May 4, 2009 Montréal, Québec – Canadian innovators from three research-intensive institutions will showcase their technologies to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies during the Crossroad for BioTransfer conference organized by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) on Tuesday May 5, 2009. The event will be held at the NRC Biotechnology Research Institute in Montréal.
This one-day conference gives health-sector companies the opportunity to identify and invest in 40 high-impact technologies, including novel biopharmaceuticals, small-molecule therapeutics, platforms for drug discovery and process manufacturing.
"The Government of Canada is investing an historic $5.1 billion in science and technology through Budget 2009 – Canada's Economic Action Plan. This investment will contribute to the creation of a stronger, more innovative economy and a more prosperous Canada, said the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology. "We are building a competitive advantage for Canada based on excellence in science and technology, which includes the commercialization of Canadian research and development."
The technologies at this year's Crossroad for BioTransfer were developed by three premier research institutions: NRC, through the Biotechnology Research Institute (NRC-BRI) and the Institute for Biological Sciences (NRC-IBS), Montreal Excellerator, representing McGill University and the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), and Gestion Univalor, Limited Partnership, representing Université de Montréal and affiliated hospital centres.
"NRC develops, protects and transfers technologies that have the potential for profitable industrial applications, thereby maximizing the value of its work for Canada," said Dr. Michel Desrochers, Director General of the NRC Biotechnology Research Institute.
The technologies at the Crossroad for BioTransfer are the result of years of research by the three institutions, which together represent over 3,500 investigators engaged at the forefront of life-sciences research.
"The McGill University Health Centre is recognized internationally as a biomedical and health-care hospital and prolific research center" said Dr. Vassilios Papadopoulos, Director of the Research Institute of the MUHC.
"Researchers at McGill University and its affiliated hospitals and research institutes are leaders in their respective fields. It is also recognized that an important benefit of cutting-edge research can be realized when pioneering discoveries are translated into medical solutions for patients and the community at large." said Dr. Denis Thérien, Vice-Principal (Research and International Relations) at McGill University. "The Crossroad for Biotransfer provides a forum to achieve that objective."
"The Crossroad for BioTransfer is a perfect example of the high level of collaboration required between industry, government and universities in the creation of jobs and wealth from innovative research. The Université de Montreal, its affiliated hospital research centres and Univalor are proud to work with their partners in making this major event happen and are looking forward to the business opportunities it will help create." said Marc Leroux, Managing Director of Gestion Univalor, limited partnership.
The Crossroad for BioTransfer will also include keynote presentations by national and international business leaders and provides networking forums.
For more information, please visit the Crossroad for BioTransfer website at: http://www.biotransfer.ca/.
About the National Research Council of Canada
Recognized globally for research and innovation, Canada's National Research Council (NRC) is a leader in the development of an innovative, knowledge-based economy for Canada through science and technology. For more information, please visit www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca.
About the MontrealExcellerator
The Montreal Excellerator is a nonprofit partnership between the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center (RI-MUHC) and McGill University dedicated to expediting the translation of high impact medical solutions into clinical diagnostics and experimental therapies. For more information, please visit: www.muhc.ca/research/; www.mcgill.ca/research/; www.techtransfer.mcgill.ca/.
About Université de Montréal / Gestion Univalor, Limited Partnership
With two affiliated schools, a network of affiliated hospitals and close to $400 million
research budget, Université de Montréal is Canada's second most active university in research. Since 2001, Gestion Univalor's mission is to transfer to the industry the most promising research outcome from Université de Montreal. For more details, contact: info@univalor.ca.
For more information contact:
Line Béliveau
Communications Officer
NRC Biotechnology Research Institute
line.beliveau@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca
514-496-2852
Chris Chipello
Media Relations Office
McGill University
christopher.chipello@mcgill.ca
514-398-4201
