July 16, 2026 - Hello BioLinks readers

This week:

• François-Philippe Champagne attends pre-budget roundtable at CASTL
• 2026 pre-budget consultations: share your feedback by September 8
• The Globe and Mail INTERSECT/26 conference in Vancouver
•  We’re excited for Life Sciences Investment Week, Nov 2-5, 2026
• Industry survey: access talent and shape the future of life sciences

The Globe and Mail INTERSECT/26 conference in Vancouver

On June 23, 2026, The Globe and Mail hosted an INTERSECT/26 conference in Vancouver. In the session titled, CEO Perspectives: What matters most right now, Sean Silcoff moderated a panel discussion with Alison Nankivell of Export Development Canada (EDC), Sarah Huggins of Hiive, and AbCellera's Carl Hansen. Canada boasts terrific science, but we are continuously “selling ourselves short”. Without big companies in Canada we do not become an acquirer of technology but rather the acquired. Watch the conference here.

Life Sciences Investment Week will bring over 100 Investors to Vancouver

This year, we are excited for the continued evolution of Invest in BC into Life Sciences Investment Week, which includes the two-day conference as well as a slate of curated side events meant to foster high-value connections with over 100 investors that will be coming to Vancouver at the beginning of November. Secure your tickets to Invest in BC and learn about what else is on the agenda here.

Industry Survey: Access Talent and Shape the Future of Life Sciences

CASTL - Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences is exploring models of industry engagement for the BC Bioscience Reskilling Program. Participation offers valuable networking opportunities, deeper insight into BC’s innovative companies and products, and access to emerging talent trained for entry-level operator roles. Take the 3-minute industry survey here.

Member Highlights 

CDMQ shares the success story of bringing Variational AI together with Merck for a $900K collaboration in drug discovery. Read more.

Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute highlights the Artificial Intelligence in Medicine Lab (AIM Lab) at UBC. Led by investigator Dr. Ali Bashashati, AIM Lab pushes the boundaries of patient care by applying AI to cancer diagnostics and treatment planning. Read more.

BioTalent Canada and Fairleigh Dickinson University Vancouver partner to strengthen life sciences talent development. Read more.

“This partnership reflects the kind of collaboration needed to strengthen Canada’s life sciences workforce,” says Rob Henderson, President and CEO of BioTalent Canada. 

Ecosystem Highlights

The BC government is expanding access to specialized mental-health care with 132 new treatment beds in Surrey and Prince George. The new facilities will provide treatment, rehabilitation, and specialized care for people with complex mental health, addiction, and brain-injury needs. Read more.

Kudos

Congratulations to Variational AI on being one of nine Canadian companies featured in Amazon Web Services AI Innovators series. Read more.

Congratulations to six faculty members from SBME on receiving prestigious 2026 NSERC awards in support of their innovative research programs. Recipients include: Dr. Peter Zandstra, Dr. Yanpu He, Dr. Carolina Tropini, Dr. Fabio Rossi, Dr. Babak Shadgan, and Dr. Christopher Moraes. Read more.

People on the Move

Congratulations to Dr. Jeff Millard as he steps into the role as Eupraxia’s Executive Vice President, Technical Operations. Read more. 

The Medtech Canada team announces several leadership updates, with Katharine Van Lingen on her promotion to Vice President, Operations, Ruhi Kiflin on her expanded role as Director of Policy, and Ahmed Makda as Senior Director of Finance.

Applications Open

The ACT Consortium is seeking Canadian biotech companies for its Fifth Annual Meeting on September 24-25 in Edmonton. Selected companies will present their innovations, connect with clinical trial researchers, and explore collaborations on randomized controlled trials. (RCTs) pre-registration closes July 17. Learn more.  

CASTL offers flexible, on-demand training designed to build practical skills in biomanufacturing, including GMP, quality assurance, cell therapy and biopharmaceutical production. Learn more.

Merck’s EMEA Advance Biotech Program is seeking emerging biotech companies. Five selected companies will have the opportunity to present their innovations, gain visibility at BIO-Europe, and connect with industry leaders. Learn more.

See our expanded list of current life sciences opportunities on our website.

Membership Spotlight

Optigo Biotherapeutics is an innovative pre-clinical stage biotherapeutics company working to develop cutting-edge treatments to address vision loss from chronic ophthalmic diseases, many of which are currently treated by monthly or bimonthly injections of drugs into the eye(s) by a retina specialist. Learn more.

Blandine (Xiaoqing) Dang is a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia and BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute studying infant immunity and translational immunology. Her research integrates multi-omics, clinical data, and population health to better understand immune development in early life and inform strategies for preventing severe childhood infections. She is passionate about translating scientific discoveries into innovations that improve healthcare and create real-world impact. Learn more.

Noveris Health Sciences Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on the development, advancement, and commercialization of intellectual property, technologies, and therapeutic opportunities addressing significant unmet needs in healthcare. The Company continues to evaluate opportunities to create value through strategic partnerships, licensing arrangements, research collaborations, and related commercial initiatives. Learn more.

Until next week!

LSBC Team

September 9 - The 28th Annual Life Sciences BC Awards is a distinguished occasion that brings together British Columbia’s vibrant life sciences community to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our peers and recognize the tireless efforts of those who have devoted their careers to advancing health innovations.

November 3-4 - Life Sciences BC is pleased to announce the 11th annual Invest in BC presented by Lumira Ventures. This highly anticipated event serves as a premier gathering for life sciences innovators in British Columbia, connecting them with investors and potential partners locally, nationally, and around the world.

Variational AI and Merck: A Strategic Partnership Accelerating Therapeutic Innovation

CDMQ shares the success story of bringing Variational AI together with Merck for a $900K collaboration in drug discovery… Read more.

Evonik partners with Evitria to accelerate early biologics development

Evonik has partnered with evitria to accelerate early biologics development with a ready-to-use protein expression solution, helping researchers speed up the development of new antibody-based therapies… Read more.

Novartis receives Health Canada approval for VANRAFIAᵀᴹ (atrasentan tablet) for proteinuria reduction in adults with primary immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN)

Novartis has received Health Canada approval for Vanrafia®, a once-daily treatment that helps reduce proteinuria in adults with primary IgA nephropathy… Read more.

Terry Fox-funded researchers untangle “chromosome chaos” and uncover 81 hidden genes driving the hardest-to-treat breast cancer

Terry Fox-funded researchers have uncovered 81 hidden genes linked to aggressive triple-negative breast cancer, paving the way for more targeted treatments… Read more.

Behind the lab doors: Driving cancer diagnostics at the Artificial Intelligence in Medicine Lab

The Artificial Intelligence in Medicine Lab is advancing AI-driven cancer diagnostics, developing tools to support earlier detection and more informed treatment decisions… Read more.

BioTalent Canada and Fairleigh Dickinson University Vancouver Partner to Strengthen Life Sciences Talent Development

BioTalent Canada and Fairleigh Dickinson University Vancouver are working together to prepare students for careers in life sciences and better connect education with industry needs… Read more.

Terry Fox-funded researchers develop immunotherapy strategy that targets aggressive brain tumours and their fuel

Terry Fox-funded researchers have developed a new immunotherapy approach that targets aggressive brain tumours and the cells that fuel their growth, offering new hope for more effective glioblastoma treatments…Read more.

Scientist / Senior Scientist, Bioconjugation

The role requires designing, executing, and optimizing site-specific and stochastic bioconjugation reactions (e.g., maleimide–thiol, NHS-ester amine coupling, strain-promoted azide–alkyne “click” chemistry, enzymatic conjugation) to generate antibody–payload conjugates... Read more.

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