CANADIAN ASSET MAP FOR STEM CELL AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE This publication is also available online in HTML and .pdf formats at www.ic.gc.ca/stemcells This publication is available upon request in accessible formats. Contact: Multimedia Services Section Communications and Marketing Branch Industry Canada Room 441E, East Tower 235 Queen Street Ottawa ON K1A 0H5 Telephone: 613-995-8552 Fax: 613-954-6436 Email: [email protected] Aussi offert en français sous le titre : Carte des ressources canadiennes dans les domaines des cellules souches et de la médecine régénérative Cette publication est disponible en ligne en formats HTML et pdf à www.ic.gc.ca/cellulessouches Release Note: Published by Industry Canada, March 2012. 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Design and Pre-press production by: AN Design Communications Ottawa, ON www.an-design.ca TABLE OF CONTENTS3 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2 2 INTRODUCTION 4 2.1 Importance of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells 4 2.2 Purpose of the Asset Map 4 2.3 Description of Stem Cells 5 3 OVERVIEW OF STEM CELL AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE RESEARCH IN CANADA 7 3.1 Canada’s Global Position in Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research 7 3.2 Funding for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research 8 3.3 Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research Centres 9 3.4 Funding and Researchers by University and Province 9 4 FOCUS OF STEM CELL AND TISSUE ENGINEERING RESEARCHERS 13 4.1 Pluripotent Stem Cells 13 4.2 Tissue-Specific Stem Cells (Somatic) 14 4.3 Cancer Stem Cells 15 4.4 Tissue Engineering 15 5 DISEASES/CONDITIONS TARGETED BY STEM CELL AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE RESEARCHERS 19 5.1 Cancer 19 5.2 Neurology 19 5.3 Musculoskeletal 20 5.4 Cardiovascular 20 5.5 Metabolic Including Diabetes 20 5.6 Hematological 21 5.7 Other 21 5.8 Translational Medicine 21 6 RELEVANT SUPPORT FACILITIES 25 6.1 Biobanks 25 6.2 Other Relevant Facilities 25 7 NETWORKS 31 7.1 National and International Networks 31 7.2 Provincial Networks 31 8 KEY RESEARCHERS AND INSTITUTIONS 37 8.1 Key Researchers 37 8.2 Key Research Institutions 39 9 CONCLUSION 46 10 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 46 11 CONTACTS 47 iii CANADIAN ASSET MAP FOR STEM CELL TABLEAND REGENERATIVE OF CONTENTS MEDICINE APPENDIX 48 Appendix 1 Methodology 48 Appendix 2 Interviewees 51 Appendix 3 Lists of Canadian Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Researchers 52 3a. Researchers in Alphabetical Order 52 3b. Researchers According to Regenerative Medicine Focus 96 3c. Researchers According to Disease Focus 117 3d. Examples of Researchers Working in Translational Medicine and/or Clinical Trials 135 Appendix 4 Research Centres Listed by Province 137 Appendix 5 References and Notes 141 iv CANADIAN ASSET MAP FOR STEM CELL AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE Prepared by International BioPharma Solutions Ltd. For the Life Science Industries Branch of Industry Canada CANADIAN ASSET MAP FOR STEM CELL AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • Regenerative medicine, particularly stem (9% each) cells, has considerable potential to help in • 416 researchers (in professor, associate the treatment of numerous common and professor, or similar positions) were intractable diseases and conditions identifi ed as working in the fi eld of stem • Canada is a leader in stem cell research cells and regenerative medicine research; as these cells were fi rst discovered by 47% of these are located in Ontario, 25% Canadian scientists; however, other in Quebec, 13% in British Columbia and countries have become more and more 9% in Alberta important in this fi eld • In terms of universities, the University • 68 centres within or affi liated with 25 of Toronto (or its affi liated institutions) of Canada’s universities are associated houses by far the greatest number of with stem cell and regenerative medicine researchers (26%), followed by the research University of British Columbia (UBC) • From the sources available for this Asset (12%), the University of Ottawa, McGill Map (mainly federal government), University, and Université de Montréal more than $277.5 million was spent on • Many of the 416 researchers are stem cell and regenerative medicine extremely well regarded, with 81 research over the last fi ve years (2006/7– endowed Chairholders, 69 of whom 2010/11), with Canadian Institutes of are Canada Research Chairs (CRCs); Health Research (CIHR) and Canada 20 researchers have made signifi cant Foundation for Innovation (CFI) as the contributions to stem cell research and/or largest funders (providing 36% and 23% are particularly well funded and/or cited of funds, respectively); since the data • Th e most important research from these sources perhaps account organizations within or affi liated with for only 50%–60% of overall funding, the universities in terms of numbers approximately $460 million–$560 million of stem cell and regenerative medicine were probably spent on stem cell/ researchers and endowed Chairs are regenerative medicine research with the University of Toronto (Ontario • Th e majority (65%) of funding went to Cancer Institute, Sick Kids, McEwen Ontario (ON), particularly the University Centre, Sunnybrook), the University of of Toronto and the University of Ottawa; British Columbia (Terry Fox Laboratory), Québec (QC) received 15%, followed by Université Laval (Laboratoire British Columbia (BC) and Alberta (AB) d’organogénèse expérimentale—LOEX), 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 and the University of Ottawa (Sprott • Canada has at least 4 public or university Centre) cord blood banks, 2 stem cell line banks, • 73% of researchers work with stem and 15 other relevant tissue banks that cells of some type, while 19% work in can be accessed by its regenerative tissue engineering; others work in social medicine researchers; it also has at least sciences & humanities, bioprocessing, 3 stem cell bioprocessing/manufacturing or various stem cell technologies such facilities as well as other relevant shared as high throughput sorting/analysis or infrastructure cryopreservation • Canada’s stem cell and regenerative • Within the stem cell research area, 54% of medicine researchers are members of researchers work with tissue-specifi c stem at least 5 international, 6 national, and cells, 16% with pluripotent stem cells and numerous provincial relevant networks 10% with cancer stem cells; another 10% • Overall, Canada remains among the work with a number of stem cell types, world leaders in stem cell research. with the majority working with both tissue-specifi c and pluripotent • Of the researchers who only work with tissue-specifi c stem cells, 36% work with hematopoietic, 19% with bone marrow/ mesenchymal and 14% with neural cells • Of those who work with pluripotent stem cells, 92% work with embryonic and 20% with induced pluripotent stem cells (some researchers work with both types of pluripotent stem cells) • Within the tissue engineering fi eld, at least 65% work with both scaff olds and cells, while 27% work just with biomaterials; the focus of the other researchers was unspecifi ed • In terms of disease focus, 25% work in two or more disease areas, 24% work just on cancer, and 14% on neurological, 12% on musculoskeletal, and 10% on cardiovascular conditions • Perhaps 100 researchers (24%) are involved in the translation of stem cell research from the laboratory to the clinic, with the Stem Cell Network (SCN) so far devoting approximately $50 million to the funding of translational projects over the past 10 years 3 CANADIAN ASSET MAP FOR STEM CELL AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE INTRODUCTION 2.1 Importance of Regenerative in wound healing. However, these clinical Medicine and Stem Cell uses represent just a small fraction of the Regenerative medicine involves the renewal opportunities in regenerative medicine of body tissues or the restoration of organ and researchers are working furiously to and tissue function through the use of understand the role stem cells may play living cells, particularly stem cells. Stem in other diseases, and to translate these cells off er a particularly rich source of findings into the clinic. regenerative technologies as, under the right conditions, they can diff erentiate To be clinically effective, stem cells need into many diff erent cell types (see below). to be delivered to and integrate with the Th ey have considerable potential to help relevant body site.