Recent developments strengthen city's biotech cluster.

Northwestern Ontario Technology Centre (NOTC) has been chosen to direct and develop a Regenerative Medicine and Research Institute and Tissue Bank in Thunder Bay.

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The centre, slated for development in 2005, will focus on compiling bone tissue and postnatal stem cells for the repair of damaged body structures.

The idea came from a local orthopedic surgeon, David Puskas, who was concerned about the short supply of bone tissue to replace patients' failing hips. Specialists prefer working with natural bone tissue as opposed to plastic because it is easier to graft and less expensive, Puskas says.

The idea is to generate an understanding in the field of regenerative medicine with the intention of discovering therapies for repair of damaged tissue.

There will be two phases of harvesting at the centre; one for bone tissue and the other for stem cells. The latter is expected to be their primary focus, but for now tissue donation appears to be easier to implement, Judy Sander, manager and business adviser of the NOTC says.

The first phase will involve harvesting bone tissue mostly from cadavers. With the help of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC), the tissue bank will "increase the rate of donation in the region and have it accessible to the health needs of northwestern Ontario," she says.

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Once the infrastructure is in place, experts will introduce a post-natal embryonic stem cells collection. These cells are found in the umbilical cord.

"The cord is rich with cells, so we will look at private and public banking of stem cells (as part of Phase 2)," she says. "When we surveyed women, we found they would be more than willing to donate their embryonic cells for research or other purposes as well."

Harvesters will come from the NOTC, and Sander is working on a partnership with the TBRHSC to have people collect cells from patients. She is also searching for a champion to head the not-for-profit regeneration facility.

"You really need that research champion to direct that next phase and we're hopeful with the medical school recruitment efforts, somebody who is complementary will pursue this initiative," she says.

More insight will come in late fall when funding sources like FedNor, Northern Ontario Heritage Fund and private foundations announce their decision on whether or not to support the endeavour. The project is estimated to cost approximately $1 million, including the time it takes to become self-sustaining.

Possible locations for the centre are plenty. The old cancer centre holds some merit, since it is equipped with a wet laboratory, but then there is also the college and hospital, Sander says. She is hoping to begin construction or renovation sometime in 2005.

Even though it is in the early stages of development, Sander can see potential for economic spinoffs. In the business plan, she identified companies that may be interested in some of the innovative equipment and research that will be carried out.

Genesis Genomics president Dr. Bob Thayer has already spent extensive hours in organizing the initiative and to him it seems like a natural progression of the city's growing biotechnology sector.

"The science involved is really cutting edge," Thayer says.

The people needed to do regenerative medicine and stem cells work will inevitably have an impact on his company, he says. Genesis Genomics' primary focus is on the early detection of cancer. However, it is also considered a molecular biology facility interested in general diseases. Dr. Chris Lai, a leading cardiologist in Thunder Bay, is particularly interested in the regeneration of heart muscle. Interestingly, the research done by Genesis Genomics shows the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) play a "very important role in cardiac muscle," Thayer explains.

Mitochondrial DNA is inherited directly from the mother. It is considered the power cells of the cell and works with the information from the nucleus. Any condition like cancer shows up in the mtDNA structure before it becomes harmful.

Keeping abreast of the current findings will be important to his company. Thayer says he will seek out a place on the board of directors for the Regenerative Medicine Research Institute and Tissue Bank.

By KELLY LOUISEIZE

Northern Ontario Business