McMaster welcomes MPs to Hamilton for life sciences roundtable and facility tours
(From left to right) Matthew Miller, David Farrar, Filomena Tassi, John Valliant, François-Philippe Champagne, Karina Gould, Andy Knights, and David Latulippe. (Photos by Georgia Kirkos/McMaster University)
McMaster researchers recently met with several federal officials who visited Hamilton to learn more about the university’s growing life sciences ecosystem.
The roundtable, held June 6 at McMaster Innovation Park (MIP), was a forum for discussion on pandemic preparedness, radiopharmaceuticals, and biomanufacturing, and highlighted the role that McMaster’s research plays in advancing and diversifying the local and national economy.
The visit included members of parliament (MPs) François-Philippe Champagne, minister of Innovation, Science and Industry; Filomena Tassi, minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario; and Karina Gould, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.
The trio was welcomed to McMaster by President & Vice-Chancellor David Farrar and Acting Vice-President, Research Andy Knights.
“We’ve seen the benefits of early and ongoing federal investments in helping to drive commercialization, create companies, and ultimately improve the lives of Canadians,” says Knights, who moderated the event. “This visit was an opportunity to continue important dialogue about government-supported research and the amazing life sciences work currently underway at McMaster.”
Farrar and Knights were joined at the table by McMaster researchers John Valliant (Chemistry & Chemical Biology), Matthew Miller (Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences), and David Latulippe (Chemical Engineering), who together discussed how federal investments have impacted their own research programs.
Miller, who highlighted McMaster’s recent success in establishing a federally funded biomanufacturing hub in partnership with the University of Ottawa, says that the meeting was a great showcase of the people, infrastructure, and ideas that the government has invested in.
“This meeting was an opportunity for McMaster to demonstrate how federal investments in research, training, and infrastructure are being leveraged to create strong academic-industry partnerships that are leading to new health innovations,” says Miller, Executive Director of McMaster’s Global Nexus. “Deepening our relationship with government, public health, and industry partners is critical as we work together to ensure that Canada has a world-leading life sciences ecosystem, which will create high-paying jobs and directly benefit the health of all Canadians.”
The visit also included tours of the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC) and OmniaBio, both located at MIP.
