Life Sciences

Ontario’s life sciences industry started nearly a century ago, with the development of a landmark diphtheria antitoxin, and thanks to talent, vision and a drive to succeed, we’ve been recording one first after another ever since.

Ontario is where insulin was discovered, where the pacemaker was developed and where 3D imaging techniques originated. It’s where the first successful heart valve transplant took place, where stem cells were discovered and where L-DOPA was developed for treating Parkinson’s Disease. Our latest breakthrough? A new technique that turns skin cells into stem cells, a discovery that could pave the way to treating many incurable diseases and treatments.

Today, Ontario is the third largest life sciences centre in North America and with 100,000 university students enrolled in life sciences disciplines and 30+ world-class medical research facilities devoted to biotechnology, our life sciences industry is setting the pace in the race to improve health worldwide.