improved animal welfare. Emily talked about the regulatory landscape including international treaties, such as the Nagoya Protocol and the Plant Treaty. The move from physical DNA material to data as the resource had not been anticipated, and so digital DNA sequences are not covered under these treaties. 
Supporting Start-Up Companies Gail Garland, President & CEO OBIO, emphasized the importance of supporting start-up companies to drive commercialization and growth. She provided highlights of OBIO’s Niagara Investment Summit, as well as the programming and advocacy work they are doing to increase start-ups’ access to investment capital. 
VC Investor Showcase The investor panel provided evidence that investors are just as diverse as the synthetic biology market itself. Broadly speaking, investors are looking for the big wins, such as tech with significant human impact and/or big potential revenues (versus incremental discoveries). To get the attention of investors, founders should understand and articulate the real pain points in a market; deliver and gain traction in their space; have strong management and a solid business model; strong technology and expertise; and be able to collaborate. 
Supporting Start-Ups: Pitch Competition Six impressive finalists from across Canada pitched their company to the investor panel of judges. First prize ($25K cash, and $5K in reagents from IDT) was awarded to FREDSense Technologies. First prize also included direct entry into the Velocity Garage Incubator program. Second prize ($10K cash and $3K in reagents) was awarded to TATUM Bioscience. 
Keynote: Christina Agapakis, Ginkgo Bioworks Christina described the work that Gingko is doing, the exponential growth in their technical capabilities, and how all of the sequence data they have can help others get to answers and solutions faster. She sees synthetic biology as a ‘heterogeneous problem’ involving nature, technology and society. Her advice is to be transparent; Gingko embraces GMO and provides training to staff to be ambassadors for their technology. 
Adam Clore, Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT) Adam described how IDT is providing tools to help researchers achieve their goals. By collaboratively working with the research community, IDT develops the tools needed to do what researchers are looking for. 
Making Biology Easier to Engineer Panelists discussed the work that’s being done and needs to move the Canadian synthetic biology community forward. Vince talked about the training and other collaborative work being done at the Concordia Foundry. Vardit discussed the importance of ethics, which she said is not only about ‘why not’ but can also be about ‘why yes’ and about principles of public interest. She emphasized that there is an opportunity cost of not pursuing a field, and the right to benefit from the advancement of science and its applications is a Human Right under the UN. 
iGEM Teams from eight universities across Canada participated in a poster competition featured at the conference. Attendees were asked to vote, and the winning team was from the University of Guelph. 
Conference Wrap-Up Dr. Bettina Hamelin closed the day, summing up some of the conference highlights, and emphasizing the need for collaboration to ensure that Canada is well-positioned to advance emerging technologies and lead the bioeconomy of the future. Bettina ended the day with an invitation to remain curious, creative and collaborative to drive true innovation forward, and to stay tuned for more information about the development of a National Steering Committee to help organize and advance the synthetic biology community in Canada. Special thanks to the 2019 Canada SynBio Organizing Committee, to the Velocity Team for their guidance and assistance with the Pitch Competition, and to all of the student volunteers who helped make this year’s conference such a success. Visit the