Nov. 9, 2017

World-class microbiome facility opens for research at Cumming School of Medicine

Cutting-edge facility equips University of Calgary to become a leader in research to prevent and treat chronic diseases

Author

Caitlyn MacDonald, Cumming School of Medicine

A researcher prepares the isolator in the Axenic Breeding room at the International Microbiome Centre's germ-free facility at the University of Calgary. Photo by Don Molyneaux
A researcher prepares the isolator in the Axenic Breeding room at the International Microbiome Centr

The University of Calgary has officially opened the International Microbiome Centre (IMC) — a unique world-class centre designed to mobilize groundbreaking research into the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. Funded through Western Economic Diversification Canada, the Government of Alberta, and the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM), the IMC will provide cutting-edge tools to study the microbiome, allowing the university to be a leader in this evolving field of research.

“Our government recognizes that innovation is a key factor in creating jobs and stimulating economic growth. We know that post-secondary institutions play an important role in innovation and we are proud of our close to $10 million investment in the International Microbiome Centre at the University of Calgary,” says the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada. “This investment will enhance global awareness and commercialization of Canada’s research and technology capabilities and strengthen Western Canada’s competitive advantage.”

Crowds gather for official International Microbiome Centre opening in the Health Research Innovation Centre at the Cumming School of Medicine.

Official International Microbiome Centre opening in the Health Research Innovation Centre.

Don Molyneaux, for the Cumming School of Medicine

The IMC, which is a major component of the university’s Infections, Inflammation and Chronic Diseases in the Changing Environment research strategy, will be an engine of innovation, creating personalized therapies by investigating the trillions of bacteria in the human body that make up our microbiome.

“The opening of the International Microbiome Centre represents a tremendous step forward in our capacity to deliver world-class research in this emerging field,” says Elizabeth Cannon, PhD, president, University of Calgary. “This type of centre attracts top talent to our city, and it fosters a dynamic, multi-disciplinary environment for learning and innovation amongst our students, faculty and staff. We’re delivering on our community’s expectations for what this university if capable of, and we’re contributing to meaningful solutions that address global issues like chronic diseases, infections, and energy innovation.”

UCalgary scientists have a brand new tool to study the microbiome

Designed to investigate the microbiome of plants, animals, and the physical environment, the IMC at the University of Calgary is positioned to make significant impacts in the microbiome research landscape that will improve health and wellness for people and animals around the world.

“One of the least-understood frontiers of medicine is the interaction between us and our microbiome,” says Paul Kubes, PhD, professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, and director of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases. “We know that the microbiome can be dramatically affected by antibiotics meant to kill specific infections, or a high fat diet which provides fuel for the wrong bugs. What we now want to understand is the impact these ‘disruptions’ have on the human body.”

The centre offers a one stop shop for research through its unique integration of mass cytometry, genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, biobanking and live cell imaging. It’s also home to the world’s largest (929 square metres) germ-free lab dedicated to studying the microbiomes role in immunity and disease led by Dr. Kathy McCoy, scientific director of IMC and professor at CSM.

“The human microbiome has been associated with a growing number of human diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, asthma, allergies, and cardiovascular disease. The more we understand about the microbiome, the more chance we have to stop the development of these diseases,” says McCoy.

The IMC hosts a powerful coalition of researchers from across all areas of the university who will address global health issues and collaborate with industry partners to apply emerging microbiome discoveries to areas including health care and beyond. In addition to the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, researchers will focus on food production and the search for alternative energy sources.

“Research at the IMC has the potential to create jobs by sparking new business opportunities in Alberta, help grow existing industries, improve therapeutic and diagnostic technologies for our health and the environment, and trigger translational discoveries that will benefit millions of people worldwide,” McCoy says.

Metabolomics: The metabolomics and proteomics platform embedded in the Calgary Metabolomics Research facility and SAMS centre is a state-of-the-art mass spectrometry platform lab specializing in metabolomics and proteomics technology.
World-class microbiome facility opens
The proteomics and metabolomics platform supports researchers providing information on metabolite and protein profiles related to microbiome and its effects on their environment and metabolites. 
World-class microbiome facility opens
World-class microbiome facility opens
The bioinformatics and genomics platform is established in partnership with the CSM, Snyder Institute, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Veterinary Medicine and Biological Sciences.
This platform will develop extensive pipelines for genomics and bioinformatics including integration with clinical and other platform technology data using the newest technologies in data management, analytics and visualization.
The bioinformatics platform specializes in high-performance computing resource and petabyte scale data storage.
World-class microbiome facility opens
Biobanking: Specimen from various areas of the body will be collected and stored in large freezers in the IMC biobank areas to better understand the role of the microbial communities and their effect on health and on disease.
A centralized IMC biobank has been developed to process patient samples and samples for long term storage for future research in chronic disease. These shared samples are made available for all investigators and their collaborators.
World-class microbiome facility opens
State-of-the-art CyTOF machine allows for quantitative and qualitative deep profiling including immune cells, mapping of signaling networks within single cells, quantification of cellular receptors and multiplexed internalization kinetics.
Mass Cytometry: IMC has partnered with the Nicole Perkins Microbial Communities Core which offers microbial sorting and identification of cellular markers.
IMC will house a number of intravital microscopes in the Snyder Institute Live Cell Imaging Facility and within the germ-free facility providing an opportunity to image in real-time, the immune system and microbes of gnotobiotic animals.
Live cell imaging: The IMC has partnered with the Snyder Institute live cell imaging facility, which will present a unique ability to image the microbiome in-vivo and in-vitro, to study the microbiome under changing environments.
Germ-free facility: The germ-free facility, housed in the basement of the University of Calgary will provide a sterile environment where applied microbiome research will be carried out without interference from organisms.
The germ-free facility will also allow researchers to study mechanisms of human disease by transplanting human microbiome into germ-free mice. 
Germ free facility: The IMC has opened the world’s largest (929 square meters) academic germ-free lab dedicated to studying the role of the microbiomes immunity and disease.
Researchers can work with a variety of live-cell systems and have access to expertise in maintaining and troubleshooting the imaging equipment

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