PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND SPECIAL REPORT The bridge simulator at Holland College’s Marine Training Centre in Summerside, P.E.I. ‘Parva Sub Ingenti’ – the small under the great, Prince Edward Island’s Home official motto is getting turned upside down when you look at the great (and innovative) things happening schooled at the smallest province’s two higher education institutions. When it comes to higher The University of Prince Edward Island is punching education, P.E.I. has a lot to offer well above its weight when it comes to moving technology developed at the university out into the wider world. Seven years ago, it established Three Oaks Innovations, By Carol Dobson Inc. (TOI) — a not-for-profit corporation established to assist researchers in transforming their innovative ideas into commercial products, business opportunities, and public knowledge. One of the most recent exciting developments is a licensing agreement between UPEI and Atlanta Georgia- based Carmel Biosciences to develop a co-drug that has anti-inflammatory properties. Online extras: atlanticbusinessmagazine.com | 103 and working on more advanced products, numbering as high as UPEI 300 already. Sophie Theriault, the director of technology transfer at Three Oaks Innovations Inc., says that UPEI has received 16 Atlantic Innovation Fund grants since its inception – four have been completed. The technologies that have been created include a community-based digital sign network, a data repository development and management company, and development of therapeutic agents from marine compounds. In fact, UPEI ranks number three in terms of Atlantic Innovation Fund projects at regional universities. “We’re now starting on a new project that will examine literacy in the workplace,” Theriault says. “It’s more than just studying if employees can read or write, it’s looking into aspects such as computer literacy – if you have an advertising agency, do they (employees) have the skills required to use your Macs?” The Island’s other higher education institution, Holland College, is also creating and innovating in a myriad of ways. “One of our better kept secrets is our new School of Performing Arts,” says Michael O’Grady, Holland College’s vice (Above) Dr. Tarek Saleh, professor and chair of Biomedical Sciences at UPEI’s Atlantic Veterinary In an October 2011 news release, Three president of innovation, enterprise and College and CEO of BioVOS, photographed with lab Oaks Innovations announced that, “This strategic development. “We’ve established technician Ashley Patriquen. BioVOS is a contract novel compound is derived from naturally it in collaboration with the Confederation research organization for the pharmaceutical industry with exclusive access to more than 100 research models occurring products with proven safety Centre of the Arts and the first students and techniques, partly developed at UPEI. and efficacy in humans.” entered the program in September. We (Below) Dr. Russ Kerr, Canada research chair in Marine Dr. Tarek Saleh, chair of Biomedical had a really proud moment in December Natural Products and CEO of Nautilus Biosciences Inc. Sciences at UPEI’s Atlantic Veterinary when we had 21 students involved in a Dr. Kerr derives pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical College, said: “We’ve bonded them production of The Sound of Music on the compounds from the marine environment. chemically and created a unique Centre’s main stage.” compound. This new compound shows Prince Edward Island has always been great potential as an anti-inflammatory known for the quality of its music and this for use in neurological disorders such as new program gives talented Islanders the multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease opportunity to stay at home and develop and stroke.” their skills in terms of the performing Dr. Saleh developed the new compound, arts. O’Grady says the College is pleased patent-pending under the name UPEI- to be able to fill that particular niche. It’s 100, with Dr. Bobby Khan, a physician held at both the Charlottetown Centre and and investigator at the Atlanta Vascular the Confederation Centre, and at the end, Research Foundation and a past visiting the students receive a certificate from the Fulbright Scholar to UPEI. Performing Arts Foundation. While this drug is about 10-15 years away And, if these students, or students from being on the market, the researchers in other programs offered by Holland are excited about its potential to delay the College, want to further their education after-effects of a stroke for up to 24 hours off Island, Holland College has more than after it has occurred. The agreement with 150 articulation agreements in place in the Carmel Biosciences will take the drug United Kingdom, Switzerland, the United through the next steps of clinical testing States, and across Canada where their required before it can be available on the credits can be transferred to continue into market. UPEI 100 is just a stepping stone a degree track program. – the university is already forging ahead While the performing arts program is 104 | ATLANTIC BUSINESS MAGAZINE | March/April 2012 a visible manifestation of Holland College, million Centre for Applied Science and there’s another program that’s more in the Technology. Next in line is construction of background – Canada’s Smartest Kitchen. the Centre for Community Engagement, It’s part of the college’s highly successful expansion of Glendenning Hall, reno- culinary program and is geared towards the vation of the Charlottetown Centre (the work that goes into developing and creating old Prince of Wales College building), and food products. the creation of more green space. Like the roots of the oak trees on the In Summerside, Holland College province’s shield, O’Grady says that Holland is undertaking a $9.4-million trans- College has touched an incredible number formation of the old Waterfront of Islanders and Island residents. “We Mall, adjacent to the college’s Marine estimate that one-third of the labour force Training Centre which is attended by on the Island has some type of training approximately 1,000 students annually. connection to Holland College. We’ve Following completion of the year-long touched most families on the Island.” renovation project, another 230 students That connection is not only through will take part in Holland College training the College’s full-time and continuing programs in Summerside. Students from the Holland College School of Performing education students, it’s also through the In addition to the investments in Arts, a partnership with Confederation Centre of the Arts, successful athletics programs connected bricks and mortar, Holland College in the Christmas production of The Sound of Music. to the College. “Our varsity program is not is particularly successful in attracting that old, but we’re already producing some students from off-Island to its programs. regional champions and medallists at the From tuition to housing, each of these national level in soccer, football, and golf,” students spends approximately $11,000 on he says. “And the community comes out to the Island annually. support these teams.” “We are so lucky here on Prince Edward The face of Holland College is also Island to have two institutions like Holland changing. The Prince of Wales campus is College and UPEI,” O’Grady says. “We undergoing changes which will revitalize work together really well and there are some the landscape of Charlottetown’s east end. really interesting learning opportunities Phase one was the completion of the $17 here on the Island.” | ABM Prince Edward Island, Canada Online extras: atlanticbusinessmagazine.com | 105.