Biotechnology: A Sector Overview
It is amazing to see how far we have come since the work of early pioneers like Watson and Crick. Agricultural biotechnology today is stimulating discoveries in animal and crop production that will lead to improved animal and human health, increased resistance to both biotic and abiotic-stress in crops, and better yields and nutritional qualities in both food crops and animals destined for human consumption.
New biotechnology approaches using plants and animals as "living factories" for the production of therapeutic products, such as drugs and vaccines, and diagnostic tools, such as monoclonal antibodies, life science is helping support a huge step forward in the fight against disease and malnutrition in the developing world. Biotechnology holds the key to our future and Saskatchewan is at the forefront of agricultural biotechnology research in Canada.
Saskatoon maintains an exceptionally sophisticated infrastructure for advanced biotechnology research on the University of Saskatchewan campus and associated Innovation Place Research Park. The University of Saskatchewan, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada-Saskatoon Research Centre (AAFC-SRC); the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO); Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC); and the National Research Council – Plant Biotechnology Institute (NRC-PBI), located within this cluster, provide extensive scientific expertise, research facilities, and equipment leveraging the innovation process and creating a vision for the future of 'Saskatoon-Science City'.
Innovation Place Research Park, one of the most successful research parks in North America, develops, manages, and operates technical facilities for organizations involved in research and development. Companies located at Innovation Place annually contribute $250 - 500 million in revenue to Saskatchewan's economy.
The $173.5 million Canadian Light Source Synchrotron, located on the University of Saskatchewan campus, is a unique research facility that will stimulate the emergence of a new era of science and innovation for both academia and industry. In addition the University of Saskatchewan, with its six life-science colleges, provides a continuous flow of bright young science, business, and social science graduates to support the growth of the industry in the years to come.
The close proximity of all these organizations provides exceptional opportunities for exchange of ideas, in turn creating greater potential for positive business interaction. Ag-West Bio Inc. realizes a dynamic research community, like Saskatchewan's network of research companies and institutions, helps build the province's bio-economy and we are poised to lead the way!
(past President and CEO, Ashley O'Sullivan)
Products / Markets
Biotechnology research and development in Canada represents a very important aspect of the Canadian economy with over $1 billion dollars invested in 2001 alone. These research dollars do not only relate to an increased value to the Canadian GDP, but also to increased job opportunities. The following articles outline the national and global development of biotechnology markets and opportunities.
- CropLife International report: Managing Natural Resources Sustainably in Agriculture
- ISAAA Brief 35-2006: Executive Summary
- Canadian Life Sciences Industry Forecast, 2006
- Biotechnology in Canada: a Technology Platform for Growth
- Biotechnology in Canada: a regional view
- ISAAA Report: Global Status of Commercial Transgenic Crops 2004
- ISAAA Report: Global Status of Commercial Transgenic Crops 2003
- Life Sciences and Biotechnology: a strategy for Europe
- Global Impact of GM Crops
Technology
GM Crops: The Global Economic and Environmental Impact—The First Nine Years 1996–2004
This study examines specific global economic impacts on farm income and environmental impacts of the technology with respect to pesticide usage and greenhouse gas emissions for each of the countries where GM crops have been grown since 1996. (more)
After just nine years of commercialization, biotech crops have made a significant, positive impact on the global economy and environment, decreasing pesticide spraying and reducing the environmental footprint associated with pesticide use by 14 percent, according to a recent study. (more)
The Union of the German Academies of Science and Humanities, Commission Green Biotechnology concludeit is most unlikely the consumption of GMO food habours any health risk. (more)
Graham Brookes, PG Economics Ltd. reports GM and non-GM crops can co-exisit. (more)
Sector Information
The following reports are available online. Please click on the links to learn more.
Enterprise Saskatchewan Report (Oct. 2009): Measuring Saskatchewan's Success: Performance Indicators for Saskatchewan’s Economy (read news release | read report)
Beyond Borders: Global Biotechnology Report (2006) - Ernst & Young's annual survey of the biotechnology industry; published 2006 (for purchase: www.ey.com)
Biotech 2006 - Life Sciences: A Changing Prescription - published by life sciences merchant bank Burrill & Co.; published 2006
(for purchase www.burrillandco.com)
BioWorld State of the Industry Report 2006 - BioWorld's annual report; published 2006 (for purchase: www.bioworld.com)
Genomics and Global Health - a report from the Unversity of Toronto; published 2006 (available for downloading at: www.bvgh.org)
Growing the Nation's Biotech Sector: State Biocience Initiatives 2006 - a report from BIO and Battelle Memorial Institute.
(available for downloading at:www.bio.org/local/battelle2006/ )
Innovation or Stagnation: Challenge and Opportunity on the Critical Pat to New Medical Products - FDA report, published 2004
(available for downloading at: www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/criticalpath/)
The European Commission has launched GMO-Compass, a comprehensive online information centre created by independent scientists to help consumers develop informed opinions on genetically modified foods.
BIOTECanada's 2004 Report on the State of the Industry shows rapid expansion in the last decade. (more)
Biotechnology continued its phenomenal growth in Canada between 2001 and 2003, according to new preliminary data from the Biotechnology Use and Development Survey. (more)
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan maintains an exceptionally sophisticated infrastructure for advanced science and technology research on the University of Saskatchewan campus and associated Innovation Place Research Park. Presently, over $120 million is being invested in genomics research in Saskatoon for direct funding of research, genome-based service provision, and infrastructure such as new labs and sophisticated new equipment.