Genome BC has announced funding for four new UBC research projects associated with Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub (CIEBH), a UBC-led national initiative aimed at accelerating the development of lifesaving medicines for Canada. Two of the four projects are led by SBME faculty members.
As drug resistance, immune diseases and emerging infections ramp up the need for modern treatments, the projects will rapidly translating scientific discoveries into better health care for patients and communities. The initiatives will help Canada respond more effectively to health threats and strengthen B.C.’s biomedical innovation ecosystem by advancing domestic capabilities in key areas like next-generation therapeutics, biomanufacturing and regulatory science.
“These exceptional projects will help position Canada and British Columbia as a global leader in immuno-engineering and biomanufacturing,” said Dr. Michelle Wong, executive director, CIEBH and senior director, research, UBC Faculty of Medicine. “By bringing together scientific excellence with policy and regulatory expertise, we are accelerating the pathway for life-saving treatments to move from the lab to patients and communities — ensuring those who need them can benefit more rapidly and equitably.”
Each project addresses a critical gap in Canada’s ability to respond to complex and emerging health challenges, from designing new therapies and improving delivery systems to removing policy roadblocks that delay patient access.
The four UBC projects include:
- Turning protective microbes in the human gut into new therapies to create a front-line defence against antibiotic resistance. This project is led by Dr. Carolina Tropini (School of Biomedical Engineering, Microbiology & Immunology) and Dr. Bruce Vallance (Pediatrics)
- Improving the design, testing and optimization of RNA therapies to speed up treatments for hard-to-treat diseases. This project is led by Dr. Eric Jan (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) and Dr. Sabrina Leslie (Michael Smith Labs, Physics and Astronomy).
- Accelerating the adoption of health innovations by generating tools and evidence to move discoveries into care quickly, safely and equitably. This project is led by Dr. Dean Regier (School of Population and Public Health), Dr. Deirdre Weymann (Simon Fraser University) and Dr. Tania Bubela (Simon Fraser University)
- Developing ready-made cell therapies that can be quickly scaled, deployed and made accessible to people in need. This project is led by Dr. Peter Zandstra (School of Biomedical Engineering, Michael Smith Labs) and Dr. Megan Levings (Surgery, School of Biomedical Engineering).
From hard-to-treat infections to system-wide bottlenecks, the projects tackle some of the most urgent barriers in modern health care. While each takes on a different challenge, they all aim to speed up access to more innovative, effect solutions for patients.
“These projects combine scientific excellence with a clear pathway to patient impact,” said Dr. Federica Di Palma, chief scientific officer and vice-president research and innovation at Genome BC. “They will accelerate the translation of discovery into therapies and policies that make a tangible difference in people’s lives.”
Funded by Genome BC, Michael Smith Health Research BC and federal and industry co-funders, the projects will advance CIEBH’s efforts to strengthen national capabilities in health innovation, policy and domestic biomanufacturing.
“Together with Genome BC and other partners, we are catalyzing additional investment in British Columbia’s life sciences sector,” said Dr. Bev Holmes, president and CEO at Michael Smith Health Research BC. “Through these investments, Health Research BC helps strengthen B.C.’s capacity to innovate and to respond quickly to pandemics and other public health emergencies.”
Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub is one of five national research hubs established through the integrated Canada Biomedical Research Fund and Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund. Led by UBC, CIEBH was awarded more than $140 million in federal funding last year to pursue an integrated program of biomedical research, training and infrastructure to support the development of lifesaving medical treatments and products for Canadians.
A version of this story originally appeared on the Genome BC and UBC Faculty of Medicine websites.