Improving the efficiency and accuracy of cell research

- Vancouver, British Columbia

In 1993, Dr. Allen Eaves founded STEMCELL Technologies, which soon became a leader in specialty cell culture media, cell separation devices, and reagents for life science research. The National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) has supported several STEMCELL Technologies R&D projects and enabled training of personnel over the years. The very first project helped the company to develop a robotic device to isolate cells, significantly improving the efficiency and accuracy of cell research. With NRC IRAP's support, STEMCELL Technologies has now grown into a global biotechnology company with 97% of sales outside of Canada.  Products that have been developed by STEMCELL Technologies are used for life sciences research all around the world.

Recently, NRC IRAP supported STEMCELL Technologies on a COVID-19 project to develop special media needed to grow the cells deep down in the lung that are infected by SARS-CoV-2, a critical step in being able to examine how the virus infects patients and to accelerate the screening and validation of therapeutic drugs to treat COVID-19. Today, the company's products continue to support research on coronaviruses and other pathogens as well as cancer and immunological research.

"With support from NRC IRAP, we have been able to broaden the scope and improve the efficiency of our research, which has enabled us to excel in the life sciences sector not only in Canada, but globally."

Dr. Sharon Louis, Senior Vice President, Research and Development

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