The Ottawa Research Environment
In the Ottawa region, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute is immersed in a rich network of clinical and research expertise, activities, and resources. With more than 40 research centers and institutions as well as myriad life sciences companies in the region, Ottawa and the surrounding area supports a highly vibrant environment of research and innovation. The field of life sciences is broad, encompassing areas of study such as the biological sciences (stem cells, neuroscience, cardiology), biotechnology, genomics, proteomics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, assistive and convergent technologies (biochips, ultrasound, heart monitors), nanotechnology, and more.
Ottawa is home to the most educated workforce in Canada, boasting the highest percentage of university graduates in the country and the highest concentration of PhDs in North America. It has the second-highest concentration of science and engineering employment in North America. It is also Canada’s most connected city, ranking first among 20 Canadian cities for Internet use in the home. Virtually 100 per cent of Ottawa’s schools, universities, hospitals, libraries, research institutes, and municipal facilities are wired with high-speed Internet access.
Ottawa is home to two research-intensive universities and is headquarters for both Health Canada and the National Research Council. The University of Ottawa and Carleton University are equipped with Canada's first dedicated laboratories in biotechnology and biomedical engineering research. The region has long been a high-profile centre of research and development.
Life science companies in Ottawa are widely recognized in diverse fields, such as neuroscience, cancer, immunotherapeutics, radiotherapeutics, medical device and convergent technologies, regenerative medicine, and more. Companies enjoy a wealth of resources at their disposal. Incubation and start-up support, robust technology transfer programs, abundant talent, and access to all of Canada’s life science regulatory agencies provide both new and emerging companies with access to some of the best resources to grow businesses that are globally competitive.
Here is a look at some of the principal research-related resources in the region:
Algonquin College
Algonquin College is a sizable institution with 16,000 full-time and 34,000 part-time students. It includes the School of Health and Community Studies, which offers a number of life sciences degree and diploma programs from social work to dental hygiene. The college also offers collaborative degrees that are delivered in partnership with Carleton University or the University of Ottawa. This includes a bachelor of science in nursing.
Carleton University
Carleton’s 2,000 faculty and staff provide a superior learning experience for students from every province and from more than 100 countries around the world. The university offers 65 programs of study in diverse areas to more than 23,000 students. Carleton’s interdisciplinary and international approach to research has led to many significant discoveries and innovative works in science and technology, business, governance, public policy, and the arts.
The university has more than five major research chairs in areas tied to health care. These are devoted to behavioural neuroscience, medical physics, molecular physiology, and teleoperations, where computer-touch technology, or “haptics,” brings the use of remote surgery to the Internet. Carleton also has extensive joint programs in science and engineering with the University of Ottawa.
Health Canada
Health Canada is the federal department responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health. The department provides surveillance, prevention, control, and research of disease outbreaks across Canada and around the world. Health Canada also monitors health and safety risks related to the sale and use of drugs, food, chemicals, pesticides, medical devices, and certain consumer products across Canada and around the world. The department manages health care costs by communicating health risks and promoting healthy lifestyles. It is constantly looking for ways to improve the system and ensure its sustainability for the future.
National Research Council (NRC)
The National Research Council is a Government of Canada organization with a specific mandate set out since its inception in 1916. Among other things, its mandate includes undertaking, assisting, or promoting scientific and industrial research in different fields of importance to Canada; maintaining a national science library; publishing and distributing scientific and technical information; administering the NRC's research and development activities, including grants and contributions used to support a number of international activities; and providing vital scientific and technological services to the research and industrial communities.
Of particular note is the NRC Institute for Biological Sciences (IBS), which is easing the effects of debilitating diseases through innovative research aimed at reducing the impact of ag-related and infectious diseases. The IBS focuses on neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and develops vaccins and immunotherapies against infectious deseases.
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI)
The mission of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute is to excel in research, education, and innovative patient care, with research focused on understanding, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. The Institute has marshalled significant research commitments with an ever-growing team of some 1,400 scientists, investigators, graduate students, research fellows, and support staff, and annual funding in excess of $90 million.
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa attracts the best and brightest from across Canada and around the world. North America’s largest bilingual university promotes academic excellence in both official languages, while strong research partnerships make it a centre of innovation and an engine of economic growth. The University of Ottawa is one of Canada’s top research-intensive universities.
The Faculty of Medicine encompasses anesthesia, biochemistry, microbiology and immunology, cellular and molecular medicine, epidemiology and community medicine, emergency medicine, family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, pathology and laboratory medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, radiology, and surgery.
The Faculty of Health Sciences is made up of three schools—nursing, rehabilitation sciences, and human kinetics—and a health sciences program leading to a bachelor’s degree in health sciences or nutrition sciences. The Faculty of Health Sciences excels in its research endeavour thanks to the efforts of more than 100 researchers working in a variety of disciplines, from molecular biology to metabolism, from human kinetics to social sciences of health.
