an evolution is undeRway

Evolution.

It’s amazing how one word represents so much of who we are, what we do and why we do it.

Evolution fuels the movement from chaos to order, from simple to complex, from small to big, and from survival to prosperity. Evolution is used in the context of nature, people, societies, economies, industries, countries and more...even the universe. In the big picture, evolution is the way of getting from there to here.

Canada is undergoing an evolution, one being driven to some degree by the emergence of an economy and society increasingly reliant on biological developments and insights. This bio-economy is important to the country today but is expected to become crucial tomorrow. Increasingly, our quality of life, ability to succeed globally, the advancement of our political and cultural interests, and other aspects of the Canadian fabric will rely on the relative strength or weakness of our bio-economy. Think of our country’s biological footprint in our forests, food production capacity, our environmentally responsible energy and mining sectors and you can easily imagine Canada’s potential to play a major part in the bio-economy.

In biology, evolution is the process. Genes are the mechanism through which this process works. Genes are its building blocks. Genomics is how we study and understand genes and their effects, how we employ these building blocks, and how a new level of understanding of how living things work can benefit us all.

In our world, genomics is a building block of science, industries, economies and even societies. It’s a critical element in the Canadian bio-economy and an essential aspect of our biotechnological prowess. It’s not hard to argue that genomics is instrumental in building a country that’s moving forward – or evolving – based on insight and ingenuity which most of us know as innovation.

Genome Canada is a not-for-profit organization that motivates genomics research and cultivates a rich, vibrant genomics enterprise in the country with a view to generating economic and social benefits for Canadians.

We are unique among Canadian research funding organizations in that we support large-scale research and development projects in the life sciences, and develop the technologies that enable Canadians to maintain leadership in key areas of the genome sciences. Our mandate spans five areas of economic interest to Canada: Human Health, Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry and the Environment. We are completely focused on genomics.

With the financial support of the Canadian government for over a decade (totaling $915 million), and co-funding agreements established with the provinces, industry, international partners, philanthropists, Canadian institutions and others, Genome Canada has invested some $2 billion in genomics research in the country, across all provinces in all of the sectors noted previously.

Genomics research may delve into a microscopic world, but the scope of the effort is often macro-involving dozens of scientists,

table 1: a Sampling of Genome canada currently-Funded Projects

Centre SeCtor ProjeCt title

Genome Alberta

genomealberta.ca Environment Agriculture

Fisheries Health

Environment/ Agriculture Forestry/ Environment

Environment Agriculture

Health Environment

Health Environment Metagenomics for Greener Production and Extraction of Hydrocarbon Energy

Application of Genomics to Improve Swine Health and Welfare

Atlantic Cod Genomics and Broodstock Development

Orphan Diseases: Identifying Genes and Novel Therapeutics to Enhance Treatment (IGNITE)

Next-generation Integrated Pest Management Tools for Beekeeping

AdapTree: Assessing the Adaptive Portfolio of Reforestation Stocks for Future Climates

Microbial Genomics for Biofuels and Co-products from Biorefining Processes

CTAG: Canadian Triticum Advancement through Genomics

Identification and Characterization of Genes Involved in Common Developmental Brain Diseases

Improving Bioremediation of Polluted Soils through Environmental Genomics

Synthetic Antibody Program: Commercial Reagents and Novel Therapy

Genome Atlantic

genomeatlantic.ca

Genome British Columbia

genomebc.ca

Genome Prairie

genomeprairie.ca

Genome Québec

genomeQuébec.com

Ontario Genomics Institute

huge volumes of data and complex technologies. Genome Canada is designed and operated specifically to support such largescale projects. We’re unique in our ability to do so. Last year alone, for instance, we selected 16 research teams to share more than $121 million in funding.

The way we are structured is another aspect of our uniqueness. We employ a national network of regional centres aimed at addressing local needs who work in concert with Genome Canada. This model is not “mother ship” directing affairs from afar. Rather, it is a cooperative and collaborative network that comes together in various ways to advance genomics that improve life for all Canadians.

Not surprisingly, this has resulted in regional expertise allowing research results to be translated to those who can use them most effectively. For instance, livestock and energy projects are located in Alberta, crop improvement genomics are in the prairies, aquaculture and wild fisheries activities are in the coastal regions, forestry is in western Canada and Québec, and human health research is prominent in Ontario, Québec and BC.

Using this structure, it is with and through genomics that we build bridges, make connections and form networks among and between the communities of science, academia, industries, corporations, governments, and others who shape our society, not only in Canada but around the world.

There is third unique aspect to Genome Canada, one that helps focus projects on innovation, application and, ultimately, economic and social benefits. Our projects include a component that addresses the ethical, environmental, economic, legal or social aspects of the research being undertaken. This work involves key stakeholders – from industry to the general public. One of the main thrusts of this component is to encourage and speed the adoption of new approaches and technologies. In short, we’re helping the country accrue benefits from innovations as quickly as possible.

The net impact of what we do is to advance our collective knowledge, create new uses and applications of our findings, stir debate and fuel discussion of not only what MIGHT be, but also of what SHOULD be. We encourage, through investment and dialogue, the employment of genomics building blocks in new ways to develop Canada’s capacity to evolve to a better future, to build a bio-economy.

Genomics works on the smallest of scales, studying the building blocks of life. But the knowledge that comes from a single genomics discovery can have significant, transformative impact across a wide range of applications in areas such as human health, food supply and safety, clean energy, enviour efforts in this domain are comparatively newer. Nonetheless, our investments have already led to 20 companies being created or enhanced. This is a very early indicator of a wave of innovative biotech businesses to come that will drive our economy forward and probably serve as a key foundation to our prosperity and quality of life. For instance, Icy Waters Ltd. uses a genomics platform built around the salmon family of fish to improve the brood stock of their product – delicious Arctic char! This platform was developed by two of Canada’s stars in this area – Drs. Willie Davidson and Ben Koop – in collaboration with many national and international partners over many years.

Significant economic development stemming from genomics is not merely wishful thinking. The OECD has noted, for instance, that “biotechnology could contribute up to 2.7 per cent of the GDP of OECD countries in 2030”. Given Canada’s profile and strength, we in biotechnology should be relatively well positioned to account for a disproportionately large piece of the country’s economic pie and highly competitive on the global stage. In short, we foresee great opportunity to lead the world in many aspects of biotechnology and of genomics in particular.

Canada is evolving to a better future. Genomics is at the heart of what’s come to be called the “bio-economy” – an economy driven by the application of biotechnology. It’s a global phenomenon, and we are poised to play a leading role in it thanks to our country’s history of scientific excellence, abundant natural resources, and the emergence of a rich, vibrant biotechnology sector. Going forward, our country’s success will depend to a very great degree on a biotechnological evolution, one that today is being fueled by the building blocks of genomics.

ronmental sustainability and more.

To foster such developments, Genome Canada serves as an integrator, bringing together people and groups in research, academia, industry, government and elsewhere to cultivate projects that deliver value to Canadians. In particular, our work has a translational emphasis that promotes innovations leading to economic and social benefits, enhanced research or industrial capability, technological advancement and improved infrastructure, policy development and public dialogue and more, much more.

These partnerships pay off in ways we can all appreciate. For instance, pork producers are seeking ways of breeding swine less susceptible to major diseases, reducing the need for costly antibiotics. At the same time, genomics research is underway to develop disease-control mechanisms and diagnostic tools to mitigate illness or spot it early on. The rewards will be profound. Knowledge of the bovine genome applied to cattle-raising practices has helped Canadian producers realize benefits of $180 million a year!

Cutting across sectors also pays off. For example, it used to be that energy production was energy production, farming was farming, and never the two would meet. But with the rise of the bio-economy, the borders between many economic sectors have blurred. At the genetic level, living things are much the same – microbes and humans, pine trees and parasites. And that means discoveries in one arena can have game-changing applications in another.

Metagenomics – the study of microbial communities rather than individual microbes – has become a hot research area precisely because of its potential to yield discoveries and technologies that cut across whole economic sectors. For instance, some of our funded work is looking at proteins that can convert inexpensive organic waste into high-value biofuel and at the same time help clean up polluted land and water.

At Genome Canada, we know from experience that innovation happens when different bodies of knowledge team up across different disciplines and perspectives.

For instance, in the 1990s the Human Genome Project required 10 years and $2 billion to sequence one human genome. In 2010, the same process takes days and costs $7,000. In the future, it’s expected to take even less time and be even cheaper to perform.

In the U.S. where most of the Human Genome was deciphered, estimates indicate that genomics-related industries employed over 44,000 people and generated industrial output on a scale of about $21.4 billion.

In Canada, the genomics enterprise and Genome Canada are much younger and Pierre Meulien, PhD has a wealth of experience in the areas of genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics within the larger realm of biotechnology and life sciences. He has served in a variety of research and research management roles for Canadian and European-based organizations.

For more GeNomicS information visit our COMMErCIALIZATION Web Portal at

www.bioscienceworld.ca