Boosting B.C.’s health emergency readiness, life-sciences jobs

Press Release

Dec. 15, 2025

VANCOUVER –

Summary:

Government provides $33 million to support research infrastructure at Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub at the University of British Columbia
Aims to establish 100-day start-to-finish drug development for future pandemics, other urgent health challenges
Strengthens B.C.’s life-sciences sector through skills training, research and innovation, as part of B.C.’s Look West economic and jobs plan

As part of Look West’s goal to boost B.C.’s life-sciences and biomanufacturing capabilities and economic potential, the Province is enhancing B.C.’s and Canada’s readiness for future pandemics and ability to develop and manufacture treatments domestically, while creating new jobs.

“B.C. is home to the fastest-growing life-sciences sector in Canada, thanks to our world-class work force and business leaders,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth. “With unprecedented uncertainty and disregard for science and scientific expertise from our neighbours in the United States, it’s vital that we double down on investing in Canadian research and infrastructure that allow us to develop, test and commercialize life-saving technologies right here in B.C. It’s part of our Look West economic plan to drive growth and deliver innovative solutions at home and around the world.”

The Government of B.C. is providing $33 million for research equipment and facilities for Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub (CIEBH), a national initiative led by the University of British Columbia that aims to establish 100-day, start-to-finish drug development in B.C. for Canada. The investment supports three projects led by UBC researchers, and one led by researchers at Simon Fraser University (SFU).

Building on B.C.’s Life Sciences and Biomanufacturing Strategy, this investment will bring cutting-edge research infrastructure for drug-development capabilities and training to British Columbia, which is critical to creating the next generation of B.C. life-sciences entrepreneurs and companies. The hub is expected to attract and train top talent and provide local businesses with more opportunities to collaborate with academia, expand their operations, innovate and compete on a global scale.

The announcement was made as UBC broke ground on a new building, The Edge, that will house the advanced therapeutics manufacturing facility (ATMF), one of four funded projects. Researchers and biotech start-ups will use the facility to develop, manufacture and commercialize treatments for a range of health conditions, from infectious diseases to cancer and autoimmune disorders.

“The ATMF will provide UBC students like me the unique opportunity to see our research through, from the first findings all the way to clinical-grade manufacturing, ensuring our ideas can grow right here in B.C. and help people in local communities,” said Dana Lao, a master’s student at the UBC faculty of medicine who is developing cell therapies that could improve bone-marrow-transplant outcomes and treat conditions like type-1 diabetes. “This hands-on training in biomanufacturing will prepare us to lead the future of B.C.’s life-sciences sector and to develop cutting-edge therapies for people here at home and across the globe.”

CIEBH is a consortium of more than 50 academic, industry, not-for-profit and health-system partners that aims to accelerate drug development through advanced research, talent development, biomanufacturing for clinical trials, and commercialization of treatments in Canada.

Supporting innovation

The Province’s $33-million investment leverages $140 million from the federal government and more than $22 million from other sources, bringing total funding for CIEBH projects to $195 million.

The provincial investment includes more than $22 million to help build the ATMF, the first of its kind in Western Canada. The 2,300-square-metre facility fills a critical gap in Canada’s ability to develop, test and manufacture life-saving medicines here at home.

The ATMF project is co-led by Megan Levings, professor of surgery and biomedical engineering at UBC, and Robert Holt, professor of molecular biology and biochemistry at SFU, and professor of medical genetics at UBC.

“The ATMF will give researchers and biotech startups the ability to manufacture advanced, clinical-grade therapies right here in B.C., instead of sending promising discoveries out of the province,” Levings said. “That means keeping more Canadian science in Canada, powering up B.C.’s life-sciences sector with discoveries, skilled talent, new companies and jobs, while also accelerating translation from the lab to clinic so patients have access to life-saving treatments.”

Additional CIEBH projects

The remaining provincial funding for CIEBH projects includes:

$3.45 million to equip the facilities of AVENGER project, helping researchers at UBC and SFU develop a flexible vaccine library that can be adapted to fight future pandemics and diseases. The lead researchers are Pieter Cullis and Anna Blakney.
$6.87 million to equip the facilities for the PROGENITER project and support teams at UBC and SFU to use advanced imaging and AI to create ready-to-use antibody treatments for viruses like COVID-19 and bird flu. The lead researcher is Sriram Subramaniam.
$423,000 for SFU’s Bridge Research Consortium, which brings together experts from across Canada to study how to build public trust in vaccines and immune-supporting innovations.

Each of the projects include skills-training components that will help strengthen B.C.’s life-sciences and biomanufacturing workforce.

“Health care is expected to create nearly 200,000 job openings over the next decade, and this investment helps make sure people in B.C. are ready to fill them,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “By developing and producing new medicines right here at home, we can get treatments to patients faster, be better prepared for future health emergencies and create good jobs for people in our communities. This is about building a stronger, safer and healthier future for everyone in British Columbia.”

More funding for research projects

Funding for the CIEBH projects is part of the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF), the Province’s primary source for capital investment in research infrastructure.

The Province is also providing an additional $15.3 million to support 71 other research projects at UBC and UBC Okanagan in areas including life sciences, clean tech, natural resources and agrifoods.

This work is part of the Province’s Look West plan for jobs and industry, which outlines B.C.’s vision to deliver jobs and opportunities by strengthening the workforce to develop a more independent economy. This includes delivering major projects quicker, diversifying markets and growing targeted sectors, such as technology, aerospace, marine, AI and quantum, life sciences, agriculture and construction innovation.

Quick Facts:

The BCKDF, established in 1998, is the B.C. government’s primary investment in research infrastructure in the province.
Since 2017, the BCKDF has awarded almost $300 million for 541 projects.
Funding is available for research equipment and facilities at public post-secondary institutions and their affiliated research hospitals and non-profit organizations.

Learn More:

To learn more about the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/technology-innovation/bckdf
To learn more about B.C.’s Life Science and Biomanufacturing Strategy visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/initiatives-plans-strategies/technology-industry/life-sciences-biomanufacturing/bc_life_sciences_biomanufacturing_strategy_final_april_2023.pdf
To read more about the Look West: Jobs and Prosperity for a Stronger B.C. and Canada strategy, visit: https://gov.bc.ca/LookWest
Learn about the other ways the Province is building a stronger B.C. economy here: https://gov.bc.ca/StrongEconomy
Learn about the historic investment in skills training: https://news.gov.bc.ca/33029
To learn more about the CIEBH, visit: https://immunoengineeringhub.ca/
To learn more about UBC research, visit: https://research.ubc.ca
To learn more about SFU research, visit:  https://www.sfu.ca/research

Two backgrounders follow.

Contacts:
Ministry of Jobs and Economic Growth
Media Relations
250-880-5179

Brett Goldhawk
Faculty of Medicine
University of British Columbia
778-952-7858

Will Henderson
Simon Fraser University
604-368-2532

BACKGROUNDER 1

What people are saying about expanded life-sciences, drug-development funding

Benoit-Antoine Bacon, president and vice-chancellor, UBC –

“This important investment in Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub builds on UBC’s global strength in life sciences and ensures that health-research breakthroughs made in B.C. can be developed, manufactured, and delivered to improve lives here and around the world. UBC is grateful to the Government of British Columbia for its partnership and critical support of research and innovation infrastructure. The funded projects, spanning fields from life sciences and clean tech to artificial intelligence and natural resources, will strengthen B.C.’s leadership in discovery and talent development across disciplines.”

Joy Johnson, president and vice-chancellor, Simon Fraser University –

“SFU is proud to contribute to made-in-B.C. innovations and the province’s growing life-sciences sector through Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub. We are committed to research for real impact and making a difference for B.C. through collaboration with academia, industry and community partners as we strive to help create healthier, more resilient communities in B.C. and beyond.”

Kelley Lee, professor, Canada Research chair Tier I in Global Health Governance –

“The Bridge Research Consortium is grateful to receive this generous funding to support social innovation that brings together diverse perspectives spanning science, industry, government and communities, including vital work that strengthens public understanding and equitable access to vaccines.”

Wendy Hurlburt, president and CEO, Life Sciences British Columbia –

“This investment strengthens B.C.’s position as a global life-sciences leader and reinforces our capacity to innovate, manufacture and deliver health solutions here at home. The CIEBH is an important investment for our province, supporting health security, driving economic growth and developing a skilled workforce that creates high-value jobs for British Columbians.”

Lesley Cormack, principal and deputy vice-chancellor, UBC Okanagan –

“From projects in critical minerals to affordable housing, health and beyond, these investments in research infrastructure at UBC Okanagan are essential to strengthening innovation in the B.C. Interior and supporting economic growth and diversification in this region of the province. I want to reiterate our gratitude to the government of B.C. for its crucial support and investments through the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund.”

Contacts:

Ministry of Jobs and Economic Growth
Media Relations
250-880-5179

Brett Goldhawk
Faculty of Medicine
University of British Columbia
778-952-7858

Will Henderson
Simon Fraser University
604-368-2532

BACKGROUNDER 2

Additional UBC research projects supported by the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund

Total UBC funding: $13,694,497

A platform for integrative analysis of single-cell genomics data to study tissue biology and diseases
$125,000 (researcher: Jiarui Ding)
Hydrogel-based adhesive artificial mucosa (HAAM): a novel versatile platform for cancer therapy and prevention
$150,000 (researcher: Zu-hua Gao)
Laboratory for Experimental Evolution of Pathogens (LEEP)
$405,000 (researcher: Kayla King)
Quantum Computation and Networks with Spins
$560,000 (researcher: Joseph Salfi)
Plant Diversity, Adaptation and Bioengineering (PDAB) lab
$200,000 (researcher: Marco Todesco)
Stormwater infrastructure for treatment of emerging trace organic contaminants
$118,109 (researcher: Rachel Scholes)
Microbial and Chemical Contaminant Removal in Decentralised Water Treatment Systems
$125,652 (researcher: Sara Beck)
Development of the spinal cord injury connectomics laboratory
$150,000 (researcher: Brett Hilton)
Dissecting the genomic impact of transposable element with the High-throughput Genome Conflict Lab
$180,000 (researcher: Kevin Wei)
Building a Decentralized Future with Foundation Models: Continual Learning and Monitoring at the Edge
$375,000 (researcher: Xiaoxiao Li)
Coastal Wetland Ecology and Restoration
$144,579 (researcher: Alex Moore)
Facility for the study of People-Predator-Prey Interactions (P3I)
$150,000 (researcher: Kaitlyn Gaynor)
Transforming Heart Failure: Integrated Network Redesigned for Improved Outcomes (TOHFINO): An AI-Empowered Paradigm
$400,000 (researcher: Teresa S.M. Tsang)
Pulsars and Gravitational Waves: A New Window to the Extreme Universe
$750,000 (researcher: Ingrid Stairs)
Indigenous Relationships with Land and Ecosystem Health
$125,000 (researcher: Warren Cardinal-McTeague)
Encouraging Peers’ Social Inclusion of Children with ADHD
$36,361 (researcher: Amori Mikami)
Mechanisms of viral replication organelle biogenesis
$294,713 (researcher: Selena Sagan)
Psychology, Health, and Sexuality Laboratory (PHaSe Lab)
$103,640 (researcher: Katrina Bouchard)
Overcoming Therapy Resistance in Leukemia
$700,000 (researcher: Aly Karsan)
Tissue microprocessing platform: Technologies to unravel heterogeneous interactions in Cancer
$380,000 (researcher: Govind Kaigala)
Computational Sensorimotor Learning (CSL) Lab
$102,518 (researcher: Hyosub Kim)
Functional Food Colloids Laboratory
$147,884 (researcher: Vassilis Kontogiorgos)
Advanced RNA Translatome Profiling Facility to Identify Therapeutic Targets and Biomarkers for Prostate Cancer (ART-PC)
$120,376 (researcher: Syam Somasekharan)
Single cell analysis of chromosomal instability in cancer using machine learning
$147,374 (researcher: Adi Steif)
Advancing Redox Flow Battery Technology and Electrochemical Carbon Capture: A Parallel Development Approach
$150,000 (researcher: Kiana Amini)
Identifying Disease Drivers of Lethal Brain Cancer
$150,000 (researcher: Carol Chen)
Microscopy Suite for High-Throughput and High-Resolution Analysis of Microbe-Interfacing Nanomaterials
$320,000 (researcher: Joel Finbloom)
Advancing DNA-based Nanoswitches Using Single Molecule Fluorescence Methods: Towards Precision Detection and Delivery
$150,000 (researcher: Amani Hariri)
An Autonomous Robotic Platform for Process Chemical Manufacturing and Development
$400,000 (researcher: Jason Hein)
Preparation and Characterization of Advanced Materials for Optoelectronics
$146,000 (researcher: Zachary Hudson)
Safe cooperation and co-existence for multi-agent robotic systems
$144,264 (researcher: Dominic Liao-McPherson)
Nutrition and Microbiome Precision (N&M Precision) Health Lab
$150,000 (researcher: Genelle Lunken)
Implantable smart biomaterials and sensors
$136,912 (researcher: Dena Shahriari)
Enhancing Reproductive Population Health Research Through Novel Database Development: Building Big Data Infrastructure
$150,000 (researcher: Laura Schummers)
Engineering Solar-Driven Industrial Chemical Processes for the Net Zero Economy
$147,214 (researcher: Alexandra Tavasoli)
Synthesis, Simulation, and Validation of an Advanced Macro-Mini Robotic System
$128,914 (researcher: Kefei Wen)
Advanced Raman and optical imaging platforms for agrifood safety and sustainability
$150,000 (researcher: Tianxi Yang)
Hardware and Storage for Natural Language Processing Research with Large Language Models
$116,459 (researcher: Vered Shwartz)
Multispecies Archaeology Laboratory (MSAL)
$150,000 (researcher: Aleksa Alaica)
Stable isotope laboratory for carbon cycle and climate research
$400,000 (researcher: Hal Bradbury)
High-resolution, low-irradiation in vivo micro-CT scanner
$200,000 (researcher: Daniel Graf)
Developing laminated engineered wood products using recycled wood
$150,000 (researcher: Minghao Li)
Multi-omic Analysis of Treatment Resistance and Cancer Heterogeneity (MATCH)
$600,000 (researcher: Marco Marra)
Immune Suppression-Free Xenotransplantation
$137,398 (researcher: Graziano Oldani)
Tackling Antibiotic Resistance Generation and Establishing Test Surveillance for TB (TARGETS for TB)
$320,000 (researcher: Jim Sun)
Facility for Neurology Fluid Biomarker Innovation
$300,000 (researcher: Cheryl Wellington)
Establishing the Fire Resilience and Wood Ignition Safety Evaluation (FIREWISE) Laboratory
$151,422 (researcher: Felix Wiesner)
Computational social science at SLIME-Lab
$27,464 (researcher: Jian Zhu)
Deciphering the mechanisms of organelle-specific lipid homeostasis
$300,000 (researcher: Arun John Peter)
The role of GPCRs in Alzheimer’s disease pathophysiology
$139,955 (researcher: Khlaed Abdelrahman)
Relational Restoration After Climate Event Unit
$136,102 (researcher: Jennifer Grenz)
Advanced infrastructure for studying greenhouse gas cycling in under-represented Arctic-boreal ecosystems
$150,000 (researcher: McKenzie Kuhn)
Enzyme Evolution for Food, Fuel, and Feedstock
$160,000 (researcher: Jaya Joshi)
High-Performance Computing Infrastructure for Exoplanet Discovery and Demographics
$88,000 (researcher: Michelle Kunimoto)
Cumulative effects of Climate Change, Anthropogenic and Natural Disturbances on forest Ecosystem Services (CCCANDiES)
$139,510 (researcher: Gregory Paradis)
The Lipid Nanoparticle-Enabled Gene Delivery (LEGenD) lab: A frontier for next generation nanomedicine
$353,668 (researcher: Miffy Hok Yan Cheng)
Foundational Infrastructure for Marine Robotics
$149,623 (researcher: Adrien Dejardins)
Infrastructure for innovative building materials and systems toward zero carbon buildings
$150,000 (researcher: Haibo Feng)
Fire Fungi Ecology & Genetics Lab
$150,000 (researcher: Monika Fischer)
Functional Impact of Variants in Diabetes
$265,251 (researcher: Nicole Krentz)
Electrification of chemical manufacturing and separations
$176,834 (researcher: Eric Lees)
Environmental Oncogenomics
$150,000 (researcher: Emilia Lim)
An Integrative Approach towards Understanding Intelligence: Bridging the ‘Seeing’ versus ‘Thinking’ Divide
$318,301 (researcher: Joan Danielle Ongchoco)

Total UBC Okanagan funding: $1,680,370

Wild Animal Microbiomes & Stress (WAMS)
$133,230 (researcher: Laura Grieneisen)
A core technology to improve EDI in collaborative environments
$150,000 (researcher: Gema Rodriguez-Perez)
From nano to tectonic: A center for nanogeology research
$700,768 (researcher: Renelle Dubosq)
Digital Integration for Robotic Fabrication in Construction (DIRFIC) to facilitate rapid affordable housing in Canada
$113,041 (researcher: Qian Chen)
The Translational Acute Brain Injury Laboratory
$247,568 (researcher: Ryan Hoiland)
Real time assessment of metabolism in distinct human cell types across the health-disease continuum
$145,149 (researcher: Muhammad Hashim Islam)
Data-driven control for safety-critical applications
$79,842 (researcher: Klaske van Heusden)
Development of river survey capability for assessment of fluxes of sediment and organic carbon across watersheds
$110,772 (researcher: Alessandro Ielpi)