Medical devices

In the medical device industry, the path from research and innovation to device development is both complex and difficult to navigate, as regulatory requirements are more stringent, quality more critical and prices more disputed. To succeed, medical device companies must examine the entire product life-cycle and develop a focused approach to product development. Regardless of where your medical device product is in the commercialization process, NRC Medical Devices can assist you in moving your innovation to the market. Throughout our relationship, we will continue to understand your unique needs, meet your specific requirements, and deliver products and services that best address your particular problem.

We will help you maximize opportunities to bridge the gap between innovation and commercialization of products, enabling the development of products and processes that reduce variability and meet critical quality requirements with the least amount of time, resources and costs expended and generate sales for our clients.

NRC Medical Devices offers access to experts in many disciplines related to medical diagnostic technology development and commercialization. Our specialists encompass such diverse R&TD areas as biosensors/biochips, microfluidics, molecular labels and novel material architectures, medical photonics, radiofrequency (RF) coil and RF/microwave (MW) antennas and electronics, computer simulation and haptics technologies. We will help you to design and implement pre-clinical trials that will best meet your business needs.

NRC Medical Devices operates a broad spectrum of R&D facilities in Boucherville, QC, Ottawa, ON, and Winnipeg, MB.

Our Boucherville facility focuses on the development and transfer of easily-deployable medical devices, through innovations in software, materials and manufacturing. We provide an agile and business-oriented prototyping culture that effectively bridges clinical ideas to industry. Our integrated 300m2 laboratory infrastructure combines medical device development, prototyping and testing capabilities for high realism, real-time virtual simulation founded on biological tissue models and processing, components assembly and characterization of synthetic biomaterials.

Facilities include:

• Materials processing and manufacturing laboratory
• Polymer lab-on-a-chip and microfluidics laboratory
• Object-oriented software platform for interactive simulation
• Specialized equipment for developing fibre-optic based catheters
• Simulation and interactive haptics laboratory
• Soft tissue biomechanics laboratory
• Tissue-mimicking phantoms facility

Our Ottawa facility focuses on developing new chemical and biophysical tools for studying living systems. We are currently developing chemical strategies for functionalization of different surfaces as well as assays for detecting small RNAs, biomarkers for pathogens, and for proteomics applications. We have state-of-the-art facilities that include a chemistry lab, microbiology lab, and a cell biology lab. We also have access to a CARS microscopy lab, genomic and proteomics and imaging core facilities and an analytical lab for characterization.

Facilities include:

• Coherent antistokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy
• Cell culture facility
• High field NMR

Our Winnipeg facility focuses on non- or minimally invasive technologies that reduce or eliminate hospital stays, diagnose early stage disease, and allow for intervention or improved treatment. Our medical photonics team employs optical methods, such as infrared (IR), near-infrared, Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy and imaging, that can be used for in vivo medical intervention and surgery. Our radio frequency (RF) / microwave (MW) technology team provide expert medical device R&D, device compatibility and regulatory services to meet the needs of the multi-modal medical device industry. These teams also include experts in health-related IT to leverage device innovation with software for optimized visualization and analysis.

Facilities include:

• Medical photonics and optical technologies
• Fibre optic capabilities for remote sensing/detection/characterization
• Tissue sectioning, staining and pathology equipment
• RF/MW Electronics development lab equipped to support development and testing of electronic devices up to the 3GHz in the RF/MW spectrum
• Access to state-of-the art MRI systems, for MRI compatible medical device development and regulatory testing
• Computer aided engineering, design and simulation software

As solutions are translated from ideas to leading-edge technologies, Canadian medical device clients can look to the NRC Medical Devices for assistance in developing their innovative technologies and having a positive impact on the global medical device industry. If you need help finding a solution to your R&D problem, we can help! For access to our advanced scientific infrastructure or to connect with our experts in medical diagnostic technology development and commercialization, please contact: