Inside the Montreal lab working to prepare Canada against future pandemics

In a biomedical laboratory at Polytechnique Montréal, researchers in white lab coats work with animal protein in a bubbling orange solution. Shelves are lined with neatly-labelled glass bottles filled with clear liquid, while computer monitors display the antibodies produced by cells. In another room, a large cryogenic freezer holds samples of proteins and cells used for vaccine and medicine development.

Six years after the COVID-19 pandemic's surprising emergence, the lab is leading efforts to prepare Canada against future pandemics.

This initiative is part of a federal program called Ramp Up, which partners with research institutions across Canada to address gaps in biomanufacturing. Head researcher Gregory De Crescenzo emphasizes the importance of preparation, stating, "It's not a matter of if, but when" a pandemic will occur. Ramp Up aims to expedite vaccine and biomedical processes, as well as train students.

De Crescenzo explains that while they primarily work with viruses like influenza and bird flu, the research can be applied to various diseases. The lab uses the same equipment as commercial labs, including tubes for cell growth and industrial freezers for long-term sample preservation. Researchers collaborate with partner labs to identify key components such as antibodies or viral proteins, which the Polytechnique team then produces and scales for industrial production.

The lab compares its role to creating recipes, with everything being normalized, written, and approved before being transferred to industries. While De Crescenzo believes Canada is more prepared than before COVID-19, he acknowledges that there is still work to be done to ensure scalability. He also stresses the need for a coordinated, multi-sector approach, involving government, academia, and industry, to enhance pandemic preparedness.

Infectious disease specialist Isaac Bogoch agrees, emphasizing that it's a whole-of-government and whole-of-society response. He notes that while the government's investments in biomedicals are encouraging, other areas like transportation, food safety, and public health infrastructure must also be improved. Bogoch points to Canada's response to the hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship in May as an example of cross-sector collaboration, stating, "We do have the tools to be prepared," but adds that these are political questions, not scientific ones.