Main Menu
Main Menu
Menu

Genomics Driven Engineering of Hosts for Bio-Nylon

by

Overview

Currently, nylon is made from petroleum. While the process works well, it is not environmentally friendly or sustainable. Therefore, there is strong demand for nylon produced from renewable resources, which requires less energy and results in fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Visolis is developing processes to manufacture renewable polymer such as nylon. Dr. Radhakrishnan Mahadevan from BioZone at the University of Toronto is using a genomics-driven bioengineering approach to convert sugars derived from forestry or agricultural feedstocks into value-added industrial chemicals such as adipic acid. Adipic acid alone has a market of 2.2 million tonnes; chemicals that can be derived from it have similarly large markets. As an industrial biotechnology company, Visolis is positioned to apply the results from this research program to the development of next generation chemicals. The results of its work will benefit Canada’s economy by growing the biorefining industry and creating new manufacturing jobs, while protecting the environment through reduced greenhouse gas emissions and pollution.

Leveraging Leukocytes as Endogenous Biosensors to Create Novel Diagnostics for Preterm Birth

by

Overview

Two hundred million women around the world become pregnant each year. Of those, 13 million will give birth preterm, one million of their babies will die and millions more will experience serious, life-long medical and developmental disorders as a result. In Canada, the annual cost associated with preterm births is estimated to be $600 million. BGI and Dr. Stephen Lye of the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, part of Sinai Health System, have agreed to collaborate in the development of preterm birth diagnostics and screening solutions. BGI is the largest genomic organization in the world and is committed to reducing the rate of major disease by offering accurate and affordable genetic tests and molecular diagnostics services. Dr. Lye has identified gene expression signatures in maternal white blood cells that can predict which women who experience too-early symptoms of labor will go on to experience preterm birth of their infants. BGI and Dr. Lye will work together to enhance the diagnostic capability of these gene expression signatures and aim to develop a simple genomic test to identify risks and prevent preterm births. The test aims to reduce rates of preterm birth by enabling intervention with women at risk, potentially saving the healthcare system $200 million per year and reducing the burden on neonatal ICUs. BGI intends to continue its research collaboration with the Sinai Health System and expand its R&D activities in Canada, which will generate downstream investment and create jobs for highly qualified personnel.

Validation of TAC receptors for use against liquid and solid tumours

by

Overview

Immunotherapies show tremendous potential to unleash the immune system to attack cancers. However, while some patients benefit, others do not respond and, even when it is successful, immunotherapy treatments can carry with them severe, and sometimes fatal, toxicities. The most promising of these immunotherapies are based on T-cells, cells of the immune system, particularly CAR-T cells, which are showing significant efficacy in treating terminal cancers, but which can also often result in significant life-threatening toxicities. Dr. Jonathan Bramson, of McMaster University, is working with Triumvira, a young Canadian biotech company, to further develop the company’s platform for engineering T cells, the T-Cell Antigen Coupler (TAC). The platform has already demonstrated equivalent or superior efficacy and much greater safety compared to other CAR-T cell platforms. Currently, however, the TAC platform is limited primarily by access to novel binding domains. Genome Canada funding will be used to validate TAC receptors carrying novel binding domains developed in the Bramson lab and at the Centre for Commercialization of Antibodies and Biologics. Triumvira will then commercialize those domains that are successful by working with commercial pharmaceutical companies. The primary economic benefit to Canada in the short term will be new jobs and the attraction of investment capital. Within three-to-five years of the project’s completion, human clinical trials will be underway, providing hope to patients with cancer who otherwise have no treatment options.

Pre-emergence surveillance for reportable influenza viruses at the human-animal interface

by

Overview

It’s hard to tell when a virus risks becoming an epidemic – but it’s important for risk management, public health and biosecurity. Most companies working in the area, however, focus on diagnostics rather than pre-emergence surveillance. This project’s goal is to fill that gap. Current methods for surveillance, especially before a virus emerges as a danger, are neither timely nor efficient, and a better tool is needed. Next-generation DNA sequencing provides genomic data that can offer insight into the origin, diversity and transmission potential of viruses found in animals, such as avian or swine flu, particularly the likelihood of their making the jump into humans. But there are obstacles to this sequencing being adopting into mainstream surveillance, including pathogen enrichment, sample quantity and computational resources. Fusion Genomics Corp. is working with the University of Toronto’s Dr. Samira Mubareka to further develop its genomic technology, ONETest™ EnviroScreen, which already includes assays for detecting avian influenza, to detect swine flu as well. The result will be a highly sensitive, informative and scalable technology for infectious disease surveillance that harnesses the power of next-generation sequencing. Its ability to provide surveillance in animals before the emergence of an influenza virus will drive a paradigm shift in transmission dynamics, outbreak predictions and vaccine design and production. The main market for this innovation will be government agencies and institutes charged with pathogen surveillance. Fusion will work with such organizations to validate the technology and bring them on board as early adopters. Further expansion of its use will happen both nationally and internationally. Use of the technology will enable early outbreak warnings and damage-mitigation efforts. It will also reduce losses among poultry and swine producers and support the growth of a Canadian biotech start-up.

Applying the Adapsyn genomics platform to the identification, isolation and characterization of immune modulators from the human microbiome

by

Overview

Mitacs partnership Adapsyn Bioscience has a proprietary platform whereby it applies patented algorithms, proprietary artificial intelligence, and machine learning to genomic and metabolomic data from microbes to identify and characterize novel natural products that can then be developed as novel therapeutics. The company is working with McMaster University and Dr. Michael Surette and his team to systematically mine the human microbiome – the collection of microbes that colonize the body – for compounds that can be used to treat human disease. The microbiome contains approximately 100 times as many genes as the human genome, and has been shown to produce antibiotics, vitamins, fatty acids, neurotransmitters such as serotonin, histamine and acetylcholine, and immunomodulators. As a result, the microbiome has the potential to affect the nervous system, suppress pathogen growth, and modulate the immune response to invading pathogens. Dysregulation of the microbiome has been implicated in inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, and neurological conditions, and can affect how people respond to immunotherapies. Dr. Surette and Adapsyn Bioscience are focusing on the microbes responsible for immunological effects of the microbiome. Their work will lead to personalized medicine based on the composition of the microbiome and new treatments for inflammatory diseases and cancer. Adapsyn has secured financing to ensure future development of the results of this project. The project will also contribute to future partnership opportunities, thus ensuring that the economic benefits of commercialization remain in Canada.

Broad-range disease resistance in greenhouse vegetables

by

Overview

Canada’s greenhouse vegetable industry generates more than $1 billion from retail sales and exports. Its top three crops are tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, produced mainly in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec. In an extremely competitive environment, plant diseases are an enormous burden on growers, causing up to 20 per cent crop loss. There is a strong demand for genomics-based technologies to mitigate these losses. Drs. David Guttman, Darrell Desveaux, and Adam Mott of the University of Toronto have discovered a previously uncharacterized family of genes that allow plants to show broad-range disease resistance against bacteria and fungi. Further, it is extremely difficult for pathogens to overcome the resistance linked to these genes. Now Dr. Guttman and team are working with the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre and its reverse genetics platform (developed with earlier Genome Canada funding) to further develop these Broad Range Resistance genes, as they are known, to protect against multiple pathogens, reduce losses and increase yield. The result will be new varieties of vegetables that give Canadian growers a competitive advantage. Vineland will take this gene technology from its translation through to the commercial release of new plant varieties with improved disease resistance, within five years of the end of this project. Annual benefits of around $26 million will start to accrue to the Canadian greenhouse industry within the same timeframe. The enhanced competitiveness of Canadian growers will lead to sustained growth, expansion of operations and further job creation. Additional benefits will be seen as Vineland re-invests its licensing revenue from the new vegetable varieties into further research, driving innovation throughout the entire horticultural sector.

Devices for Detection and Identification of Surface Microbial Contamination in High-Risk Facilities

by

Overview

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are the 4th leading cause of death in Canada, predicted to move up to second place by 2050. Attention to cleanliness and disinfection of surfaces plays a large role in reducing HAIs. However, historically it has been difficult to measure cleaning effectiveness and meaningfully improve practices. There is a clear need for a system that can identify disease-causing bacteria and viruses on surfaces. Charlotte Products Ltd. (CPL), a family-owned Canadian company, has developed an environmental monitoring system and optical sensor technology, called Optisolve Pathfinder®™, to complement its innovative, award-winning cleaning products. Dr. Shana Kelley is working with the company to further enhance the OptiSolve offering to allow for recognition and identification of specific pathogen species. Dr. Kelley and her team will combine novel nanomaterials with a genomics-based approach to allow for precise identification of pathogens that cause HAIs. The resulting technology, Optisolve Insight, will allow hospitals long-term care facilities, and more to rapidly detect and identify infectious agents, such as MRSA, C. difficile, and influenza, with the resultant benefits of proactive prevention and quick interventions. The service and technology will significantly reduce HAIs while enabling environmental services and IPAC managers and to avoid taking a “worst-case scenario” approach to infection outbreaks, which can include bed closures and cancellation of procedures. The result will be improved health of patients, residents, staff, and visitors as well as healthcare savings. This first-to-market technology will contribute to economic growth and employment for highly qualified personnel.

Translating High Immune Response (HIR™) Genomics to Improve Beef Cattle Health and Welfare

by

Overview

High Immune Response (HIR™) is a patented test developed by Dr. Bonnie Mallard and colleagues of the University of Guelph that identifies animals with naturally superior immunity. First used successfully in dairy cattle, the test is now being adapted to fight Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD), the costliest disease of beef cattle raised on feedlots. BRD results in the death of some 53,000 beef cattle in Canada each year, an economic loss of more than $100 million. In North America as a whole, the estimated annual cost of BRD as high as $1 billion dollars/year. Dr. Mallard is working with the Semex Alliance and through them, the Canadian Angus Association (CAA) and the American Angus Association (AAA), to develop an HIR™ genomics test for beef cattle. The application of the test could result in a significant (20-50 per cent) reduction in deaths among calves from birth to weaning age and reduce the need for antibiotics throughout the lifetime of beef cattle. All Angus bulls marketed in Canada and the United States will have access to the HIR™-genomic test, allowing beef producers to select bulls for breeding purposes better equipped to improve animal health and welfare. The new test will demonstrate the leadership provided by Semex, the CAA and the AAA in beef cattle genomics. Integration of the HIR™ technology and selective breeding for enhanced immunity in the North American Angus population is expected to cumulatively increase BRD resistance of beef cattle over multiple generations, which if fully applied, could ultimately reduce the costs of BRD in North America by $500 million per year, $65 million of which will be in Canada. Reduced use of antibiotics will provide further benefits to consumers and retailers.

Assessing Freshwater Health Through Community Based Environmental DNA Metabarcoding

by

Overview

With a growing economy, increasing population, and climate change, Canada faces increased pressures on its precious resource: freshwater (20% of the world’s freshwater). Current methods for monitoring the health of our watersheds remain slow, laborious, expensive and imprecise. Canada’s geographic diversity and low population density makes monitoring networks a challenge to maintain. We need more efficient, comprehensive monitoring tools to inform governments, communities and industries about the true consequences of economic development on freshwater quality, to support rapid and effective protection of vulnerable ecosystems. The WWF- Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) are working with Dr. Mehrdad Hajibabaei of the University of Guelph to validate and implement a new technique called environmental DNA metabarcoding, which uses bulk environmental samples for identification of species through species specific genomic sequences (DNA ‘barcodes’) using high-throughput sequencing technologies. The project will generate biodiversity data for freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates, the small animals that live at the bottom of streams, rivers. The technique will be used to analyze bulk samples collected by community-based monitoring efforts across a wide range of Canadian watersheds. Sampling by community groups will be coordinated by WWF-Canada and its partner organizations such as Living Lakes Canada. Implementation at this scale will be a world first, supporting the wider adoption of these technologies within existing environmental monitoring and assessment applications, including ECCC’s Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) which engages over 1,400 users, including federal, provincial and territorial government agencies, First Nations, academia, industry, NGOs and environmental consulting firms. Many of these organizations already use biomonitoring to understand and manage the impacts of resource projects such as mines, hydro dams and energy projects. By providing access to this new genomics-based technique, and by demonstrating its reliability in assessing river health, we can broaden the reach and impact of existing community-based monitoring programs, ultimately leading to better informed decisions.

NanoString nCounter Vantage 3D platform-based complementary diagnostic tests for precision medicine in pediatric cancers

by

Overview

DNA-based next generation sequencing provides important information about DNA alterations however, most oncology drugs are designed against defined molecular targets at the protein level. There is a pressing need for novel diagnostics that interrogate all levels of cellular information, protein, RNA and DNA, in order to best guide therapeutic choices.  This project aims to amalgamate proteomic data with genomic and transcriptomic information to develop laboratory developed (LDT)-complementary diagnostics for the most common pediatric cancers.  Furthermore, the partnership between NanoString Technologies and the SickKids Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine will leverage their combined technological, clinical and business expertise.