BIC and ICFAR agree to collaborate on biotechnology

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By Communications Staff
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The Bioindustrial Innovation Centre (BIC) has entered into a collaboration agreement with Western's Institute for Chemicals and Fuels from Alternative Resources (ICFAR) that will accelerate the development and introduction of Canadian biofuels, renewable chemicals and co-products into the marketplace.

“Our organizations share the common goal of supporting the development and commercialization of bioindustrial and biobased-chemical processes that will help position Canada as a leader in the development of sustainable biorefining, biofuels and biobased chemical industries”, says Dr. Murray McLaughlin, executive director of BIC. “We work with companies to help them develop early stage technologies that have the potential to move forward to the commercialization stage.”
 
Located at the Sarnia-Lambton campus of the University of Western Ontario Research Park, BIC provides lab and pilot plant facilities for industrial-sized testing and research. ICFAR, located in a 20,000 sq. ft. facility in Ilderton, focuses on fundamental applied research and development activities in the field of renewable chemicals and co-products into the market.

A formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which extends to March 31, 2013, was signed at the national conference of the Agricultural Biorefinery Innovation Network (ABIN) in London earlier this month. The MOU formalizes three areas of collaboration, with BIC and ICFAR agreeing to:

    •  Enhance and promote awareness of each party's organization to their respective stakeholder groups;
    •  Forward technology opportunities to each other; and
    •  Collaborate on commercialization of biofuels and bio-based chemicals opportunities.

“The Institute for Chemicals and Fuels from Alternative Resources is very pleased to have established a formal working partnership with Sarnia's Bioindustrial Innovation Centre,” says ICFAR Director General and co-founder Dr. Franco Berruti. “Our synergistic ambitions and expertise will help Southwestern Ontario establish itself as a leader in the development of sustainable biorefining and biofuels industries.
 
"Already, we have ideas being developed that will allow ICFAR and BIC to work together, which in turn will accelerate novel research that has strong potential to lead to technology transfer and commercialization opportunities, as well as, ultimately, economic gain for the region.”

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