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Driving genomics research for Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food sector

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December 5, 2019, Toronto, Ontario –The Ontario Regional Priorities Partnership Program (ON-RP3) is supporting Ontario-focused, industry-academic partnership projects that will positively impact Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food sector.

Today, at the Genomics at the Tipping Point Symposium, Bettina Hamelin, President and CEO of Ontario Genomics, announced the eight successful ON-RP3 project teams. Two of the successful teams, Semex Alliance (University of Guelph) and NutriAg Ltd. (Trent University) were present at this one-day symposium showcasing Ontario’s growing genomics talent and technologies across key sectors, including the agriculture and agri-food sector.

The funding is supporting proof-of-concept stage projects that will deliver genomics/genomics-derived technologies, tools and processes to provide solutions to industry-identified challenges or opportunities within the sector. ON-RP3 will help industry take applied research to the implementation and commercialization stages. These solutions will be implemented by 2024.

In total, eight projects are being funded across Ontario through a $2M investment by the Agricultural Adaptation Council and Ontario Genomics (through Genome Canada). This investment is leveraging $975,000 in industry contributions, for a total of over $2.95 M to drive genomics-derived technologies, tools and processes to create more jobs and grow the Ontario economy.

This investment into agriculture and agri-food genomics research, coupled with industry’s ongoing commitment to technology development and commercialization, is playing an increasingly important part in a changing Ontario economy. This funding will capitalize on Ontario’s broad agricultural production, its cutting-edge innovation and manufacturing capacity, its globally recognized research expertise, and on its diverse and highly skilled workforce.

Quotes

“Agri-food companies and organizations from across Ontario have identified challenges and partnered with academic research teams to help advance genomics research and drive implementation for genomics-based solutions. The Ontario agri-food sector is well positioned for growth and these successful industry-academic partnerships will help create new opportunities that will benefit the entire sector.”
– Kelly Duffy, Chair, Agricultural Adaptation Council

“Genomics technology and innovation are absolutely crucial for the continued growth of Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food sector. By bringing industry and researchers together, these eight projects will create more jobs, keep Ontario competitive and provide amazing growth opportunities for Ontario’s farmers and our rural economy. Ontario Genomics is proud that this investment brings our total support of this sector to over $73 M and maintains our commitment to investing in promising research and industry solutions across the province.”
– Bettina Hamelin, President and CEO, Ontario Genomics  

“The Regional Priorities Partnership Program (RP3) is unique in that it directly supports the regional Genome Centres in developing initiatives that advance genomics research and translation in areas of strategic priority in different parts of Canada. This means that in addition to this funding being important to the genomics ecosystem as a whole, every dollar invested in these eight projects will work to grow Ontario’s economy and improve the lives of Ontarians.”  
– Marc LePage, President and CEO, Genome Canada

“As Canada’s food university, the University of Guelph is absolutely delighted by this phenomenal support from Ontario Genomics and the Agricultural Adaptation Council for seven University of Guelph collaborative projects. This support will reinforce University of Guelph\’s tremendous agri-food sector partnerships to generate discoveries and innovations that will improve life in this province and well beyond. Our world-class genomics researchers are turning ideas into solutions to feed people in healthy, safe, and sustainable ways.”
– Malcolm M. Campbell, Professor & Vice-President Research, University of Guelph

“Trent University is excited and honoured to be one of the eight successful projects selected for the ON-RP3 program for agriculture and agri-food innovations in Ontario. We are grateful to the AAC and Ontario Genomics for backing our partnership that will leverage our laboratory’s plant chemistry academic research with the cropping industry’s needs for greater yields.  The honing of our novel biofertilizer for Ontario agricultural conditions is a great example of advancing scientific discovery towards positive economic, social and environmental outcomes. At time when climate change threatens food production, food security and the livelihoods of those in the agricultural sector, cross-sector collaboration between academia, industry and government can make a significant difference in society.”
– Dr. Neil Emery, VP Research & Innovation, Trent University

“Semex has benefitted from ON-RP3 funding by providing the additional funding required to study and develop digital transformation tools in the dairy industry. The use of digital sensors will provide an array of 24×7 phenotypes that are closer to the underlying biology of animals. This will help us develop health and welfare traits with higher heritabilities and greater benefits for animals and dairy farms globally.”
– Michael Lohuis, PhD, Vice President, Research & Innovation, Semex Alliance

“With this project, we will be able to give our brewery partners access to genomic and metabolomic information they can use to know ahead of time how to work with every yeast strain, and the impact of different process variables like temperature on the flavour outcomes of their beer. This work may also lead to a better understanding of the complex genetics underlying yeast aroma production. This project will help Ontario businesses become leaders in the increasingly competitive craft brewing industry, driving enhanced creativity and improved consistency.”
– Richard Preiss, Co-founder/Co-Owner, Escarpment Laboratories

“Ferrero uses only the highest quality hazelnuts in our consumer products. We are pleased to collaborate with Ontario Genomics, Agricultural Adaptation Council, University of Guelph and the Gosling Institute for Plant Preservation as they work toward understanding and developing high quality hazelnut trees adapted to Ontario growing conditions. These activities are key and support Ferrero’s objective to source local hazelnuts wherever possible.”
– Barb Yates, Agronomist, Ferrero Canada

Quick facts

Agricultural Adaptation Council
Laura Feil
Programs Lead & Communications Manager
lfeil@adaptcouncil.org
Ph. 519-829-8626 ext. 629

Ontario Genomics
Polina Martins
Director, Communications
pmartins@ontariogenomics.ca
Ph. 416-673-6589

Twitter: @adaptcouncil; @OntarioGenomics; @GenomeCanada

Agricultural Adaptation Council is a not-for-profit organization with a membership of 67 Ontario agricultural, agri-food and rural organizations. Since 1995, AAC has established an outstanding level of customer service and program delivery that is efficient, flexible and accountable, focusing on the agriculture and agri-food industry.

Ontario Genomics is a not-for-profit organization leading the application of genomics-based solutions across key sectors of the economy to drive economic growth, improved quality of life and global leadership for Ontario. We connect scientists, ideas and partner organizations for collaborative investment opportunities for our vision of healthy lives, healthy economy and healthy planet through genomics innovations. Since inception in 2000, OG has leveraged $2.6B for genomics research and innovation for Ontario and directly supported more than 9,100 jobs.

Genome Canada is a not-for-profit organization that invests in genomic science and technology and its translation into applications across multiple sectors to produce social and economic benefits for all Canadians. Genome Canada acknowledges the continued support of the Government of Canada. For more information, please visit www.genomecanada.ca.

Ontario Genomics appoints a new Chair and Vice-Chair and welcomes two new board members

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Ontario Genomics is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Deb Stark as the new Chair of the Board. Dr. Tom Corr has been appointed to be the Board’s Vice-Chair.

Dr. Deb Stark has served on the Board since 2017 and is the former Deputy Minister of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), holding a wealth of experience in the agriculture and agri-food policy space. Dr. Tom Corr has served on the Board since 2018 and is the former President and CEO of Ontario Centres of Excellence, with more than 40 years of experience in the technology transfer, ITC, entrepreneurship, academic and venture capital sectors.

Ontario Genomics is also pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Alison Paprica and Colin Kelleher to its Board.

Dr. Tom Corr, Dr. Bettina Hamelin, Colin Kelleher, Dr. Deb Stark and Dr. Alison Paprica

Dr. Alison Paprica is the Vice President of Health Strategy and Partnerships at the Vector Institute, where she leads the health strategy, overseeing research collaborations, data partnerships and AI application projects in the health sector. Colin Kelleher is a serial entrepreneur specializing in angel investing in early-stage tech companies. Colin also serves on the Board of Directors for the Ontario Centres of Excellence.

“At a time when genomics technologies in Ontario are truly at a tipping point, we welcome the impressive diversity and expertise of our Board of Directors. Together we can make sure that genomics-based solutions continue to grow Ontario’s economy and improve quality of life. I look forward to new opportunities to collaborate across sectors and industries to create jobs and generate more investment in Ontario,” said Dr. Bettina Hamelin, President and CEO of Ontario Genomics.

Ontario Genomics thanks Dr. Jack Gauldie for his leadership as interim Chair and looks forward to continuing to work with him in the capacity of Past Chair in the coming year. We also thank retiring Board members Jay Lefton and Dr. Shana Kelley for their invaluable service over the years and their many contributions to Ontario Genomics and the province’s genomics ecosystem.

For more information and detailed biographical notes, visit our Board of Directors page.

Dr. Bettina Hamelin, Dr. Shana Kelley and Dr. Deb Stark

Notice of Upcoming Funding Opportunity: 2020 Large-Scale Applied Research Project Competition: Genomic Solutions for Natural Resources and the Environment

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Genome Canada is pleased to advise the research community of an upcoming funding opportunity – the 2020 Large-Scale Applied Research Project Competition: Genomic Solutions for Natural Resources and the Environment. This Competition is anticipated to be formally launched in January 2020 with detailed guidelines and application forms available at that time. Genome Canada is in discussion with other organizations as potential partners for this competition.   

This funding opportunity aims to support applied research projects focused on using genomic approaches to address challenges and opportunities of importance to Canada’s natural resources and environment sectors, including interactions between natural resources and the environment, thereby contributing to the Canadian bioeconomy and the well-being of Canadians. 

To help promote the use of genomic-based research and innovation, all projects must include research into the implications of genomics in society, historically referred to as research into GE3LS (genomics and its ethical, environmental, economic, legal and social aspects), either as the major focus of the project or as an integrated component that is shaped by, and helps shape, the overall project.

There is approximately $25 million available for this competition from Genome Canada. Genome Canada’s investment will range from $1 million to $3 million per project over a term of up to four years. A project’s eligible costs must be co-funded from eligible sources such that the co-funding is at least equal to the Genome Canada contribution. 

The application process will be comprised of three steps: Registration, Pre-Application and Full Application. Based on a January 2020 Competition launch, the deadline for Registrations is expected to be in March 2020.  

Note that stakeholder engagement and strategy sessions will be organized over the next two to three months. Information from these sessions will help inform the design of the funding opportunity.

For more information, contact Laura Riley, Ontario Genomics, Manager, Sector Innovation & Programs

Learn more about LSARP 2020: Genome Canada Pre-announcement

Ontario leading edge genomics projects attract $46 million of investment

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July 23, 2019 – In a recent announcement from Genome Canada, seven (7) Ontario-led and three (3) Ontario co-led projects were awarded a total of $16 million in funding from the Genome Canada Genomics and Applied Partnership Program (GAPP) and Large Scale Applied Research Program (LSARP).

Ontario Genomics is so proud to be working with these talented teams. These programs fund translational research and development projects that address real-world challenges and opportunities as identified by industry, government, not-for-profits, and other “receptors” of genomics knowledge and technology.

An additional $30 million is being invested by industry, the Ontario government and other partners, for a total of over $46 million. This funding will help Ontario’s leading researchers produce dramatic breakthroughs in agriculture and across the bioeconomy, which promises to have major impacts on key economic sectors while also improving Canadians’ health, environment and creating new jobs in Ontario.

Learn more about this announcement: Genome Canada News Release

2019 Canada SynBio Brings Together Synthetic Biology’s Best and Brightest.

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On Wednesday, March 6th, 2019, Ontario Genomics and their partners hosted their annual SynBio conference at the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto, Canada.

This year’s Canada SynBio Conference displayed Ontario’s thriving community of synthetic biologists. The well-anticipated keynote lecturer, Dr. George Church kicked off the conference by highlighting his laboratory’s work on integrating CRISPR technology that could one day make humans resistant to viruses and cancer. Later, during the Q&A session, Church, discussed the ethics of human germ-line editing and emphasized the importance of global surveillance.

Panels of selected scientists and business leaders then took the stage. Whether it was finding innovative ways of using synthetic biology for sustainable agriculture or highlighting the growing cannabis industry’s need for scaling up production and developing legal framework. The day brought together a community of experts that highlighted key challenges facing their industries.

The second half of the conference was a spectacular display of Canada’s budding entrepreneurial talent. It began with a star-studded array of venture capital representatives who gave sound advice to budding companies in synthetic biology. Dr. Ganesh Kishore of Spruce Capital Partners: “Chase the companies that make a difference”.

Six finalists took part in the pitch competition. TATUM Bioscience was the second place runner-up while FREDsense Technologies Corp. took home the $25,000 grand prize. These companies are the ones to watch in the coming years.

From my perspective as a graduate student, the most compelling part of the conference was how the industry was shown as a viable alternative to academia. For many people that I know are struggling with difficult choices at this important stage of their scientific career, it was uplifting to see former graduate students being creative and branching outside of their comfort zone.

The conference ended with keynotes. Notably, Dr. Christina Agapakis who is the creative director at Ginkgo Bioworks highlighted their company’s massive enzyme codebase and discussed the ethics of genetically modified foods.

While the conference highlighted major hurdles that still face the industry, there was no shortage of ideas that brought up innovative solutions to these challenges. I was impressed by the growing community of synthetic biologists in Ontario and the opportunities that lie ahead for a new generation of pioneering scientists to pave the way forward.

Written by Louis Ho, PhD Candidate, Nodwell Lab, Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto

2019 Canada SynBio Highlights

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March 6, Toronto – Ontario Genomics hosted 2019 Canada SynBio, Canada’s second national conference focused on Engineering Biology, together with the Genome Canada Enterprise and our partners and sponsors. Over 300 people, including researchers, policymakers, industry, entrepreneurs, start-ups, associations, students, funders, VCs and other investors from across Canada and beyond, packed the MaRS Discovery District auditorium for the event. 2019 Canada SynBioWelcome: 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. Marc LePage and Bettina HamelinOpening 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. Introduction: Bettina Hamelin – Growth by Design (Watch Video) Dr. Bettina Hamelin, President and CEO of Ontario Genomics, discussed recent progress across Canada and beyond. She talked about the pursuit of a future vision for Canada, the need for governance, and how plans are underway to establish a National Steering Committee to help organize Canada’s synthetic biology community and encourage further collaboration and synergies. George ChurchKeynote: 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 PanelHuman 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 PanelSynbio 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 PanelCannabis 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 PanelAgriculture 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 CompaniesSupporting 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 ShowcaseVC 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 Supporting Start-Ups: Pitch CompetitionSupporting 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. Christina Agapakis, Ginkgo BioworksKeynote: 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 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 EngineerMaking 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 TeamsiGEM 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-UpConference 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 2019 Canada Synbio page for more information, including panel highlights, pitch competition finalists, presenter bios, links to presentations and the conference photo gallery. Download the pdf version of this summary

SynBio Canada: Fostering the Canadian Synthetic Biology Community

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The field of synthetic biology represents a maturation of genetic engineering and biotechnology, where microbes or even human immune cells can be specifically engineered to do useful things. Thus, synthetic biology has the potential to reshape medicine, industry, and agriculture in Canada. But in order for this to be possible, a strong community of researchers, students, companies, and policy makers is needed to collaborate and ensure Canada becomes a leader in the field.

Launched last year in March 2018, SynBio Canada is a trainee-led organization working to strengthen the national synthetic biology community. The primary mission of SynBio Canada is to create a space for the community to gather and share their ideas, news, and opportunities. Through this, SynBio Canada aims to promote Canadian research, advocate for dedicated training programs and funding, and assist in the organization of meetings.

SynBio Canada is modeled on several similar national organizations in the UK, Australasia, the US, Germany, and the EU. Although each organization is structured slightly differently, their goals are largely the same: to promote the synthetic biology community. Recently, SynBio Canada joined with several other organizations to form SynBio Society Consortium. This international collaboration enables the sharing of best practices, and learning how synthetic biology communities and the field itself can be best supported across the globe.

The specific work of SynBio Canada includes publishing blog posts and news articles, sending a bi-monthly email update, and helping to organize discussion groups and symposia across Canada. SynBio Canada’s biggest accomplishment is the creation of a Community Hub for synbio researchers and institutes across Canada. Created based on the need for a more visible and connected community, the Community Hub functions as a very simple “facebook” for synbio in Canada. The goal is to help connect researchers, institutes, and companies from across the diverse but often disparate field of synthetic biology. This Community Hub also serves as an outreach tool for students interested in synthetic biology, and helps to increase the profile of Canadian researchers internationally.

The SynBio Canada leadership has now grown to 12 students, postdocs, and professors, each at a different institute across 4 provinces (and in Canada and the US). SynBio Canada is interested in representing each institution in Canada, to truly create a national community. Currently, all work is done on a volunteer basis, which speaks to the incredible enthusiasm for synthetic biology at the trainee level.

Looking ahead, SynBio Canada is planning to create a public Resource Registry of available physical resources (i.e. equipment) and technical resources (i.e. expertise for using the equipment) in order to better meet the needs of the synbio community. This will require input across the community, which is as simple as contacting SynBio Canada to specify the resources available. Through this effort, equipment can be more strategically applied, with diverse nodes of expertise across Canada. Thus, institute-specific talents in synthetic biology can be promoted, which will compliment rather than compete with each other, to better foster inter-institute collaborations.

SynBio Canada is always looking to improve the community in Canada. You can submit a Community Profile today in just 5 minutes, or you can contact SynBio Canada directly via info@synbiocanada.org if you’d like to join the leadership or learn more about their work.

January 2019 Networking Event Highlights

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It was wonderful to welcome so many of our partners, customers and colleagues to our first Networking event of 2019.  “There is nothing more important than people – that is my team and you, our customers, collaborators and colleagues”, said Bettina Hamelin, Ontario Genomics President and CEO. “We have achieved some incredible things over time and in particular over the past year. Of course we could not have done it without you, so thank you for all your support and collaboration with us!  Your success is our success.” 

To learn more about our impact, please check out our results.  Ontario Genomics is about bringing people together and about collaboration, and we encourage you to join us at our next event on March 6 at the 2019 Canada SynBio conference.

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iGEM and After iGEM: Enabling change-makers through synthetic biology

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The International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of synthetic biology, education and competition, and the development of an open community and collaboration. The iGEM competition provides students around the globe with the opportunity to pursue projects that address unique challenges within their local community within a multidisciplinary environment. Through the competition, iGEM inspires responsible innovation through efforts in biosafety, biosecurity, and public outreach.

This past October, over 6,000 students from 45 countries around the world gathered at the Hynes Convention Centre in Boston for the annual International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) Giant Jamboree. Among the 340 participating international teams, 16 Canadian teams (13 collegiate and 3 high school teams) participated in the competition, showcased their innovative iGEM projects, and excelled at the iGEM Giant Jamboree. Collaborating in multidisciplinary teams, students have designed, built, tested, and measured a system of their own design using interchangeable biological parts and standard molecular biology techniques. These students have worked all summer long, pushing the boundaries of synthetic biology by tackling everyday issues facing the world through innovative projects.

The Canadian iGEM teams worked on a diverse range of projects with positive impacts on the field of synthetic biology and the world. Some projects aimed to find novel solutions to technical problems surrounding core synthetic biology technologies. From investigating mammalian cell-cell interactions to optimizing the FLIP Recombinase system to using optogenetics to regulate the cells and bacteria co-cultures, and then to building protein nano-compartments for the delivery of biological cargo, Canadian iGEM teams are generating innovations that will improve the synthetic biology toolkit. Canadian iGEM teams are also finding solutions to various social and environmental issues, addressing local problems such as aluminum toxicity in lakes and waters, fungal parasites infecting honeybees, plastic waste, fatbergs, and contaminated tailing ponds by using the synthetic biology toolkit to generate unique solutions to tackle these real-world problems. Having identified inefficiencies within industries such as beer-brewing, bioremediation processes, and drug production (cancer drugs and EpiPen), these students have also undertaken initiatives aimed to improve these processes through the use of synthetic biology. Synthetic biology enable teams to create advances in medicine such as a bacterial model to study protein aggregation for Alzheimer’s Disease and biosensors for the detection of glucocorticoid hormones. These various iGEM projects demonstrate the impact that iGEM has on the development of synthetic biology. By engaging students in synthetic biology research, we hope to build a better world by solving problems with this technology, inspiring responsible innovation, and setting standards such as our open source standardized genetic parts. These novel and impactful projects reflect the strong interest that students have in synthetic biology across Canada and the potential of their projects to solve real-world problems. These projects from 2018 are just a few examples of the inspiring projects that Canadian iGEM teams. There are many more iGEM projects that Canadian iGEMers have undertaken over the years.

Since its inception in 2004, over 30,000 iGEMers have gone through the competition. In Canada alone, there are hundreds of iGEMers that have participated in the competition. This global network of trailblazers is leading the field of synthetic biology. As the community continues to grow, the iGEM Foundation is working to support the international community of iGEMers in continuing and expanding their impact on the world beyond the competition with the launch of the global After iGEM Program. To support students in sharing their research with the rest of the academic community, After iGEM and Ontario Genomics have collaborated to organize a poster showcase during the 2019 Canada SynBio conference. To facilitate the networking and exchange of ideas between synthetic biology enthusiasts and iGEMers, After iGEM will be hosting a reception on Mar 5th, 2019 in Toronto Ontario. To register, please click here. iGEM and After iGEM are excited to bring

As the 2019 iGEM season progresses, we are excited to see the innovation and impact that iGEM teams in Canada will bring! We also look forward to connecting and working with more synthetic biology enthusiasts in the community to propel the advancement of synthetic biology in Canada.