Building on Canada’s Strengths in Regenerative Medicine

Summary

Regenerative medicine has the potential to transform healthcare by treating previously incurable chronic diseases and genetic disorders. Since the discovery of stem cells in the early 1960s by Canadian scientists Drs. James Till and Ernest McCulloch, significant advancements in regenerative medicine have followed, many by Canadian researchers and practitioners. With these advancements in regenerative medicine, and other countries investing heavily in stem cell science, it is vital for Canada to take stock of the field and better understand the current state of regenerative medicine science in the country. Recognizing this need, the Minister of Science, on behalf of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, asked the CCA to identify the key opportunities and challenges associated with regenerative medicine in Canada.

Key Findings

Building on Canada’s Strengths in Regenerative Medicine, provides an overview of the strengths and weaknesses in regenerative medicine in Canada, and identifies key opportunities for success in the field. It is intended to contribute to a national dialogue and serve as a tool to help inform policy decisions related to advancing the field of regenerative medicine in Canada.

The report confirms that the field of regenerative medicine continues to be strong in Canada. Canadian research is both of high quality and highly cited, and it is the collaborative culture, enhanced by national networks that keeps Canada leading in the field. Maintaining Canada’s leadership position in regenerative medicine requires ongoing efforts including continued stable and strategic investment in researchers, collaborative networks, and infrastructure.

The report identifies several opportunities to strengthen the regenerative medicine community in Canada. Opportunities identified as particularly promising focus on:

• formalizing the coordination among regenerative medicine initiatives and key players to speak with one voice on common priorities;
• establishing long-term and stable support for current networks, including those focused on commercialization, to help address the so-called “valley of death” that exists when translating research discoveries to clinical and industry settings;
• enhancing coordination and alignment between the federal regulatory system and provincial healthcare systems; and
• supporting existing manufacturing infrastructure and growing the regenerative medicine industry in Canada to provide jobs for highly-skilled personnel while also benefiting the Canadian economy.

The workshop participants also considered several specific opportunities such as:

• enhancing coordination of Canada’s regenerative medicine clinical trial sites to enable sharing of best practices related to funding, design, and recruitment;
• continued support for cross-training programs to ensure future generations of Canadian researchers have wide-ranging skills suited to the multidisciplinary nature of regenerative medicine;
• new incentives that encourage partnerships between research institutions and industry; and
• increasing efforts related to public engagement and outreach.

Figure 1.2: Major Canadian Discoveries in Stem Cell Science