CIHR rolling out suite of programs to support new commercialization strategy

The new commercialization strategy of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is beginning to take shape with six core programs in place and at least two in development. Building on the three themes of mobilizing research, building capacity and building partnerships, the agency has created programs to achieve each objective, emphasizing CIHR’s aspiration to become an outcomes-driven organization as opposed to one organized purely around disciplines (see chart).

The drive to emphasize the outcomes of its health research funding has also led CIHR to partner with other organizations, most significantly with the Canada Foundation for Innovation in an ambitious clinical research trials program set to launch later this year (see page 1). Other organizations include Science and Engineering Research Canada (NSERC) for the creation of a network for chemical biology and the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, focusing on medical devices. Discussions with other provinces are ongoing.

“We’ve developed a strategic document for commercialization that’s part of a broader strategy for moving knowledge into the health care system,” says CIHR president Dr Alan Bernstein. “As more players get involved, we need to work more closely together.”

The most recent commercialization program to be launched is Science to Business (S2B), which aims to increase the supply of entrepreneurs with a strong background in science. Successful applicants with recent science PhDs are placed in business schools for the purposes of obtaining an MBA in the health or biotechnology stream. CIHR pays the student a salary and shares the cost of tuition with the participating institution.

“Canada lacks smart money which is people who understand science and scientists as well as business. There’s a dearth of those people and life science companies are very different,” says Bernstein. “We’re hopeful this will be a real winner.”

A second new program is commercialization management grants, which provides matching funds to recent MBA graduates to work in university and research hospital technology transfer and industry liaison offices.

“We want to instill a culture of entrepreneurial thinking,” says David Brenner, director of CIHR’s research translation programs. “We have to move with the times. We can’t stand still ... So far, I can’t think of any specific party that thinks we doing the wrong things.”

To substantially increase the number of of commercialization initiatives and their funding levels, however, CIHR says it requires additional resources.

“We’re not where we want to be yet. The demand is huge,” says Bernstein. “New health research buildings are going up all over the place because that’s what Canadians want. But it has compromised all of our programs, including our commercialization. strategy. We need to be more focused as a nation and fund to an adequate level.”

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