Regenerative Medicine (RM), which aims to harness the power of stem cells, biomaterials and molecules to repair, regenerate or replace diseased cells, tissues and organs, has the promise to treat, manage and perhaps cure some of the most devastating and costly diseases in the world today.
Many new and potentially life-changing RM-based treatments never reach patients because they are not successfully moved from the laboratory to a stage where they can be used in medicine. In order to fulfill RM’s promise to treat the many diseases affecting our population, a world-renowned group of stem cell scientists and bioengineers have come together to form the Centre for Commercialization for Regenerative Medicine (CCRM).
CCRM’s mission is to generate sustainable health and economic benefits through global collaboration in cell and gene therapy, and regenerative medicine.
Our Vision
HEALTH
Costs to the health-care system are skyrocketing due to efforts to manage chronic diseases, emphasizing the need to develop new technologies and approaches to stabilize the Canadian and global health care systems. CCRM is taking RM from bench to bedside by treating and potentially curing some of the most devastating and costly diseases in the world today. CCRM supports the development of technologies that reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of cell and gene therapies and RM-based medicine.
ECONOMY
CCRM represents a tremendous opportunity for Canadians to lead RM commercialization, an emerging industry with annual growth projected at 30% Regenerative Medicine Industry Report 2009 pdf CCRM engages industry partners, making CCRM a global hub of RM commercialization and attracting investment to Ontario, leading to new jobs and economic growth.
SCIENCE
CCRM’s scientific members are internationally recognized RM leaders who have a long and distinguished history of groundbreaking discoveries and scientific excellence. This expertise dates back to the seminal discoveries of Drs. James Till and Ernest McCulloch, who proved the existence of stem cells in the early 1960s, and Dr Michael Sefton’s (University of Toronto) pioneering work in cell encapsulation. These successes continue today with the world-renowned group of stem cell scientists and bioengineers who have come together to form CCRM.
