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 has been reinforced in 2004 with the launch of the Government of Canada 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 less industrialized 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 between research centers in Canada and less industrialized countries. Currently there are significant domestic efforts in biotechnology research and development related to international development. Unfortunately, there are no mechanisms currently in place in Canada to connect these efforts and leverage them through an effective national synergy.

Within this context, the National Research Council Canada (NRC) mandated Science-Metrix to perform an evaluation of Canadian strengths in biotechnology research and innovation within the public and private sectors as well in universities and research hospitals. Combining multiple sources of evidence including an environmental scan, bibliometrics, and technometrics, this study will identify:

1. Key players in Canadian biotechnology research and innovation

2. Niche strengths in biotechnology research and technology development

3. Strengths in the Canadian innovation system including innovation support activities (market intelligence, industrial technology advice, intellectual property management, commercialization support, etc.)