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Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care

Johnson & Johnson Innovation Opens JLABS @ Toronto

TORONTO (May 11, 2016) –  Johnson & Johnson Innovation LLC, today announced the opening of JLABS @ Toronto, a new 40,000-square-foot life sciences incubator, providing entrepreneurs shared lab space and offices, modular lab suites and access to scientific, industry and capital funding experts as they work to build important and successful early-stage companies. The new JLABS facility can accommodate up to 50 start-ups and opens with 22 companies that represent a range of sectors including therapeutics, medical devices and consumer health ... Read more

My Virtual Dream publishes PLOS study on Nuit Blanche results

Baycrest Heath Sciences' "My Virtual Dream," an innovative and interactive live performance experience at the intersection of science, art and music, is currently touring the installation with appearances in Amsterdam in May and more scheduled for Irvine, CA in October. MaRS Innovation is working with the Baycrest team to commercialize the technology behind the demonstration, known as the virtual brain. My Virtual Dream was featured in TechVibes on July 8 and in a PLOS blog published on August 14, 2015. “The Virtual Dream tour ... Read more

MaRS Innovation featured in International Innovation magazine

MaRS Innovation and its member institutions are is profiled in International Innovation's July issue (#191) in a feature interview with Dr. Rafi Hofstein, MI's president and CEO, written by Rosemary Peters. The article is posted on the publication's website and viewable through a digital interface (pages 80 and 81). Here's an excerpt from Dr. Hofstein's comments: "Canada's academic research community is internationally highly competitive, but it has been argued that its scientific commercial success tags behind other countries such as the U.S. and the ... Read more

Dr. Raphael Hofstein in Biotechnology Focus: It’s time to declare an end to Canada’s two research solitudes

Biotechnology Focus, a compendium of the Canadian life sciences industry, has published a guest column by Dr. Raphael Hofstein, MaRS Innovation's president & CEO, and Elizabeth Monier-Williams, director of marketing and communications. The article explores the way research focused on discovery and commercialization are often viewed or positioned as competitors within the funding ecosystem and the need to align their goals: The time of Canada’s French and English solitudes may be past, as Governor General Michaëlle Jean notably stated when she took office ... Read more

MaRS Innovation statement on the 2015 Federal Budget

TORONTO, ON (April 23, 2014) — MaRS Innovation congratulates the Federal Government’s deepened commitment to support Canadian research and innovation, particularly in the healthcare sector. In particular, the $42 million over five years dedicated to support the Canadian Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation at Baycrest Health Sciences, which includes $32 million in support from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev). Baycrest is a founding member institution of MaRS Innovation. “As a Baycrest partner and long-time champions of the ... Read more

Life Sciences Ontario’s statement on the 2015 Ontario Budget

TORONTO, ON (April 23, 2015) — Life Sciences Ontario (LSO) applauds the government's continued commitment to supporting life sciences through the Ontario Health Innovation Council and its accompanying $20 million innovation fund, programs to support job creation for Ontario’s highly educated young workforce and a new approach to providing the venture capital needed to support the commercialization of technologies and growth of companies in the life sciences sector. Specifically, LSO notes the following commitments from the 2015 budget that will help drive ... Read more

Baycrest’s “My Virtual Dream” brain exhibit at Ontario Science Centre Jan 17-18, 2015

MaRS Innovation is a My Virtual Dream event sponsor and commercialization partner Toronto, ON (January 12, 2015) – Baycrest Health Sciences’ dazzling brain science exhibit from 2013 Scotiabank Nuit Blanche will be on show at the Ontario Science Centre’s BRAINFest, Jan. 17-18. My Virtual Dream is an innovative and interactive live performance experience at the intersection of science, art and music.  The installation will enable participants to use their brain waves to communicate with each other through an immersive audio and visual expression that ... Read more

Dr. Hofstein’s Op-Ed for The Hill-Times, “Biotechnology research: A knowledge economy”

This op-ed on Canadian biotechnology and the knowledge economy appeared in The Hill-Times (subscription required), Canada's politics and government newsweekly, September 9: Obesity, cancer, heart disease and stroke, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, or the more general stresses of an aging population: no matter which area of concern holds our collective gaze from moment to moment, improving health outcomes and healthcare is the No. 1 challenge for the world’s economy. Canada has the holistic approach and translational research necessary to address health care’s pervasive ... Read more

What does MaRS Innovation’s funding extension mean for Toronto’s academic entrepreneurs?

Every six weeks, MaRS Innovation's marketing and communications manager writes a guest post for the MaRS Discovery District blog profiling MI's activities or one of our start-up companies. You can read the original post on the MaRS blog. Created in 2008, MaRS Innovation (MI) bridges the chasm between the early-stage technologies emerging from its 16 member institutions and successful startup companies and licensable technologies. By offering early-stage funding in tandem with hands-on management, business development, mentorship and intellectual property protection strategy, MI acts as ... Read more

MaRS Innovation awarded $15 million to further commercialize world-leading Canadian innovations

Networks of Centres of Excellence recognizes strength of partnership between MI and its 16 member institutions TORONTO, February 5, 2013 — How do you make sure the brilliant ideas emerging from Toronto’s academic research community get the best possible chance to succeed? MaRS Innovation (MI), created in 2008, bridges the chasm between these early-stage technologies and successful start-up companies and licensable technologies. By offering early-stage funding in tandem with hands-on management, mentorship and IP strategy protection, MI acts as a commercialization agent for ... Read more