Alberta is maintaining global leadership in small molecule biology by expanding genomics-based services and tools for the health sector, agriculture and animal health sector, and other bio-based industries.
Calgary – May 30, 2024 – Today, new investments into Alberta-led research facilities were announced as part Genome Canada’s support for genomics technology infrastructure at facilities and networks across Canada. These investments will enable an expanded suite of data, tools and expertise from Edmonton-based GlycoNet Integrated Services and The Metabolomics Innovation Centre. These groups provide services to a diverse clientele, spanning sectors such as food production and safety, environmental analysis, and precision health.
Genome Alberta is proud to invest in these technology platforms, together with regional partners, to expand the application of small-molecule innovation that will enable the continued growth of Alberta’s life sciences sector.
“Alberta can be very proud of these leading technology platforms, and the depth of expertise we have developed in our province, to not only support the growth of our regional bio-based industries and life sciences sector but also those right across the country.”
Dr. David Bailey, President and CEO, Genome Alberta
These exciting initiatives, with total funding of $2.45M, will provide the support for leading experts to broaden their datasets and the information available to clients, enabling these facilities to provide expanded services to existing or new clients:
Platform: GlycoNet Integrated Services (GIS)
Total funding: $1M
Glycomics is the science of glycans (sugars) in biology. In all living things, glycans are vital to biological processes. Glycans are extremely valuable across a multitude of commercial applications in health, agriculture and bio-based industries. The global market for glycomics therapeutics alone is projected to grow to US$257 billion by 2028.
GlycoNet Integrated Services (GIS) was launched with the vision of becoming the world’s leading glycomics service provider. With a recent investment of C$10.7 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation Major Science Initiatives, GIS is mobilizing Canadian glycomics tools and expertise to equip glycomics researchers and partners with the synthetic, analytical and high-throughput screening tools to undertake transformative glycomics research and innovation.
To maintain Canada’s leadership in glycomics, GIS is dedicated to continually expanding its suite of glycomics services. With Genome Canada TechDev funding, GIS will develop and expand glycomics services to include:
- A curated database of glycan-protein interactions that integrates “omics” datasets and biological interactions to enhance drug development using AI and machine learning.
- Novel imaging tools for spatial visualization of glycan structures within living tissues and cells.
- Enhanced domestic enzyme production capacity to enable glycan analysis in support of One Health objectives.
- New cell lines and animal models to acquire glycomics data directly relevant to human biology.
These services will address glycomics unmet needs, increase the number of GIS users, and industry partnerships, support the growth of Canadian glycomics companies, expand the application of glycomics to One Health, and ensure a cutting-edge biomanufacturing and life sciences sector in Canada.
Platform: The Metabolomics Innovation Centre (TMIC)
Total funding: $1.45M
The Metabolomics Innovation Centre (TMIC) was founded in 2011 and intends to position Canada as a global leader in metabolomics, the study of the small-molecule interactions that determine how living organisms interact with their environment. TMIC is proud to be Canada’s national metabolomics research and service facility, consisting of nine nodes operated by world-renowned scientists at universities in four provinces, with more than $30 million in cutting-edge analytical equipment, over 40 highly cited bioinformatics tools, and more than 59 validated metabolomics tests. Through these resources, the Centre serves clients in academia, government, and diverse industries, including sectors such as food production and safety, environmental analysis, and precision health. The need for metabolomics services, analysis, and collaborations continues to grow on a yearly basis, and TMIC is excellently positioned to support this need.
Following an in-depth assessment of future trends and with the assistance of Genome Canada’s Technology Development funding, TMIC will be developing a variety of new metabolomics tools, including ISO-compliant assays for human and animal health, expanded assays to measure environmental and dietary chemical exposures, novel assays to assess exposure to a wide variety of mycotoxins, and techniques to measure metabolites in low cell-count or even single-cell settings. These new analytic techniques will be supported by TMIC’s world-leading expertise in bioinformatics and database development, with several complementary data and bioinformatics tools being developed in coordination. With its expanded technology portfolio, TMIC will continue to be at the forefront of metabolomics innovation and fulfil its mission to serve and strengthen the metabolomics enterprise in Canada for the benefit of all Canadians.
Learn more about these projects at genomealberta.ca
In collaboration with the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) Major Science Initiative (MSI) 2023-29 competition, Genome Canada is investing in these facilities to support genomics technology infrastructure at facilities and networks across Canada to provide researchers access to leading-edge genomics technologies.
Read the Genome Canada News Release and more about the funded projects across Canada.
About Genome Alberta
Genome Alberta is working towards a better future through genomics innovation. Our mission is to promote and support genomics solutions to create value and investment opportunities through excellent science, technology and application development, collaborations, and partnerships. We work on priority areas in health, agriculture, environment & energy, and forestry, driving growth across sectors while helping to develop Alberta’s next generation of talented innovators.
For more information on Genome Alberta, please visit genomealberta.ca.
Media inquiries:
Erin Tessier
etessier@genomealberta.ca
587-643-9973
