Infectious disease expertise breeds a biomedical hub

Manitoba’s international leadership in infectious disease, medical devices and pharmaceutical research has led to the steady growth of a biomedical technology cluster in Winnipeg. About 100 life sciences-related companies and organizations generate sales of more than $400 million annually and employ 4,200 highly skilled people. A number of companies, including Biovail Corporation, IMRIS Inc., Intelligent Hospital Systems and Cangene Corporation, have met with global success.

The cluster has gained international recognition thanks to pioneering research in infectious diseases by scientists working at institutions such as the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Medicine and the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory.

Research into HIV resistance, a critical step in the development of an HIV vaccine, as well as a major antiretroviral treatment program in Kenya are among the research initiatives that have been enabled by CFI funding.