SYDNEY, NS – July 28, 2026 – A $1 million investment by Research Nova Scotia (RNS) will help biomanufacturers turn their research accomplishments into commercial success.
Advanced Education Minister Brian Wong, the minister responsible for Research Nova Scotia, made the announcement today at the Verschuren Centre. The Centre is working in partnership with industrial collaborators to tackle a persistent bottleneck in biomanufacturing: the inability to reliably and efficiently scale separation and purification processes from the laboratory to industrial production.
The funds will allow the Verschuren Centre’s engineers and five of its client companies to work with experts to solve this challenge of growth.
“This project has the potential to make a significant impact on the Nova Scotia economy,” said Wong. “By helping businesses innovate, grow and bring new products to market, it will strengthen Nova Scotia’s biomanufacturing sector, accelerate commercialization, help bring Canadian innovation to market, and create new opportunities for companies, workers and communities.”
The RNS investment flows from the organization’s Focused Research Investments (FRI) program and is aimed at strengthening Nova Scotia’s biomanufacturing capacity.
“Research Nova Scotia invests in collaborative research with the potential to deliver economic impact,” said Stefan Leslie, CEO of Research Nova Scotia. “Through this investment from our Focused Research Investments program, we’re catalyzing partnerships that will help industry build from research to commercial application, strengthening Nova Scotia’s bioeconomy and creating long-term economic opportunities.”
“The Verschuren Centre was created to help bridge the gap between research and industry,” said Dr. Beth Mason, Executive Chair of the Verschuren Centre. “This investment will strengthen our ability to work with industry partners to solve complex manufacturing challenges, helping innovative bio-based technologies reach commercial scale while growing Nova Scotia’s biomanufacturing sector.”
About Research Nova Scotia
Research Nova Scotia supports, organizes, and coordinates the funding of research to increase economic growth and productivity in three priority sectors: (1) natural resources, climate change and clean energy; (2) life sciences and health sciences; and (3) construction and transportation.
The Focused Research Investment (FRI) program is one of Research Nova Scotia’s core funding mechanisms. It supports coordinated, multi-year research projects that address major sector challenges and opportunities by bringing together researchers, industry, and other partners to accelerate economic impact.
Media contact:
Maggie Archibald, Communications Manager
maggie.archibald@researchns.ca