U of T proves that it’s once again ahead of the curve by hosting the launch of two major stem cell and regenerative medicine initiatives: the Ontario Stem Cell Initiative (OSCI) and the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM).

More than 400 attendees packed U of T’s MacLeod Auditorium for the announcements on June 14. The creation of the CCRM was made possible by the awarding of $15 million from the Government of Canada in December 2010, as part of its Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) competition. OSCI received infrastructure grants of $25 million from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the Ontario Research Fund (ORF).

Both organizations aim to enhance and support work in stem cell and regenerative medicine research within Ontario.

Professor Peter Zandstra (IBBME), the CCRM Chief Scientific Officer and OSCI Organizing Committee member, is proud and honoured by the role U of T – and U of T Engineering – played in creating both projects. “CCRM is built on the fundamental strengths in bioengineering and stem cell biology, [which has been] long supported by IBBME and the University of Toronto and its teaching hospitals. We are very excited to work with interested regenerative medicine researchers in Ontario to help them develop and commercialize their innovative discoveries.”

Stem cells and regenerative medicine-based therapies have the potential to alleviate suffering caused by some of the most debilitating diseases in the world, by bridging the gap between researchers and industry to ensure that innovations get from the labs to the hospitals.

The partnership between OSCI researchers and CCRM will be key in building towards breakthroughs in regenerative medicine, and translating these innovations into viable therapies.

The OSCI is a “virtual” network of 65 stem cell scientists in Ontario and represents an expansion of the Toronto Stem Cell Initiative.

For more information, visit the IBBME website.