Researching Universities

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By Amber Lepage-Monette

If you want to know what is new in Canada’s R&D and biotechnology scene, there is really only one place to look: Canada’s research universities. According to a brief submitted to the House of Commons in September 2002 by the Association of Universites and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), over 1.3 million people, including 650,000 full-time and 275,000 part-time undergraduate and graduate students, are educated at Canadian universities each year. According to the AUCC, one-third of all research and development in Canada is conducted by its universities. With that in mind, we take a look at what kind of R&D Canada’s universities have to offer, and what the latest news is regarding their research facilities.

University of Victoria – Victoria, B.C.

The University of Victoria’s research strengths lie in genetic disease and bacterial disease investigation. Based on outside research grants and funds, U Vic claims to be B.C.’s second-largest research university and offers assistance to its researchers looking to commercialize their work with its Innovation and Development Corp. Among U Vic’s varied interdisciplinary centres is the Centre for Biomedical Research and the Genome BC Proteomics Centre. Most recently, U Vic received a $405,000 grant towards fuel-cell research.

University of British Columbia – Vancouver, B.C.

UBC has affiliations with some of B.C.’s, and even Canada’s, most influential and important research institutes, housing the headquarters for the Canadian Genetic Diseases Network and the Centre for Integrated Genomics. Not only that, but its own institutes and centres are numerous and include the Institute of Health Promotion Research, the Centre for Biodiversity Research, the Bioinformatics Centre, the Biomedical Research Centre and the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics. UBC’s medical school is affiliated with several Vancouver teaching hospitals, including the B.C. Children’s and Women’s hospitals, St. Paul’s Hospital and the Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre. What often makes UBC stand out in a crowd is its University-Industry Liaison Office, which helps UBC researchers to commercialize their work and “maximize the global impact of UBC’s research for the economic and social benefit of the university and the people of B.C.” What’s new at UBC? One of its researchers is co-leading Canada’s largest genomics project, Functional Pathogenomics of Mucosal Immunity.

Simon Fraser University – Burnaby, B.C.

Simon Fraser’s campuses are popular sites for Hollywood movies, but that’s not all SFU has going for it. One of the university’s various research centres is the Institute of Micromachine and Microfabrication Research, and the SFU Research Park at Discovery Parks Inc. houses numerous companies and organizations, including the National Research Council of Canada. Most recently, SFU entered into a joint agreement with the BC Cancer Agency in an effort to provide each institution the opportunity to benefit from the other’s expertise.

University of Alberta – Edmonton, Alta.

The University of Alberta is the largest research institution in the province, and it’s easy to see why. Home to numerous established research centres and institutes, U of A boasts the Institute for Biomolecular Design, which is currently working on Project CyberCell™, an effort to simulate a living E. coli cell in silico; the Noujaim Institute for Pharmaceutical Oncology Research; the Epidemiology Coordinating and Research Centre (EPICORE); and the National Institute for Nanotechnology, just to name a few. Both U of A and the University of Calgary will benefit from a recent pledge of $210 million from the Alberta government that will go towards the construction of new health research buildings.

University of Calgary – Calgary, Alta.

The University of Calgary’s medical school has made a recent addition to its program schedule by offering the O’Brien Centre for the Bachelor of Health Sciences Program, an undergraduate honours program set to begin this fall that pairs health-sciences education with scholastic inquiry. U of C, along with U of A, is expecting to begin construction on new medical research facilities this summer thanks to the provincial government’s $210-million funding. U of C construction is expected to be complete in 2005. The new facility or facilities will be joining several well-established centres currently at U of C, including the Cancer Biology Research Group, the Southern Alberta Cancer Research Centre, and the Genes and Development Research Group.

University of Saskatchewan – Saskatoon, Sask.

U of S has a lot to boast about, seeing as it has managed to achieve so many ‘firsts’ over the years. U of S developed and opened the first non-commercial cobalt-60 unit for treating cancer in 1951, and is the first research institution to have a commercially available genetically engineered vaccine for animals. Recently, U of S announced an upcoming $2-million greenhouse expansion to its campus, increasing its greenhouse space — used in the development of new crop varieties — to more than 20,000 square feet. The Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (formerly the Veterinary Infectious Disease Organization), which has expanded into human health issues in addition to veterinary issues, has also announced an expansion to move its operations into a new facility expected to be completed this fall. U of S is also home to the Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron project, which is expected to be in operation in January 2004. The $173.5-million project is the largest in Canada, and will conduct research in the areas of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, information technologies, microsystems and more. The synchrotron light, which acts as a microscope, makes it possible to view matter at an atomic scale.

University of Western Ontario – London, Ont.

Not only does the University of Western Ontario have a strong medical school, conducting research in image-guided surgery, biomaterials, breast cancer and more, but it also has its own research park, with tenants that include such companies as KGK Synergize Inc., Viron Therapeutics Inc. and the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care. UWO also houses the leading-edge Robarts Research Institute, and its medical school is affiliated with the London Health Sciences Centre, which in turn has a research arm, the Lawson Health Research Institute, that has over 400 investigators throughout London researching detection and prevention of disease. Last November, the Bernard and Norton Wolf Biomechanics Laboratory opened its doors, providing facilities for research in human locomotion and orthopedic injuries.

University of Guelph – Guelph, Ont.

The University of Guelph has more than 25 research institutes and centres working in a variety of areas, including the Food System Biotechnology Centre, the Human Nutraceutical Research Unit and the Canadian Network of Toxicology Centres. U of G also boasts the Enviropig™, a genetically modified pig that uses phosphorus more efficiently, reducing the overall content of phosphorus in its manure by 75 per cent. Construction on the U of G Science Complex began last summer, and in January, the facility received an equipment donation valued at over $420,000 from Agilent Technologies Canada Inc. (Mississauga, ON). U of G is also part of the MaRS Landing project, a joint effort that also includes the City of Guelph, Ontario Agri-Food Technologies and MaRS Discovery District, and aims to bring biomedical research to rural programs.

McMaster University – Hamilton, Ont.

McMaster is undoubtedly one of Ontario’s major research universities, with a strong focus on medicine, gene therapy, molecular biology, biotechnology and more. McMaster has over 50 research centres and institutes, including the Antimicrobial Research Centre; the Centre for Gene Therapeutics, which is working on cures for cancer and inflammatory diseases, among others, and is also looking to use genes and the delivery of genes as therapeutic agents to treat disease; and the Institute for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (MOBIX), which researches ways to develop advances in molecular biology into diagnostics and therapeutics. Last November, McMaster opened its new $11.3-million chemistry labs for undergraduate students.

University of Toronto – Toronto, Ont.

As Canada’s largest university, U of T stands out as a key institution for medical education and research. The faculty of Medicine is affiliated with over nine different teaching hospitals and institutions, including Mount Sinai Hospital, St. Michael’s Hospital, the Hospital for Sick Children and the University Health Network. Last October, U of T opened the $3.4-million Centre for Applied Biosciences and Biotechnology, which houses projects in cell behaviour and the genetics behind drug resistance, among others. Last fall, U of T at Mississauga also started construction on the Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, which is expected to open in 2005. Most recently U of T has broken ground on the Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building, also expected to be complete in 2005. In January, the Molecular Design and Information Technology Centre (MDIT) opened its doors, providing 3-D imaging capability for drug research. A professor with U of T’s Banting and Best department of Medical Research will also be heading up a $95-million Canada-U.K. consortium that aims to determine the 3-D structure of more than 350 human proteins and to encourage the development of new drugs.

Queen’s University – Kingston, Ont.

Health and medicine are two of Queen’s University’s strengths, and its faculty of Health Sciences not only boasts a strong program in medicine, but also in nursing, rehabilitation therapy and life sciences. Queen’s also has the department of Biomedical Computing, which links education in computer sciences and life sciences. The Glaxo Wellcome Clinical Education Centre further boosts Queen’s medical education, featuring 16 examination rooms where community volunteers act as patients and provide students with the opportunity to practise their diagnostic and interview skills. For the numerous researchers at Queen’s, the Parteq Innovations office assists in the commercialization of intellectual property. Recently, the school opened its Cancer Research Institute, a $16-million facility that brings together researchers from the National Cancer Institute of Canada’s Clinical Trials Group, the Queen’s Cancer Research Laboratories and the Radiation Oncology Research Unit.

McGill University – Montreal, Que.

McGill researchers are affiliated with approximately 75 research centres and networks of various disciplines, though McGill shines in the areas of science and medicine. Some of the university’s most renowned centres include the McGill Centre for Bioinformatics, the McGill Cancer Centre, the Douglas Hospital Research Centre and the Plasma Technology Research Centre. The latest centre to join the mix is the McGill Group for Suicide Studies, an addition to the Douglas Hospital Research Centre that combines molecular genetic studies with a brain bank and the largest collection of DNA samples from suicides in an effort to integrate tools for suicide research.

University of Montreal – Montreal, Que.

Along with its two affiliated schools, École Polytechnique de Montréal and École des Hautes Études Commerciales, the University of Montreal is one of Canada’s, and certainly Quebec’s, strongest research institutions. Receiving over $350 million in research funding from both public and private sources, U of M conducts extensive research in over 50 centres and groups, which include the Structural Biology Centre; the Centre for Research in Neurological Sciences; the Immunobiology Research Group; Biomedical Modeling Research Group; and the Interhospital Oncology Network. In November 2002, U of M announced it would be building a complex at Technopole Montréal that would be dedicated to research in nanotechnology, biotechnology, aeronautics, aerospace and new materials. More recently, U of M has entered into an agreement with Columbia University in New York, N.Y. that will encourage joint projects between the two institutions, focusing on areas such as nanoscience.

Laval University – Quebec City, Que.

Laval University has over 125 research centres and units; its medical school — Canada’s oldest francophone medical school — boasts seven research centres and 27 research units alone. Such centres include the Vaccinology Research Unit and the Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods Institute. Its affiliations with the medical community include the research centres at St-François D’Assise Hospital and l’Hôtel-Dieu of Québec.

University of New Brunswick – Fredericton, N.B.

Approximately 80 per cent of university research going on in the province happens at the University of New Brunswick. UNB has such research institutes and centres as the MRI Research Centre and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, which recently acquired Peter Kyberd, PhD as its newest Canada Research Chair. Enterprise UNB is the university’s link between research and business, providing assistance to its researchers who wish to turn their ideas into companies. In April, UNB received over $4 million from the University Infrastructure Trust Fund, which will be used to upgrade several biology, chemistry and engineering research and teaching laboratories at its Fredericton campus.

Dalhousie University – Halifax, N.S.

Recently touted as the best university for post-doctoral fellows outside of the U.S. in a survey published by The Scientist magazine, Dalhousie offers a strong presence in several areas of research. Teaching hospitals at Dalhousie’s medical school include the IWK Grace Health Centre, the Nova Scotia Hospital and the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre. The university’s research institutes and centres include the Dalhousie Multiple Sclerosis Research Unit, the Neuroscience Institute, the Dalhousie Inflammation Group and the Population Health Research Unit. This fall, Patrick Lee, PhD will join Dalhousie as its new Dr. Owen and Pearl (MacDonald) Cameron Chair in Cancer Research.

Memorial University of Newfoundland - St. John’s, Nfld.

The Memorial University of Newfoundland’s medical school has affiliations with several research centres and institutes, including the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Applied Health Research, the Patient Research Centre and the Newfoundland Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation. MUN researchers also greatly benefit from the school’s affiliations with Genesis Group Inc. (GGI). GGI’s Genesis Research helps commercialize research developed at the university, and recently the group opened Genesis Biolabs, a new facility that features a wet lab incubator, designed to house MUN and local industry biotechnology ventures.

Education in Biotech

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.

SFU’s Management of Technology MBA (MOT MBA) program provides a generalized focus on the technology sector, but does offer several courses in biotechnology and bioinformatics. This stream aims to produce “leaders for technology-producing companies and companies that rely on technology…” Applicants with varied undergraduate degrees may apply, but are required to have two years of experience in the technology field.

University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Sask.

U of S will be starting a new MBA program this September that allows students to specialize in one of five areas, which include Agribusiness Management and Biotechnology Management. This year-long program requires applicants have three years of work experience and a GMAT score of at least 500.

University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.

UWO’s MBA Biotechnology Stream, a co-operation between the Richard Ivey School of Business and the faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, is launching this fall. Following this two-year program, graduates will have a major in the area of biotechnology management. The program is designed for students with a background in science, strong intellectual and leadership abilities, and an interest in biotech.

University of Toronto at Mississauga, Toronto, Ont.

UTM offers a Master’s in Biotechnology program that shares many goals with MBA biotechnology programs in that it aims to provide its graduates with the skills needed to work in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical fields, and offers an introduction to the management of biotechnology. Applicants need to have an undergraduate degree in the sciences — biological sciences, chemistry, or another related field. For those coming into the program from the workforce, work experience can also be taken into consideration. This two-year program requires students to complete five-and-a-half science credits, two business credits and one elective.

Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont.

Queen’s University offers a one-year MBA for Science and Technology, which aims to prepare its graduates for a career in management in the sciences industry. This stream requires that applicants have an undergraduate degree in science or engineering, a GMAT score of 600 or more and two years of work experience.