pierre meulien presentation: the innovation economy: how genomics could change your world

The Innovation Economy:How Genomics could change your world

Pierre MeulienPresident and CEO, Genome Canada

October 2013

What City Age Attendees May Be Interested In !

• The food we produce and consume- its quality, safety and identity

• The accountability we have for our own health maintenance

• Respect for the biodiversity in both rural and urban areas

• The safety and security of water supply for human consumption (environment)

• The storage and management of information especially as it regards privacy concerns and links to human rights

Food

Energy Climate

Population

WORLD POPULATION GROWTH

Biology is central to many of the challenges we are facing

If the 20th century was that of the silicon revolution…….

The 21st century will be that of BIOLOGY

2009

Main Biotechnology Fields

There are three principal ways biotechnology is applied:

1. Primary Production – Primary production includes all living natural resources, such as forests, plant crops, livestock animals, insects, fish and other marine resources

2. Health – Health applications include pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, nutraceuticals and some medical devices

3. Industry – Industrial applications cover chemicals, plastics, enzymes, mining, pulp and paper, biofuels, and environmental applications such as bioremediation to clean up polluted soils

GENOMICS

Main Biotechnology Fields

There are three principal ways biotechnology is applied:

1. Primary Production – Primary production includes all living natural resources, such as forests, plant crops, livestock animals, insects, fish and other marine resources

2. Health – Health applications include pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, nutraceuticals and some medical devices

3. Industry – Industrial applications cover chemicals, plastics, enzymes, mining, pulp and paper, biofuels, and environmental applications such as bioremediation to clean up polluted soils

If it lives on this planet…

…it has a GENOME

GENOMES are made out of DNA

DNA contains the “code of life” which can be “read”

Our ability to read this code has been revolutionized

over the past decade

11

The first human genome took 10 years and $3 Billion to decipher

Any one of several Genome Centres in Canada can now complete

the same task in 2 days for $3K

SO WHAT??

1 Story… Undiagnosed Neurodegeneration

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technologyDecember 4, 2011

Personalized Medicine

Spectrum of Genetic Contribution to Disease

Very rare single gene disorders

More common single gene disorders• CF• Hemophilia• MD• HD

Disorders with prominent genetic contribution• Childhood cancer• BRCA 1/2 Breast cancer• Some forms of autism

spectrum disorders• Adverse Drug Reactions

Genetic susceptibility to certain common diseases• Colon cancer• Certain cardiovascular

diseases• Certain forms of Alzheimer

Most common chronic diseases with many genetic factors but also major environmental factors contributing to disease onset

DNA is in all forms of life on earth

We can use DNA based tools to study Biodiversity

Building A DNA-Based ID System For All Species

Barcoding the Planet (2012)

1 - 10 11 - 100 >100

International Barcode of Life

Paul Hebert (U. of Guelph)Global DNA-based species registration system based on sequence of short mitochondrial DNA

fragment

Goal:• 5 Million Specimens

• 500,000 Species• in 5 years

• 27 Partner Nations>120 Research Groups

SO WHAT??

New York City seafood sellers don’t know a tuna from a tilapia. Close to 60% of big retail stores, and 40% of

mom-and-pop locations, sold fish that was mislabeled, a new study reveals

European horsemeat scandal turns into blame game

Ontario residents can breathe a sigh of relief. Experts just completed a random DNA check of beef burgers at Burger King, Harvey’s, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Dairy Queen and A & W.

They also looked at frozen food products, including those from Lick’s, Schneiders, Loblaws, Webers, Food Basics and M &M Meat Shops.

Everything tested at the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding, based at the University of Guelph, came back as 100 per cent beef, they reported Monday.

The Origins of Life

BEEM: Bioproducts and Enzymes from Environmental Metagenomes

Elizabeth Edwards (U. of Toronto)David Major (Geosyntec Consultants)

• Optimization of anaerobic digestion in pulp & paper mill

• Bioremediation of chlorinated solvents

ForestLumber Mill Pulp Mill

Power Plant

Chips

Energy

Cooking Liquor

Lumber, Paneling

Pulp

Biomass

Fermentation to Ethanol;

Byproduct: Lignosulfonates

Paper, Boxes, Cartons, Tissue, Diapers, Coatings,

Textiles, Food, Pharmaceuticals

Slash

Tembec Temiscaming Bio-Refinery:A model for the future bioeconomy

Bark

WW Treatment

Anaerobic Digestor

All Mill Wastewater

Methane

Sludge

Bioremediation of chlorinated solvents The Story of KB-1

Dirt in a bottle:

microcosms

Select & Enrich

Commercial production & field

application

10 years

Understand

time

Trichloroethene

• Genomic knowledge promises significant acceleration

Data Overload - Informatics

Genomics• Disruptive Technology

• Crosses all areas of the life sciences

• Will have profound impacts on:

How we view our own personal health and well-being How we produce food and ensure it’s safety How we monitor our environment and sustain precious

natural resources

• We need to introduce (integrate) these new technologies into society in a responsible way

Thank you