Genome Canada aims to strengthen ties to industry with latest strategic plan

Focus on "purpose-driven" research

Genome Canada intends to place a stronger emphasis on industry input over the next five years as part of a new strategy that it hopes will convince the federal government to provide stable, multi-year funding between 2012 and 2017. A new strategic plan outlines how the not-for-profit agency will build on its first 10 years by focusing more on the "translation aspects of innovation" and funding genomics research that it more "purpose-driven".

The shift towards more of a demand-pull focus should result in higher financial contributions from industry, which currently provides about 15% of funding for Genome Canada-supported R&D. The plan calls for a doubling of industrial support through "expanded relations with industry".

"The industry share of 15% is low-to-average internationally. We can up that, but it's more the process of how we engage industry. We want to be more proactive," says Dr Pierre Meulien, Genome Canada's president and CEO. "The translational aspects are the big changes … How do you build programs to get from ‘A' to ‘B'? How do we design programs with the end-users involved?"

"We are seeking a commitment from the Government of Canada for stable, multi-year funding as a means of demonstrating to our partners, in particular the private sector, the Government's resolve to encourage the growth of its bio-economy ... We will multiply the Government's investment substantially by almost doubling the investment from others through the development of strategic partnerships."

— Genome Canada Strategic Plan

Since its inception, Genome Canada has received $915 million from the federal government to generate basic genomics research, establish technology platforms and help fund a network of six regional centres that focus on priority areas of R&D relevant to their particular jurisdictions. That funding has generated more than $1 billion in investments from other sources for a total of slightly more than $2 billion (see chart). As the costs of conducting research plummet and projects become more targeted, a shift towards applications and research translation has moved the genomics enterprise towards the social and economic realms, attracting a wider range of funders and end users.

As opportunities for research translation and applications grow, Genome Canada is expanding the number of its target sectors from five to seven. In addition to health, agriculture, environment, fisheries and forestry, it has added energy and mining. Meulien says the new sectors were present within the environmental sector but that category was considered too broad.

Canadian Genomics Enterprise:

"A highly complex, yet collaborative network of individuals and organizations consisting of those who fund research , those who conduct it, those equipped to translate discoveries into applications, and those who will use them to deliver or derive benefits for Canadians."

— Genome Canada Strategic Plan

In recent years, however, the rate of federal investment has slowed with the most recent funding delivered in one-year increments — $65 million in the 2010 Budget and $75 million in the 2011 Budget. Genome Canada would like to break with this approach with stable, multi-year funding upon which it can build.

And as genomics research moves closer to the marketplace and social uptake, the not-for-profit corporation plans to place more emphasis on ethical, legal and social (GELS) aspects of genomics research and make it a core part of a rejuvenated communications program.

The strategy also introduces the notion of a Canadian Genomics Enterprise (CGE) which Genome Canada intends to play a leadership role in cultivating and enhancing. By giving the various players in the genomics innovation community a name, it's hoped that the impact of genome science can be boosted throughout the innovation cycle. To that end, Genome Canada intends to develop new models of collaborative research and double the level of industrial support.

"After 10 years of funding, we have something very special in Canada. It's the envy of the world," says Meulien. "More industry input is a key trend in the new plan. We want to help develop more receptor capacity."

The strategic plan sets out a series of four broad objectives to realize its vision and mission. The first objective is to respond to societal needs by generating discoveries and accelerating their translation into applications. This entails:

* involving downstream experts and end-users in priority setting and program design;

* coordinating the development of programs to support end-to-end integration of research and its application;

* developing innovative models of public-private partnerships;

* fostering an entrepreneurial spirit in the scientific community;

* supporting internationally competitive large-scale science; and,

* providing leading-edge technologies to Canadian scientists.

The second objective is to attract greater investment in genomics research from a broad range of stakeholders by establishing strategic partnerships and creating programs focused on regional priorities.

The third objective is to enhance the impact of genomics by transforming know-ledge of the ethical, environmental, economic, legal and social challenges and opportunities into sound policies and practices. This will be achieved through the development of innovative models of collaborative research and enhanced accountability through engagement.

The fourth objective is to enhance the recognition of the value of genomics research by increasing stakeholder appreciation of genome science, its applications and implications by partnering with other organizations with similar goals and more effective communication.

R$