Many people first heard about the Collision conference when the news broke that Twitter co-founder Ev Williams praised President Trump as “a master of the platform like few others” during an interview at the event last week. It was a great sound bite that wasn’t especially insightful in a meeting full of innovative technologies, calls to use tech to help humanity, and intelligent discussions on the use of technology to advance life science research and improve healthcare.
Collision, which has grown rapidly in attendance as well as prestige over the last five years, featured technology superstars like Williams as well as Palmer Luckey of Oculus VR, and celebrities turned entrepreneurs like Seth Rogen (discussing Houseplant, his cannabis company), Akon (on his cryptocurrency AKoin), and Timbaland (speaking about what it takes to be successful). However, the meeting was definitely not all flash and no substance. For every visionary celebrity that spoke in Toronto this year, there were hundreds of less famous but equally impressive entrepreneurs, technology experts, financers, and government officials.
On the HealthConf stage, innovators, scientists, patient advocates, and CEOs discussed the use of artificial intelligence in drug discovery, the need for clinical evidence supporting the efficacy of medical cannabis, challenges encountered when developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, and redefining healthcare with data-driven solutions.
Industrialization of discovery biology
Chris Gibson, co-founder and CEO of Recursion Pharmaceuticals, spoke about the company’s use of AI, automation, and experimental biology to “industrialize discovery biology.” Recursion is reportedly screening thousands of compounds against hundreds of disease models faster and cheaper than any other company.
Founded in 2014, Recursion has two drug candidates in the clinic now, many more at the preclinical stage, and an ambitious goal of 100 new treatments by 2025. With Turing Award recipient and renowned deep learning expert Yoshua Bengio from the University of Montreal signed on as scientific and technical advisor, Recursion has a better-than-average chance of meeting its very lofty goals, but Chris did acknowledge that there is a lot of hype around the use of AI in drug discovery now and not all companies in the field will make it. He insisted that people should not lose faith in AI approaches, though, and warned that sophisticated computation in healthcare is ignored at the industry’s (and patient’s) peril.
BrainTech
Scientists at the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute at West Virginia University are at the forefront of braintech, using novel technology to advance neuroscience research and improve brain health. They are committed to helping the over one billion people worldwide with neurological conditions. Finding effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease is a main goal of the institute, which envisions a day when there are as many Alzheimer’s survivors as there are cancer survivors.
The blood–brain barrier is a formidable challenge to the effective delivery of Alzheimer’s treatments, but neurosurgeon Ali Rezai, executive chair of the institute, believes that using ultrasound technology to temporarily open the blood–brain barrier could facilitate the clearing of plaques and reduce the cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Rezai ran through a list of other innovative brain-focused technologies in development, including a motor cortex implant the size of a small pea to treat spinal cord injuries, micropellet delivery of pain medication that is nonaddicting, and transcranial magnetic stimulation to reduce anxiety and cravings.
Echoing a recurrent theme at Collision, Dr. Rezai argued that companies should focus on patients rather than profits and that AD patients especially needed hope, and collaborative efforts across academia and industry were essential to providing that.
Data-driven platforms
Kevin White, president at Tempus, and Lars Steinmetz, co-founder of SOPHiA Genetics, discussed the use of machine learning in cancer care, specifically the value of data analytics solutions to improve diagnosis and treatment.
Lars, who is now a professor of genetics at Stanford University, spoke about SOPHiA’s platform as a collective intelligence network that integrates advanced analytical technologies. One of its products, the Solid Tumor Solution (STS), a molecular diagnostic application that detects and characterizes genomic alterations in 42 clinically relevant genes associated with a range of solid tumors such as lung, colorectal, skin, and brain cancers, received CE-IVD marking last month.
Tempus, founded in 2015, is “bringing precision results to patients” through the collection and analysis of molecular and clinical data. Its platform allows physicians to use genomic data and large datasets from clinical environments to find the best treatments for patients. The company has a network of partners, including Feist-Weiller Cancer Center at Louisiana State University Shreveport. Last month, Tempus inked an agreement to provide genomic sequencing and clinical data structuring for Feist-Willer Cancer patients. The company will analyze the new data sets in a search for potentially relevant patterns of clinical progression and response to therapy in these patients battling cancer.
Both Kevin and Lars credited the genome sequencing price drop in making genome analysis possible as a standard of care. In the future, they see genomic analysis being used to predict who is at risk of disease and who is not, as well as providing insight into disease prevention.
New technologies have long been behind scientific breakthroughs and improvements in healthcare, but what was clear at Collision is that today’s innovative technologies are on a higher plane. Not only are they rapidly accelerating the pace of research but they are also making tangible progress in helping humanity live longer and better lives.
Canada Showcases Innovation, Talent Pool, and Welcoming Immigration Policies
Collision’s move to Toronto after several years in the U.S. wasn’t happenstance. Federal as well as provincial and municipal governments in Canada have spent years and many millions of dollars implementing policies to promote commercial innovation. Last year, the Canadian government committed to investing up to C$950 million to create five superclusters intended to generate 50,000 jobs and grow the economy by C$50 billion over the next ten years. Innovative technologies are integral to the success of the superclusters.
The Ocean supercluster based in Atlantic Canada will be focused on fisheries, oil and gas, and clean energy; the Quebec-based SCALE.AI supercluster will build intelligent supply chains through the use of AI and robotics; the Advanced Manufacturing supercluster in Ontario will promote next-gen manufacturing for a range of industries; the Protein Industries supercluster, based in the Prairies, will be centered on plant proteins; and the Digital Technology supercluster in British Columbia will leverage big data and digital technologies to drive advances in healthcare as well as forestry and manufacturing.
Although Canada is the OECD’s most educated country, with just under 60% of Canadian adults possessing a post-secondary degree, it also recognizes that global companies often need highly skilled foreign workers as well. The Global Talent Stream initiative allows companies to bring in the talent they need to grow their innovative businesses—often within two weeks of applying.
According to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the country’s openness to immigration has become a significant advantage in attracting business as well as talent. “We’re a country that is open to immigration right now,” Trudeau said last year at a Fortune meeting in Montreal. “[That’s a] hell of a competitive advantage I don’t see the U.S. matching anytime soon.”