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A Leading research community in Nova Scotia
Halifax is home to two rapidly growing life sciences technology cluster sectors: one in marine biosciences and another in neuroscience and biomedical imaging. Together, the sectors consist of more than 50 cluster companies that benefit from $110 million a year in research investments.
Halifax's thriving marine biosciences community, which generates $250 million in sales annually, produces more than 70 percent of Atlantic Canada’s research-based products, 400 of which compete globally, and with 300 more in development. NRC’s Institute for Marine Biosciences (NRC-IMB) functions as the R&D arm for local life sciences companies and is also home to an Industry Partnership Facility (IPF), which hosts life sciences companies such as Origin BioMed, whose researchers work collaboratively with scientists at the Institute.
The city's vibrant neuroscience and biomedical imaging sector has attracted some of the world’s leading life sciences researchers to Halifax, including Dr. Donald Weaver, a world-renowned Alzheimer's researcher, neurologist, and entrepreneur who holds a Canada Research Chair in Clinical Neuroscience at Dalhousie University and is a key collaborator with NRC's Institute for Biodiagnostics (NRC-IBD Atlantic).
Commercialization and technology transfer
The cluster’s marine bioscience and neuroscience and biomedical imaging sectors both support commercialization specialists who collaborate with NRC’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP). To further support the cluster, NRC-IMB and NRC-IRAP recently hired technical business analysts to determine the precise technical intelligence needs of the community. NRC-IMB efforts are also making a substantial contribution to the global bio-economy. In fact, NRC-IMB scientists are currently exploring opportunities to create biofuels from marine algae.
At the same time, NRC-IBD (Atlantic) energetically promotes commercialization within the cluster, viewing it as the single most effective way to translate basic research into advances in clinical healthcare. The institute collaborates with companies to get their products to market and has used its technology to spin off companies.
Partnerships and collaborations
Several local organizations committed to establishing strategic partnerships—BioNova, Biopartnering Incoming Mission, and BioPort Atlantic planning committee, to name a few—receive valuable input from staff at NRC-IMB and NRC-IBD (Atlantic). As well, the institutes host annual business forums and visits companies’ sites regularly to gain a better understanding of their operations.
NRC-IBD (Atlantic) focuses on strategic collaborations within the cluster, embedding labs within Capital District Health Authority and the IWK Health Centre. Strategic collaborations have also sprung up between NRC-IMB, Capital District Health Authority and Nova Scotia Agricultural College with a view to creating stronger research partnerships.
International networks and linkages
The marine sector has established international linkages with organizations such as the Cawthron Institute in New Zealand and the Marine Institute in Ireland through NRC-IMB's toxins and marine bioactives programs. NRC-IMB’s scientific programs are focused on new product lines for local companies devoted to creating marine-based bioproducts to heal and fuel the world.
Key inroads with international research clusters have been made on behalf of the neuroscience and biomedical imaging sector. NRC-IBD (Atlantic) is partnering with Finland’s international research centre in MEG and biomedical engineering. In China, NRC-IBD (Atlantic) will work with Tianjin Medical University in the areas of MRI and related clinical trials.
Learn more about Halifax's life sciences cluster
Fact sheet available in HTML or PDF version.
Related Information
NRC Institute for Marine Biosciences (NRC-IMB)
NRC Institute for Biodiagnostics (NRC-IBD)
