New Genome Quebec president sees rare window of opportunity for Canada to increase impact of genomics research

Marc Lepage says he's pleasantly surprised at the progress Canadian genomics researchers have made and amazed at the rapid evolution of the science from basic research towards real-world applications. Returning to Canada after working in the US for the Canadian government for the past six and a half years, the newly appointed president and CEO of Genome Quebec says his organization — as one of the country's largest regional genome centres — is well-positioned to take advantage of the latest Genome Canada competition focused on personalized medicine (see page 1).

Lepage is one of Canada's most experienced administrators in genomics and health research, having worked in senior positions at the Medical Research Council, its successor the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Genome Canada. As the latter agency's executive VP corporate development, he was responsible for partnerships, policy development and industry engagement before departing for the US in 2005. He says the time is ripe for Canada to increase its support for genomics research to capitalize on critical mass and Canada's relatively stable financial situation compared to competing nations.

"The research has matured and has enough appeal to other stakeholders to invest but we still need to have the capability to invest in cutting edge stuff," says Lepage. "My job at Genome Quebec will be to build out external partnerships. With the current austerity, other countries will likely lessen funding. We're in better shape so it's a good opportunity to move ahead and re-position ourselves. Now is the best time for Canada to take advantage of this. It's a real window."

Since the federal government's re-entry into genomics research in 2000, there has been remarkable progress in the field. Advances in computing have driven down sequencing and other costs, and non-health sectors (agriculture, forestry, environment, fisheries and even energy) grew in prominence. Lepage says that when Genome Canada was created 12 years ago, brain drain was a central preoccupation, the regional centres did few projects outside of those funded by the national organization and virtually all funding was devoted to basic research. He recalls the acrimonious debate within the genomics research community when it was suggested that 10% of funding be allocated to applied activities. With the most recent Genome Canada competition on personalized medicine, the application criteria is evenly split on the science and business applications.

"In 10 years there's been an amazing evolution. The relationship between Genome Canada and the regional centres has become decentralized reflecting the input of the stakeholders," says Lepage. "Each centre has evolved differently according to the strengths of the science and the business strengths of the regions. In Quebec, the government has provided $26 million over three years (2010-2013) for platforms and upcoming competitions. We've received $200 million from the province to date."

Another evolution in genomics research has been the emergence of large centralized genome technology platforms or centres. They represent a major cultural change from the traditional research model in which each researcher had his own lab and equipment, allowing for economies of scale and expansion into the international sphere.

As an example, the McGill University and Genome Quebec Innovation Centre employs about 80 people and provides large-scale genomics and proteomics services focused on sequencing, genotyping, functional genomics and unique expertise in bioinformatics. Of its 700 external clients, 60% are Canadian and 40% international.

Already, there have been some big economic wins in the Canadian genomics sector. Genome Quebec-funded researcher Dr Michael Bergeron of Laval Univ developed the first rapid, real-time tests for detecting certain disease-causing microbes. He created a company around the diagnostic kits (Infectio Diagnostic Inc) which was sold to Becton Dickinson & Co, Franklin Lakes NJ, in 2006. The firm promptly established a manufacturing plant in Quebec City which employs more than 350 people.

Lepage credits the late Dr Michael Smith for pushing the concept of centralizing the sophisticated equipment required for genomics research. The Nobel Prize winning researcher and early proponent of Genome Canada pushed for an expansion of Genome Canada's focus beyond human health and advocated for the concentration of heavy equipment in key locations for use by the research community at large.

"Michael Smith pushed this model to get costs down and quality up. It was theory at the time but now it's practice," he says. "It was not always clear it would work out this well."

For Genome Quebec, the new national competition for genomics projects in the area of personalized medicine is an opportunity to make significant gains. This has long been a priority and research strength among the province's genomics research community and has attracted considerable external funding. The last major Genome Canada competition targeting the forestry, agriculture and health sectors played to the strengths of Genome British Columbia, which took six of the 16 projects in the $58-million competition. For the latest $67.5-million competition, Genome Quebec is ideally positioned to contribute strong project proposals.

"With personalized medicine, we have more assets and mature teams so there's a higher likelihood of success," says Lepage. "This is where the world is going and we want Canada to be in the lead. It bridges the gap between the lab and the clinic and the competition criteria gives equal weight to the science and the business plan."

Many of the trends and advances Lepage has observed since his return to Canada and the genomics field are encapsulated in the new Genome Canada strategic plan, which forms the basis of its request to government in the forthcoming Budget (R$, January 20/12).

With its emphasis on "purpose driven" research and a powerful argument in favour of stable, multi-year funding, Lepage says the government is in a position to propel Canada further into the international arena of genomics research.

"It's really important. We're in high tech and it lives on risk capital. And like in venture capital, there has to be a lead investor. For genomics, that's Genome Canada," says Lepage. "It still takes five or 10 years for a project's research to mature and national leadership must continue."

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