Canadian Biotechnology Scan of Canadian Strengths in Biotechnology Prepared for the National Research Council Canada Research Program Support

Science-Metrix specializes in the measurement and evaluation of science, technology and innovation. Our data collection and assessment methods include bibliometrics, scientometrics, technometrics, surveys and interviews, environmental scans, monitoring and intelligence gathering. We perform program and policy evaluations, benchmarking and sector analyses, market studies and strategic planning. Science-Metrix has a robust knowledge of life and environmental sciences. Demonstrating responsible world leadership on biotechnology has been one of the ten key themes of the Canadian Biotechnology Strategy (CBS) since its creation in 1998. This position was reinforced in 2004 with the launch of the Government of Canada's Blueprint for Biotechnology. The Blueprint emphasizes that " Canada's leadership, both domestically and internationally, requires that the new Stewardship Framework is supported by leading edge regulatory research, foresight, capacity-building in regulatory sciences, dialogue with Canadians, and international cooperation " , and recommends various initiatives to achieve the desired international impact. One of these initiatives recognizes that the knowledge harnessed from biotechnology advances has a powerful potential to address critical issues in developing countries, and recommends the establishment of a new national initiative for international development. This initiative would facilitate the coordination of strategic research and technology development networks encompassing research centers in Canada and developing countries. As part of this initiative, the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) mandated Science-Metrix to undertake an environmental scan with the aim of identifying Canada's strengths in biotechnology in the public and private sectors, universities and hospitals. The scope of this scan includes science, research and technology developments, and innovation support activities (market intelligence, industrial technology advice, intellectual property management, commercialization support, etc.) To assess science and technology (S&T) strengths beyond anecdotal evidence, Science-Metrix performed scientometric and technometric analyses. These techniques were used to identify in particular, biotechnology niches where Canada has a favourable position within the international community. The scientometric analysis involved surveying the Medline (US National Library of Medicine) and SCI Expanded (ISI Thomson) databases while the technometric analysis surveyed the USPTO (US Patent Office) database. In addition, a review of the literature was conducted to pinpoint significant individual scientific achievements in biotechnology. Identifying the strengths in the Canadian innovation system, involved reviewing the existing literature and information available on the internet on biotechnology developments in Canada. Strengths in Biotechnology R&D in Canada  Canada's greatest strengths in non-health biotechnology are in forestry, aquatic sciences, environmental and animal sciences, and in health biotechnology are in the area …