CQDM is pleased to launch a call for ideas for our upcoming CQDM Connect-Pharma: Pitch Day.
We are searching for world-class research on advanced in vitro and non-animal models that could revolutionize drug discovery and development to present to domain experts from leading global pharmaceutical organizations on March 19th, 2026.
Our objective is to bring ground-breaking, innovative Canadian research to CQDM’s pharmaceutical members and facilitate interactions between our pharma members and the Canadian ecosystem.
We invite passionate Canadian researchers and visionary teams to submit innovative ideas that have the potential to transform the landscape of medicine and improve patient outcomes.
Research Focus Areas: We are particularly interested in models that can dramatically accelerate drug development, reduce costs, improve human-relevant predictions, and have the potential to eliminate most animal testing, transforming biomedical research into a faster, more ethical, and personalized process.
Areas of Interest Include (but are not limited to):
Organ-on-Chip & Microphysiological Systems
- Multi-organ integration for systemic responses (e.g., liver–kidney–gut axis).
- Dynamic perfusion systems mimicking blood flow and shear stress.
- Incorporation of immune components for immunotoxicity and inflammation studies.
- Real-time monitoring of biomarkers and functional readouts.
- Blood–brain barrier (BBB) models for permeability and neuroinflammation research.
- Autoimmune disease modeling and maternal–fetal interface models.
3D Cell Culture & Organoids
- Disease-specific organoids (ex: oncology, neurodegenerative disorders, gastrointestinal, etc).
- Patient-derived iPSC-based organoids for rare genetic diseases and personalized medicine.
- Co-culture systems for modeling tissue–tissue interactions.
- Long-term viability and maturation strategies for chronic exposure studies.
- Scalable bioprinting techniques for reproducible constructs.
- Draining lymph node or muscle models for vaccine evaluation.
- Differences in maturity and senescence of target cells induced from iPS cells between 2D and 3D cultures
High-Throughput Screening & automation
- Miniaturized assays for rapid compound screening.
- Automation and robotics for large-scale testing.
- Multiplexed readouts (e.g., imaging + biochemical endpoints).
- Cost-effective solutions
Advanced Functional Capabilities
- Real-time functional imaging and biomarker analysis.
- Integration of CRISPR-based gene editing for mechanistic studies.
- AI/ML-driven predictive modeling and data analysis.
- Antibody evaluation
Regulatory & Translational Aspects
- Case studies where MPS or organoid data supported regulatory decisions.
- Strategies for validation and standardization of non-animal models.
Process: All submitted projects will be shared with CQDM’s pharmaceutical members for review and ranking. Top ranked projects will be selected to present to CQDM’s global pharmaceutical members at a CQDM Connect-Pharma: Pitch Day on March 19th, 2026.
Who can apply: Canadian academic institutions, biotech companies, and research organizations are eligible to apply. Collaborative projects that involve partnerships between academia and industry are also encouraged. We welcome multidisciplinary teams that can bring diverse expertise to the table.
Deadline and Submission: Submission deadline is February 18th 2026, please submit to [email protected]. Detailed guidelines and instructions for proposal submission and the selection form are available on the CQDM website.
For more information visit the CQDM website or contact Simon Fournier ([email protected]).
About CQDM:
CQDM is a non-profit biopharmaceutical research consortium whose mission is to support and facilitate multi-stakeholder collaborative R&D that accelerates translation of leading-edge discoveries into vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics addressing unmet medical needs while generating significant benefits for the Canadian economy.
