BIOLinks
British Columbia BIO Links LifeSciences British Columbia

LifeSciences BC Leads Delegation on Premier's Mission to India



From December 3rd - 7th, Premier Campbell lead a British Columbia mission to India, and a key focus of this endeavour was our life sciences sector. LifeSciences BC was asked by the Premier's office to lead and coordinate this part of the mission.  The trip was a resounding success.  Read more.


BioPartnering North America Concludes Successfully in Vancouver

The 6th annual BioPartnering North America (BPN) conference occurred February 3rd through 5th in Vancouver, BC Canada, with more than 900 participants from over 500 companies in attendance. Seventy eight innovative companies presented at BPN this year. To see a list of this year's presenting companies, click here.

This year's event also featured the inaugural Asia Pacific Pitch, which included speakers from China, India, and Japan, and took place on February 6th, the day after BPN concluded. Read more.

British Columbia Life Sciences Sector Leads the Way in Securing Federal Research Funding -- Four New Centres of Excellence for Commercialization Established in BC

British Columbia’s life sciences research community has once again demonstrated its stature as a true national leader in the commercialization of innovation by proving to be the most successful sector and cluster in Canada at securing recent federal funding.
The February 12th announcement by the The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry saw $163 million invested towards establishing 11 new Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECRs) across the country, with a total of four of those being in British Columbia. Read more.

Industry Roundtable - Grow your R&D Program with help from the Feds

On March 18, 2008, NSERC-Pacific and LifeSciences BC partnered to present a workshop on government programs available to businesses conducting research.

Speakers from NRC-IRAP, MITACS, SR&ED and NSERC discussed how their agencies can work with companies to provide technical and other support, offset the high cost of research, and bring talented students into a company’s lab. Read more.

sanofi-aventis Biotalent Challenge 2008 -- Discovery About Macrophage Efferocytosis Wins Grade 12 Vancouver Scientist Entry to National BioTalent Challenge Student Finals

 

Vancouver, April 10, 2008

Ground-breaking research by a 17-year-old Vancouver student that examines macrophage efferocytosis (a tumor cell activity) and considers ways to prevent the potential harmful impact of the resulting apoptotic cells has earned top regional prize in the 2008 sanofi-aventis BioTalent Challenge (SABC).

Grade 12 student Janny Xuechen Ke won the top $3,000 regional prize with a study into efferocytosis and will compete for British Columbia at the national SABC competition May 6, to be judged by a panel of experts at the National Research Council, Ottawa.  The national winners were announced at a ceremony in Ottawa on May 7.  Read more.


Renaissance Fund Announced April 18, 2008 Great News for BC’s Life Sciences Community

The Province has launched the $90-million BC Renaissance Capital Fund (BCRCF), and secured six top-tier institutional venture capital fund managers to help attract market expertise and venture capital investment to B.C., announced Colin Hansen, Minister of Economic Development.


This fund is earmarked specifically for biotech and high-tech investment, and will further strengthen the local capital pool which already boasts the highest level of available seed capital in Canada due to investment into these funds being encouraged via a 30% provincial refundable tax credit. And with the federal government recently revising tax treatment of US LLCs, British Columbia’s border is now more open than ever to also welcoming foreign investment. Read more.

LifeSciences BC Welcomes Rosine Hage-Moussa to our Staff Complement

LifeSciences BC is pleased to welcome Rosine Hage-Moussa to our team as our Administrative & Member Services Coordinator, replacing Sara Johnson who will unfortunately be leaving us shortly. Rosine will be the primary LifeSciences BC contact for any administrative or membership matters.  Read more.


Three Western Economic Diversification Canada funding announcements made May 2, 2008

The Government of Canada announced a $600,000 investment in metabolomics, a $750,000 investment to be put towards the purchase of equipment for DNA sequencing and nano-fabrication for Genome BC and its partners, and a $1.9 million investment for a new Simon Fraser University research facility to be called MedChem. Read more.

Karimah Es Sabar Spoke at Pacific NorthWest LifeSciences Meeting May 6th

Burrill and Company presented The Pacific Northwest Life Sciences Meeting. This inaugural event focused on expanding the reach of the biotech industry in the Pacific Northwest.  Read more.


LifeSciences BC and Members Currently on Mission to China
May 23 - 30, 2008

As previously announced, LifeSciences BC is proud to be working with our Provincial Government and members of our academic research community through the University Presidents’ Council to lead a delegation to Beijing and Shanghai, China from May 23rd – 30th, 2008. The Beijing portion of the program is centered around Research and Innovation Week at BC-Canada House being developed in Tiananmen Square in conjunction with the 2008 & 2010 Olympic Games. Read more.


Register now for LifeSciences BC's 12th Annual Salmon BBQ
June 4, 2008

One of our most popular events, the salmon barbeque offers members of our biotech and life sciences community the chance to gather for an informal summer dinner and enjoy panoramic views of the Straight of Georgia and the mountains of Howe Sound.

This year marks the 12th anniversary of LifeSciences British Columbia's Annual Salmon BBQ, so come join us on June 4th and enjoy the extraordinary view and network with your peers. Read more.

Medical Device Seminar Series - The EU Regulatory Environment 2008
June 9, 2008
In the ever-changing world of regulatory affairs, it’s critical that companies stay up-to-the-minute on the requirements to bring a product to market. LifeSciences BC is therefore pleased to offer this event designed to provide the latest information on the regulatory environment in the EU, and review important recent changes made to it. This discussion will be led by Dr .Evangeline D. Loh, Director of Regulatory Affairs, Emergo Group, Inc. Read more.

Next LifeSciences BC Breakfast Speaking Series
June 11, 2008

Global Trends in Biotech….featuring Dr. Karen Bernstein, Co-Founder, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, BioCentury

LifeSciences British Columbia is pleased to welcome Dr. Karen Bernstein to our next Breakfast Speaking Series to provide her insights on the global issues most affecting our industry today. From the financing environment to M&A activity, regulatory issues, and emerging technologies, what are the current trends in the industry, and what impact will they have on our future? Read more and register.


BIO 2008


BIO 2008 will occur June 17-21 in San Diego. A number of events are planned around these dates.  Events are being added often, so please view the page.

India Calling Delegation

The Indian Merchants’ Chamber (IMC) in association with Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC), Canada-India Business Council (CIBC) is organizing India Calling 2008 India Canada Business Partnership Summit in Toronto from June 14-17 and in Vancouver from June 18-19.

Canada and India have much in common with well over 700,000 people of Indian descent calling Canada home... Read more.

Second BC Excels Program to get underway this summer

Four companies have registered for the 2008 BC Excels program, which gets underway this summer.  They are Perceptronix Medical Inc., Nutriloc Ingredients Corporation, iProgen Biotech and PM Devices.

The Program: BC Excels is a rigorous one-year business development mentorship program managed by LifeSciences BC for executives from emerging companies seeking to enhance their own professional development, and their company’s product plan, commercialization and intellectual property protection strategies. Read more.

The State of Illinois Visits LifeSciences BC's Breakfast Speaking Series
Life Sciences BC's last Breakfast Speaking Series on March 11, 2008, featured Michael Rosen and Rajinder Bedi.   Both speakers are largely responsible for building the biotech cluster in Illinois.

Michael S. Rosen is senior vice president of new business development for the Science + Technology Group at Forest City Enterprises, a NYSE-traded real estate development company that develops and builds bioscience parks across the U.S. Read more.

The Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy
September 10-12, 2008 - Vancouver, British Columbia



The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), a leader in industrial biotechnology is pleased to announce the third annual Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy. LifeSciences BC, along with BIOTECanada, is proud to be a co-host of this upcoming Summit.  This meeting will continue and expand the essential exchange between industry, academia and government that has been so successful at the World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing. Local supporting organizations are NRC-IRAP, Genome BC and BC Innovation Council. Read more.

BioMarine



LifeSciences BC is delighted to be a partner of the BioMarine 2008, in Toulon, France from October 20-21 and Marseille, France, from October 22-24, 2008.

BioMarine is a unique international forum that will bring together business, science, government, civil society and media to advance ocean sustainability.  This international platform for dialogue will include a large number of interactive world-class conferences, debates and a business convention. Read more.

Benefits of LifeSciences BC Membership

Don't forget that your status as a member of LifeSciences BC entitles you to upload your company's employment opportunities and press releases directly to the LSBC website. Learn more.
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