State-of-the-art centre quickly turns ideas into life-saving technologies

A state-of-the-art facility at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Science has become a globally competitive hub dedicated to finding faster, more accurate ways to diagnose serious infections.

The Alberta Centre for Advanced Diagnostics (ACAD) was launched in 2022 by Dr. Ian Lewis, PhD, and his team with a $14.6-million investment from Prairies Economic Development Canada, Alberta Innovates, and Genome Canada.

“It was built to take the ideas that scientists have in the lab and translate them into real-world products that impact lives and improve health-care delivery here in Alberta,” says Lewis, an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and a UCalgary Research Excellence Chair. “It takes years — or even decades — to translate concepts into practical products that you can use in diagnostic testing centres or hospitals.

“The primary goal of ACAD is to shorten the amount of time it takes to do this.”

Lewis says ACAD also plays an important role in connecting researchers with industry partners in Alberta and around the world.

In its first four years of operation, he says the facility has already seen major success. It has assisted 48 small Canadian companies; helped create 57 science, technology and engineering-related jobs; and trained 106 people.

It has also attracted more than $7.5 million in direct foreign investments, says Lewis.

ACAD has already contributed to bringing 25 new products or technologies to market and has worked with approximately 100 companies as they implement new innovations in the Canadian health-care ecosystem.

Lewis says the facility has the infrastructure to test ideas and build prototypes.

“The centre itself has a suite of (safe and secure) microbiology labs,” he says. “It also has project spaces that allow our collaborators and industry partners to come here and set up shop to conduct projects using our microbiology and analytical resources.”

In addition to the wet lab, there’s also an engineering suite, which allows people to flesh out their concepts and work on prototypes.

ACAD also features the Calgary Metabolomics Research Facility, which uses advanced tools to analyze biological samples. This helps researchers develop new medical devices for various health applications.

It’s one of the largest facilities of its kind in Canada and “unique in that it’s built specifically for developing health diagnostic tools,” says Lewis.

UCalgary, he adds, is an amazing environment in which to do his work.

“Alberta itself is a really unique environment,” says Lewis. “Our program, through our partnership with Alberta Precision Laboratories, facilitates access to the remnant diagnostic samples needed to build new tests or tools, and we are able to use de-identified, province-wide health data to better understand the impact of new interventions.”

He says the single environment allows for some exciting scientific discoveries and underpins their ability to fast-track development of research concepts into real-world products.

One example of ACAD’s academic-to-commercial transition capabilities is the technology that’s now available through Rapid Infection Diagnostics (RID), an Alberta-based startup.

It has built a new type of microbiology testing instrument that has cut the amount of time it takes to diagnose bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections and other kinds of microbial infections.

“We can then return information to clinicians in as little as five hours,” Lewis explains. “That’s exciting because that’s 30 to 40 hours faster than conventional tools. 

“In the case of serious infections, every hour that elapses between the onset of symptoms and when patients get the right antibiotics has a direct impact on their survival.”

Lewis says it’s a flagship project that represents the untapped potential of Alberta’s health resources.

“ACAD is excited to build the cutting-edge tools and technologies that will save lives, first here in Alberta, then beyond,” says Lewis.

Lewis says the centre is also attracting health innovators from around the world, which places UCalgary at the forefront of health diagnostic translation.