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Top stem cell scientist Yamanaka chooses Ontario

By Lincoln Kim @ MaRS
July 4, 2008
 

Embryonic stem cells
Photo by Katjaja

World-famous Japanese stem cell scientist Dr. Shinya Yamanaka could choose to work with any group or nation he desires after being named by Time magazine as responsible for the top scientific discovery in the world last year, transforming any human skin cell into stem cells.

And who has Dr. Yamanaka chosen to work with? Ontario!


Dr. Yamanaka’s research on these embryonic-like cells (called IPS cells – induced pluripotent stem cells), has taken the world by storm, altering US health care policy, sprouting national stem cell initiatives in developing nations around the world and eliminating all ethical debates surrounding stem cell treatments.

What can these pluripotent stem cells do? Well, they can transform themselves into multiple types of cells such as skin, muscle and nerve cells. This holds the promise of curing a multitude of diseases we previously thought were incurable. Research labs and companies around the world are currently testing pluripotent cells in efforts to cure blindness, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, hearing loss and even baldness.

It’s still a young industry since only a few countries have been active in stem cell research due to ethical concerns over the use of embryonic tissue as a source for stem cells. But after the remarkable findings of Dr. Yamanaka, all governments, even those previously strongly opposed to stem cell research (including the US), are considering or have already joined the global race to build this new medical industry.

In January of this year, based on Ontario’s key regenerative medicine assets (as outlined in the MaRS Regenerative Medicine Report) an idea took shape to bring Yamanaka to work with some of the province’s leading researchers.

Yamanaka’s decision should come as no surprise given the long history and expertise of our stem cell community since our discovery of the first stem cell in 1961 and a provincial government body, the Ministry of Research and Innovation, that highly supports stem cell research.

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty announced the official beginning of this Ontario-California IPS partnership on June 16, 2008, at BIO, the world’s largest meeting of biotech industry leaders from over 70 different countries: Yamanaka, from his lab at the University of California San Francisco-affiliated Gladstone Institute will assist the University of Toronto and Hospital for Sick Children to develop an IPS core facility with $1 million in seed funds from the Ministry of Research and Innovation (see Premier’s announcement, CBC News and Toronto Star coverage below).

This is a great example of key Ontario institutions joining forces to bring together world-class scientists and government funding to strengthen our regenerative medicine community.

Someday patients may not have to fly to private centres in India, Costa Rica and Thailand for US$50,000 treatment injections. We’ll be able to offer cures right at home.

It’s amazing to see an idea evolve from a vision and become reality. What will happen next? Stay tuned and watch Ontario become a global player in this exciting emerging industry.

“The future belongs to people who see possibilities before they become obvious.”

— John Sculley, Former CEO of Pepsi and Apple Computer

Read more about the beginning of this network:

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  • http://www.restrizymes.com Wayengera, Misaki

    It is amazing how the field of Regenerative Medicine (RM) is slowly but surely evolving from the ideation it was yesterday to a reality-today. Personally, I view Dr.Yamanaka’s IPS as not only the biggest breakthrough in stem cell research-which literally speaking forms the basis for manufacturing cells, tissues and organs to be used in RM, but a necessary step that overcame the many ethical controversies which surrounded and amost suffocated this area of medical research. As an African graduate of the Bioentrepreneurship program at MaRS – now working within the sub-Saharan setting, I am continually disheartened by the disinterest of people here in these new field of Medical Research. It serves but to leave me pondering: is Africa short of visionary leadership? It is, no doubt, these new frontiers of science that offer unique opportunity to finding cures to diseases such as HIV so prevalent here-I am talking Immune replacement and reconstitution. I would especially be glad if the field of Infectious diseases harnessed Yamanaka’s IPS. Could Dr Yamanaka and the Stem cell research team at UHN consider a helping hand!

Lincoln Kim @ MaRS

Lincoln Kim @ MaRS

Lincoln Kim is a member of the healthcare and life sciences team of the MaRS Venture Group. He evaluates and supports the development of technology platforms and commercial market opportunities of start up and emerging companies, facilitates collaboration among research groups and between research scientists and industry.

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