TALENT

Next Generation Canadian Scientific and Entrepreneurial Talent Pleins feux sur la prochaine génération de scientifiques et d’entrepreneurs de talent

FOR MANY PARTICIPANTS, THESE OPPORTUNITIES HAVE PROVEN VASTLY INFLUENTIAL IN MAPPING OUT future careers – in some cases paving the way for studies at Ivy League research schools and exciting internships in the biotech industry. In past years, participants’ elite research projects range in topic, from cancer and Alzheimer’s disease to agriculture and the environment. Many have since been patented and commercialized, garnering international media attention and igniting a true culture of innovation in Canada.

Marissa’s project focusses on enhancing mealworms’ ability to consume StyrofoamNow 16 years old, Marissa has been participating in science fairs for the past 5 years. She enjoys the challenge of developing a new research project every year, or in this case, building upon her research from previous years. It is exciting for her to compete every year because she enjoys sharing the results of her project to various groups, mentors and judges and finding new innovative discoveries. Her research has been in the areas of environmental science and climate change. Marissa’s project this year is titled “Behavioral modification of Tenebrio molitor by toxic compounds to maximize the biodegradation of polystyrene”. This project is the 4th phase of her multiple-year research utilizing LA PARTICIPATION AU CONCOURS BIOGENIUS CANADA DE SANOFI A EU UNE GRANDE INFLUENCE SUR LES PROJETS de carrière de nombreux étudiants, les mettant même, dans certains cas, en relation avec des mentors qui auront contribué à façonner leur pensée et leur auront ainsi ouvert la voie vers des établissements de l’Ivy League et permis d’accéder à de passionnants stages au sein de l’industrie des biotechs. Au cours des ans, les projets des participants ont porté sur des sujets allant du cancer à la maladie d’Alzheimer et au vieillissement, en passant par l’agriculture et la protection de l’environnement. Certaines idées ont mené à des brevets et à la commercialisation de produits, attirant l’attention des médias internationaux et alimentant au Canada une profonde culture de l’innovation.

Cette année, la société Sanofi Canada s’est associée à Sciences jeunesse Canada à l’occasion de la 30e édition annuelle du concours Biogenius Canada de Sanofi, qui s’est déroulée pendant la 60e édition de l’Expo-sciences pancanadienne (ESPC). Plus de 50 rassemblements axés sur les STIM ont participé au concours Biogenius à travers le Canada, et les lauréats régionaux ont pu se rendre ensuite au concours national, à l’ESPC. Au total, 98 projets répartis

mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) to naturally consume styrofoam. With the exponential use of polystyrene in our consumer-based society and its detrimental impact on climate change, she is researching innovative ways to harness the power of nature to find practical, sustainable and biological solutions for our planet. Marissa made time to speak with insights magazine about her recent experience.

“We are delighted to once again partner with Sanofi for the Sanofi Biogenius Canada Competition, particularly as we celebrate joint anniversaries. Together, we are empowering students to dream big, pursue meaningful careers in STEM and solve some of the world’s most complex challenges.” Reni Barlow

dans trois catégories — junior, intermédiaire et senior — rivalisaient pour l’obtention des prix spéciaux Biogenius Canada de Sanofi. L’une des lauréates, Marissa Magsino, a été choisie pour se rendre au congrès international BIO de San Diego, en Californie, et ainsi représenter le Canada au concours international BioGENEius.

« Ramener le concours canadien Biogenius de Sanofi à ses racines grâce au renouvellement du partenariat avec Sciences jeunesse Canada était enthousiasmant. L’engagement de l’organisation à stimuler les projets de recherche et d’innovation scientifique chez les jeunes Canadiens est pour nous une source d’inspiration. Par les investissements que nous faisons ensemble dans l’apprentissage et l’enseignement des STIM, nous encourageons les chercheurs de demain à explorer des questions scientifiques et à mettre au point les solutions novatrices qui donneront forme à l’avenir des STIM. » Stephanie Veyrun-Manetti responsable nationale et directrice générale des soins spécialisés, Sanofi Canada

« Nous sommes ravis de collaborer une fois de plus avec Sanofi à l’occasion du concours Biogenius Canada, en particulier en cette année doublement anniversaire. Ensemble, nous permettons aux étudiants d’avoir de

TELL US WHAT YOU LIKED ABOUT COMPETING AT THE BIO INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION?

At the BIO International Convention, I met with numerous biotechnology executives who offered research and career advice. It was a pleasant surprise to be part of such an immense and prestigious biotechnology conference, which made me realize that I was participating in the very important and vast area of applied research and technology. I enjoyed sharing my research project during the time slots dedicated to public exhibitions. The many networking opportunities at the International BioGENEius Challenge gave me the chance to spend time with like-minded young scientists who help to make this event an experience that I will never forget.

WHAT WILL YOU TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EXPERIENCE?

One thing I will take away from this experience are the newfound lifelong friendships and connections made with many talented and enthusiastic young scientists who attended the event. This experience opened up my understanding about the vast and growing area of biotechnology, and how it makes a difference in our everyday lives. I met so many wonderful and supportive biotechnology executives and industry leaders, who helped make it clear to me that there are many so many exciting and varied opportunities in the field of biotechnology. I also gained insight and direction on the possible next steps in which I can expand my own project in the future.

WE UNDERSTAND YOU COULDN’T PRESENT IN FRONT OF YOUR MOTHER, ANY WAY YOU COULD SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS?

During my opening speech at the Canadian Pavilion, I had the opportunity to speak in front of lots of people. Every time I present with my mom watching, we subconsciously make each other laugh! I don’t want to look over at her during the middle of my speech and see her smiling because it will make me want to smile, or I may get distracted. My mom is my biggest supporter, but before every speech or presentation she wishes me well and then we part ways, to make sure I able to be laser-focused on my speech. grands rêves, d’envisager des carrières utiles dans les STIM et de relever certains des défis hautement complexes auxquels notre monde fait face. » Reni Barlow

Directeur général, Sciences jeunesse Canada

Le projet de Marissa visait à améliorer la capacité des ténébrions meuniers (vers de farine) à consommer la mousse de polystyrène. Actuellement âgée de 16 ans, Marissa participe depuis cinq ans à des foires scientifiques. Elle prend plaisir à relever chaque année un nouveau défi scientifique. Son projet de cette année s’appuyait sur ses recherches antérieures. Elle trouve le concours passionnant, car il lui donne l’occasion chaque année de faire des découvertes et de communiquer les résultats d’un projet à divers groupes, à des mentors et à des juges. Jusqu’à présent, ses travaux ont porté sur la science de l’environnement et le changement climatique. Cette année, le projet de Marissa était intitulé [traduction] « Modification du comportement du ténébrion meunier au moyen de composés toxiques, en vue de maximiser la biodégradation du polystyrène ». Il constituait la quatrième étape d’un projet de recherche effectué sur plusieurs années autour de l’utilisation des vers de farine (Tenebrio molitor) pour la consommation naturelle de la mousse de polystyrène. L’usage que l’on fait de cette mousse au sein de la société de consommation étant exponentiel, et les effets qui en découlent sur le plan du changement climatique étant néfastes, elle cherche de nouvelles façons de mettre à profit toute la puissance de la nature pour concevoir, dans une visée écologique, des solutions concrètes, durables et biologiques.

Marissa a échangé avec l’équipe d’Insights, à qui elle a fait part de sa récente expérience.

Q. RACONTE-NOUS CE QUI T’A PLU DANS LE CONCOURS INTERNATIONAL AU CONGRÈS BIO.

Au congrès international BIO, j’ai rencontré de nombreux cadres du milieu des biotechs, qui m’ont donné des conseils, tant sur le plan de la recherche que du parcours professionnel. J’ai été agréablement surprise par l’ampleur de ce prestigieux congrès et j’ai pris conscience du fait que mes travaux entraient dans le cadre du vaste et important domaine de la recherche appliquée et des technologies. J’ai pris plaisir à exposer mon projet de recherche à l’occasion des présentations publiques. Les nombreuses occasions de réseautage qu’offrait le défi international BioGENEius m’ont permis de passer du temps avec de jeunes scientifiques partageant mes intérêts; ils ont contribué à rendre cette expérience inoubliable.

Q. QUE RETIENDRAS-TU, JUSTEMENT, DE CETTE EXPÉRIENCE?

Comme je le mentionnais, je crois que de nouvelles amitiés durables sont nées et que j’ai noué des liens avec de nombreux jeunes scientifiques talentueux et enthousiastes. L’expérience m’a permis de prendre conscience de l’ampleur

“We are excited to bring the Sanofi Biogenius Canada Competition back to its roots by again partnering with Youth Science Canada. We are inspired by their commitment to supporting young Canadians in scientific discovery and innovation. Through our shared investment in fostering STEM learning and education, we are encouraging the researchers of tomorrow to investigate scientific questions and develop innovative solutions to help shape the future of STEM.”

Stephanie VeyrunManetti Canada Country Lead and General Manager, Specialty Care, Sanofi Canada

WHAT ARE YOUR SHORT-TERM PLANS FOR YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT, OR FUTURE PROJECTS?

The biodegradation of mealworms eating styrofoam is not yet a mainstream solution to our environmental and landfill problems, so that is why last year I implemented the mealworms recycling station at my school as an educational opportunity. I want to keep on educating people in my community about this amazing biological solution. In my research, I want to continue to search for different chemical compounds that are potential stimulants for mealworms, and hopefully implement a permanent recycling station in my community. A permanent mealworm biodegradation system will lead to more first-hand awareness and, hopefully, get people just as excited and passionate about this as I am in order to eventually inspire them to integrate a mealworm recycling station in their homes.

Currently, I am searching for lab space in Manitoba outside of my school community so that I can work towards future research in this field, such as researching how I can isolate the chemical compounds of different oils or extracts to create hybrid compounds that can truly be the most efficient and effective solution to maximize mealworms’ natural ability to consume this man-made material. du domaine des biotechs et de la manière dont elles améliorent la vie au quotidien. J’ai aussi rencontré de nombreux cadres et dirigeants du secteur, qui se sont avérés être des personnes magnifiquement encourageantes; ils m’ont aidée à voir tout l’éventail de passionnantes possibilités qu’offre la biotechnologie. J’ai aussi bénéficié de conseils et d’orientations quant à la façon de porter mon projet à un niveau supérieur.

Q. NOUS AVONS ENTENDU DIRE QU’IL T’ÉTAIT DIFFICILE DE PRÉSENTER TON PROJET LORSQUE TA MÈRE ÉTAIT DANS LA SALLE. PEUX-TU NOUS EN DIRE PLUS À CE SUJET?

Le discours d’ouverture au pavillon canadien m’a donné l’occasion de m’exprimer devant une foule importante. Mais chaque fois que je fais une présentation et que ma mère est là, il se passe un truc inconscient : nous nous faisons rire mutuellement! J’évite donc de la regarder en plein discours, car si je la vois sourire, je me mettrai à sourire aussi, et cela me distraira de mon propos. Ma mère est mon plus grand soutien, mais avant chaque communication, elle me souhaite bonne chance, puis nous nous séparons, afin que je puisse me concentrer exclusivement sur ce que je dois dire.

Q. QU’ENTREVOIS-TU À COURT TERME PAR RAPPORT À TON PROJET DE RECHERCHE ACTUEL OU À DE NOUVEAUX PROJETS?

La biodégradation de la mousse de polystyrène par les ténébrions meuniers n’est pas encore une solution couramment employée pour régler le problème environnemental de l’enfouissement des déchets. J’ai donc mis en place un poste de recyclage par les vers de farine dans mon établissement scolaire l’an dernier de sorte qu’il serve à des fins éducatives. Je souhaite continuer à informer les gens de ma collectivité à propos de cette formidable solution biologique. Dans mes projets, je pense continuer à chercher des composés chimiques qui pourraient stimuler le travail des ténébrions, puis, je l’espère, réussir à faire mettre en place une station permanente de recyclage dans ma collectivité. Un système permanent de biodégradation par les vers de farine permettrait de sensibiliser les gens très directement et, peut-être, de susciter chez eux un enthousiasme pour cette pratique qui soit égal à celui que je ressens à l’idée de les motiver à mettre en place un poste de recyclage par les ténébrions chez eux.

À l’heure actuelle, je cherche, au Manitoba, mais à l’extérieur de ma communauté scolaire, un espace de laboratoire où je pourrais travailler à de nouvelles recherches, par exemple sur les façons d’isoler certains composés chimiques de différentes huiles ou différents extraits en vue de créer les composés hybrides qui pourraient le plus efficacement stimuler la capacité naturelle des vers de farine à consommer cette matière synthétique qu’est le polystyrène.

Zucara’s Ground Breaking Drug Targets Prevention of Hypoglycemia

EARLY RESULTS FROM ZUCARA THERAPEUTICS INC.’S GROUND BREAKING WORK TO DEVELOP THE FIRST therapeutic to prevent insulin-induced hypoglycemia that can cause dangerously low blood glucose levels, offers promise to people who are suffering from diabetes.

Nearly 90 per cent of Type 1 diabetics participating in a proof of concept trial of Zucara’s lead drug candidate, ZT-01, showed a meaningful increase in glucagon release in hypoglycemia following treatment with the drug, which is delivered subcutaneously, compared to participants who were given a placebo.

“This proof of concept clinical data in people with Type 1 diabetes shows for the first time that ZT-01 can turn the glucagon switch back on which is required to raise blood sugar when someone’s going low, and therefore could prevent hypoglycemia from occurring,” says Michael Midmer, Zucara’s Toronto-based Chief Executive Officer.

People who have diabetes cannot recover from hypoglycemia without treatment. Interventions such as glucose or glucagon can be used to rescue someone, but no preventative treatments are available to prevent these disruptive events from occurring. It is a dysregulation in the pancreas and because of that those people can’t release glucagon, which is a hormone that acts in the opposite way of insulin, explains Midmer.

“Insulin allows you to use and store the sugar you eat. Glucagon, when you go low, kicks in to bring that sugar back up. It signals to the liver to release the stored sugar into the blood stream. When this mechanism doesn’t work in people with diabetes, hypoglycemia can occur which can be very disruptive to the patient and their family members,” he adds.

Zucara was created in 2014 as a spin-out company by TIAP (Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners) and adMare BioInnovations, which both provided management and research & development support.

“Both of these groups helped to fund and create Zucara with business and scientific leadership which were critical in the formative stages of the company. TIAP helped to licence in the IP from the University of Toronto and guided the company through an Entrepreneur-in-Residence role. adMare was our ‘R&D engine’ led through a Chief Scientific Officer role and helped to create more targeted compounds, and that’s where ZT-01, our lead drug, came out of,” says Midmer.

Zucara has an interesting historical connection to the discovery of insulin at the University of Toronto in 1921 by Drs. Charles Best and Frederick Banting to treat diabetes. Before insulin, the death rate for sufferers was extraordinarily high.

One of Zucara’s academic founders was Dr. Mladen Vranic from the Banting and Best Diabetes Centre at the University of Toronto. Dr. Vranic, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 89, did post-doctoral work in Dr. Best’s laboratory early in his career.

Zucara’s other academic founders were Drs. Michael Riddell, chair of Zucara’s clinical advisory board based at York University in Toronto, who in turn worked in Dr. Vranic’s lab, along with Richard Liggins, who led the R&D at adMare and is now the company’s Chief Scientific Officer, and David Coy, a professor of medicine of Tulane University in New Orleans.

Drs. Vranic, Riddell, Liggins, and Coy discovered, using novel peptides that block somatostatin receptors, compelling evidence that people who suffer from Type 1 diabetes suffer from an impairment in their pancreatic cells necessary to help regulate hypoglycemia through glucagon production. This was instrumental in developing the technology behind the ZT-01 drug designed to restore the normal glucagon response and prevent insulin treatment induced hypoglycemia.

Zucara, which currently has five full-time employees - two in Toronto and three in Vancouver, received U.S. $2 million in seed funding through several sources, including adMare, TIAP, Accel-Rx, NRC-IRAP, GlycoNet, Mitacs, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and Genome British Columbia. “Those groups allowed us to move forward to find our lead drug candidate, and then to receive more than U.S. $5 million in our foundations round financing through the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust,” says Midmer.

In March 2020, Zucara secured U.S. $21 million in Series A financing led by the Perceptive Xontogeny Venture Fund. That allowed the company to move forward into Phase 1 clinical trials and will fund the future Phase 2 trial.

Hypoglycemia can be highly dangerous. People may experience hypoglycemia for two to four hours per day and can develop symptoms including headaches, shaking, sweating, confusion and losing consciousness that may require help from someone else.

“We want to get ahead of those disruptions and take hypoglycemia out of every-day life,” Midmer explains. “The more times that occurs it can set you up for a severe hypoglycemic event which can ruin your day, or result in being rushed to the hospital in an ambulance, or it can be fatal. Over three quarters of people with Type 1 diabetes are in fear of hypoglycemia. You can imagine parents of children with Type 1 diabetes are in constant fear, particularly overnight where there’s nothing you can really do to rescue yourself from a hypoglycemic event.”

Zucara’s Phase 1 studies were conducted at Centricity Research in Toronto, involving both Type 1 diabetics and healthy volunteers.

The company’s single ascending dose (SAD) and multiple ascending dose (MAD) studies began in September 2020, with data from announced in May 2021. The first subject in the proof-of-concept phase 1b trial was dosed in July 2021, for which the proof of concept top-line results were announced in June 2022.

The next step for Zucara will be the firm’s Phase 2 study which will involve participants that take ZT-01 for one month every night before bed. Their hypoglycemia events will be monitored with glucose sensors to determine whether low blood sugar can be avoided overnight.

In May 2022, Zucara announced it had received second grants from GlycoNet and Mitacs to expand the development of ZT-01 into Type 2 diabetes research. Hypoglycemia contributes to both adverse vascular outcomes as well as dementia in Type 2 diabetes patients.

“That more than doubles the market opportunity as well as the number of patients that we can reach with our therapeutic,” says Midmer.

No trials have begun yet for Type 2 diabetes, although pre-clinical work has been carried out, and the firm has published results at the American Diabetes Association annual meetings to illustrate how ZT-01 can employ a similar mechanism of being able to restore glucagon in people with insulin-dependent Type 2 diabetes, as it does with Type 1 diabetes sufferers.

Zucara anticipates a bright future ahead for its ground breaking drug development.

“I think we are a really nice case study for a made-inCanada story that came out of academia and was supported by institutions that the government has set up to accelerate innovation in Canada. This enabled significant further funding from highly regarded diabetes organizations and a top-tier venture capital fund, so those early government initiatives were very important to us,” stresses Midmer.

CASTL’s Biomanufacturing Training Facility in Charlottetown, PEI opening October 2022.

PRACTICAL TRAINING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF BIOMANUFACTURING EMPLOYEES

CANADA’S BIO-ECONOMY INDUSTRY EMPLOYS ALMOST 200,000 PEOPLE. By 2029, we’ll need 65,000 additional employees, with the largest hiring requirement in biomanufacturing. This is a critical time to build a well-trained labour pool—both current employees as well as incoming talent.

This fall, the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL) is pleased to offer its first hands-on training courses in biopharmaceutical manufacturing at its training facility in Charlottetown, PEI. These industry-informed courses will provide learners with hands-on experience using pilot-scale biopharmaceutical manufacturing equipment.

An initiative of the Prince Edward Island BioAlliance, CASTL is the exclusive provider of the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) licensed training programs in Canada. Based in Ireland, NIBRT develops and delivers state-of-the-art training and education programs for the world’s leading biopharmaceutical manufacturing companies and partner academic institutions. CASTL is supported by National Lead Partner adMare Bioinnovations and its adMare Academy.

FOUR EXCITING NEW COURSES FOR CANADIANS

CASTL’s Director of Technical Training, Paul-Xavier Etter, is a 20-year veteran of Canada’s biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. He’s passionate about helping individuals enhance their performance and deliver safe medicine to patients.

Etter and his team analyzed the gaps and curriculum needs for the Canadian biopharma industry and this fall will deliver four exciting new courses to meet our burgeoning industry where it is.

“We are thrilled to deliver these training courses to members of Canadian industry. It is our goal at CASTL to deliver on the industry demand for individuals who are work-ready to enter, thrive and meet the needs of the fast-growing Canadian biomanufacturing sector,” says Etter.

CASTL’s new training offerings include:

• Biopharmaceutical manufacturing onboarding

boot camp fast tracks new employees’ skill-building, covering good manufacturing practices, good documentation practices, gowning, aseptic techniques and how to operate equipment in the biopharma environment. • Introduction to bioprocessing explores the biopharmaceutical industry and its associated processing principles and techniques. • Introduction to upstream processing includes hands-on training and theory covering cell vial thaw, aseptic techniques, cell counting, metabolic analysis, scale up, and bioreactor operation. • Introduction to downstream processing provides both practical and theoretical training on topics including clarification, ultrafiltration/diafiltration, viral clearance and chromatography.

SUPPORTING TODAY’S LABOUR FORCE & BUILDING TOMORROW’S TALENT POOL

CASTL’s new training will help companies get their employees up to speed quickly. The boot camp condenses four months of training into one week, accelerating successful integration into the biopharma manufacturing workplace. Doing so greatly reduces risk for companies and for patients, while providing useful training documentation for regulators.

As well as providing comprehensive training for industry employees, the courses also support students enrolled in post-secondary institutions.

“Our Canadian universities and CEGEPs have excellent bioscience programs,” says Etter, who studied at Université du Quebec à Montréal. “Through programming partnerships, CASTL endeavours to augment the existing academic offerings with biopharma manufacturing-specific content to give Canadian students advantages as they start their careers.”

To learn more about CASTL’s new training courses, visit castlcanada.ca/

short-courses.