Saskatoon - Plant Biotechnology, Nutraceuticals, Bio-Products

Saskatoon is among the world's most dynamic locations for innovation and commercialization of bio-based sciences. The evolution of NRC's agricultural biotechnology cluster fromsmall industrial community to major global player providing more than 1,100 local jobs is a worldleading example of how visionary thinking and careful planning can turn federally funded research into marketable products.

NRC research conducted with plants possessing medicinal and beneficial health properties.

Powerful catalyst

NRC has been a catalyst for Saskatoon's spectacular cluster growth for more than 20 years. In 1983,NRC revamped its existing Saskatoon research facility, encouraging plant-biotechnology stakeholders to use it as the cluster's hub. Since then, NRC has delivered pioneering science, sophisticated research labs, and top-notch industry support to its partners.

The research facility — the NRC Plant Biotechnology Institute — offers companies a full range of services including access to laboratory space and leading-edge genomics equipment. The facility's industry partnership program incubates businesses during the critical early years of development, ensuring they have a firm foundation of technology and business expertise.

A strong and growing cluster

Now home to more than 40 companies engaged in groundbreaking agricultural biotechnology R&D — 30 percent of Canada's activity in the field — the Saskatoon cluster is using its unique technology experience and commercialization skills to diversify into rapidly expanding markets for functional foods, nutraceuticals and industrial bioproducts.

Moreover, the cluster has nurtured North America's largest legume and cereal microbial innoculant manufacturing centres, and ranks as one of the most competitive cities in the world for food processing.Annual revenues from the cluster total nearly $60 million.

		CLUSTER FACTS AT A GLANCE
		40 Ag-biotech companies, and growing rapidly
		30 nutraceutical and functional food companies, which generate annual revenues of nearly $60 million from a global market estimated at more than $182 billion a year
		1,100 staff in cluster's privateand public-sector organizations, including 400 research and technology professionals
		Cluster accounts for 30% of Canada's Ag-biotech industry
		Saskatoon's investment in genomics alone: $120 million
		Nutraceutical market worth $172 million (Nutrition Business Journal)
		Cluster's industry partnership facility houses six tenants and provides labs for non-tenants

The cow cockle saponins (Saponaria vaccaria) are studied with a view to unlocking their medicinal and/or industrial potential.

Connecting vital players

As the nucleus of Saskatoon's cluster activities, NRC's plant biotechnology research facility has united key partners around critical common goals. For example, NRC along with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the University of Saskatchewan, Protein Oilseed Starch Corp., and AgWest Bio Inc. have mapped out a vision framework to diversify into natural health products, a potentially lucrative market for the Saskatoon cluster. Meanwhile, the NRC facility leverages its $10 million annual budget by attracting $30 million of investments from its private and public partners.

NRC employees providing technology assistance to Saskatoon Region entrepreneurs.

As these players collaborate and develop groundbreaking agricultural biotechnology products, processes and marketing strategies, the University of Saskatchewan provides a deep pool of human resources talent, much of which flows directly into Saskatoon's cluster organizations.

"Since its inception in 1983, NRC's plant biotechnology research facility has been critical to the success of the bio-economy cluster in Saskatchewan and instrumental in the development and commercialization of innovative technologies."

Dr.Ashley O'Sullivan, President and CEO of Ag-West Bio Inc.

Transforming technology into business

NRC offers strategic services to businesses that wish to take their innovations to market — easing the transition from small start-up company to bona fide industrial presence.

Thale cress (arabidopsis thaliana)

Assisting with industrial research

The NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program — aimed specifically at helping small- and medium-sized businesses develop technologies for market — contributes funding and expertise to all NRC clusters, including Saskatoon's. In recent years, the program has provided invaluable assistance to Saskatoon-based biotechnology companies: InfraReady Products Ltd., Bioriginal Food and Science Corporation and Prairie Plant Systems Inc., to name a few. In all cases,NRC's support has helped bring the companies' promising technologies closer to commercial success.

		NRC'S CLUSTER PARTNERS
		Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
		Ag-West Bio Inc.
		Dow AgroSciences Canada
		Saskatchewan Ministry of Industry and Resources
		Saskatchewan Research Council
		University of Saskatchewan
		Western Economic Diversification Canada

Increasing support

To further the success of cluster-based companies, NRC is developing a Centre for Innovation in Value-Added Plant Products. The Centre will draw on NRC's research strengths, its technology-development expertise, and full network resources to help young companies develop natural health products, functional foods, and other value-added plant products for market. In particular, the centre will provide competitive intelligence support, regulatory advice and services, networking and path-to-market advice to clients with the goal of increasing commercial success.

A NRC scientist using genomics to lay the groundwork for a new generation of canola varieties.

Supporting industry needs

To support the cluster's diversification priorities, and to increase Saskatoon's and Canada's share of a global biotechnology market estimated at more than US$182 billion, NRC's research facility has realigned its programs to focus on three key industry priorities:

• production of bio-products from plants
• production of compounds from plants that have human health benefits
• genomics research to enhance the performance and market diversity of Canadian crops

		MILESTONES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
		1983 — NRC lab commits to foster excellence in plant biotechnology R&D
		2002 — NRC secures $10 million for nutraceutical R&D
		2003 — $15.4 million industrial partnership facility opens
		2004 — Ag-biotech, nutraceutical and bio-product cluster groups amalgamate
		2005 — NRC partners with Bioriginal to complete a technologylandscape assessment for producing plant oils with specific health benefits

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

"The key for any company is to share their needs with NRC-IRAP. NRC's people have the experience and contacts to really help a company move ahead."

Mark Picard, General Manager, InfraReady Products Ltd.

http://pbi-ibp.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca