The Living Medicines Initiative at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine is advancing a new class of therapies built from living systems. These therapies use the body’s own building blocks, including cells, genes and microbes (living organisms found in and on your body, such as in your gut and on your skin), to detect, respond to and repair disease at its source.
This marks a shift from treating symptoms to directly correcting what is going wrong in the body, redefining how disease can be treated and, in some cases, cured. First-generation living medicines are already saving lives in cancer, genetic disorders, autoimmune conditions, and infectious diseases, but we are only beginning to realize their full potential.
Over the next decade, the Cumming School of Medicine will build on existing strengths in cellular therapy, gene-based medicine, microbiome science and clinical translation to position Calgary as a national leader and global destination for developing, manufacturing and delivering living medicines.
Currently, Canada has limited domestic capacity to develop and manufacture clinical-grade living medicines. Reliance on international infrastructure delays patient access, increases costs and slows homegrown research and development. With strategic investment, UCalgary can build the facilities, manufacturing capabilities and clinical trial infrastructure needed to translate groundbreaking discoveries into patient treatments.
Upcoming Events
Paediatric Grand Rounds: Living Medicines in Practice
Date: May 27, 2026
Time: 8:30–9:30 a.m.
Location: Kinsmen Learning Centre Auditorium, 4th Floor, Alberta Children’s Hospital
Speaker: Dr. John Tisdale, M.D., Chief, Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, NHLBI, NIH
A Paediatric Grand Rounds session introducing the Living Medicines Initiative, followed by a presentation from Dr. John Tisdale on Cellular and Gene Therapies for Sickle Cell Disease. The session will highlight how living medicines are moving from scientific discovery to clinical translation, with broader implications for paediatric, rare disease and lifelong care.
Living Medicines Initiative: Inaugural Keynote
Date: May 28, 2026
Time: 12–1 p.m.
Location: Libin Theatre, Health Sciences Centre, Foothills Campus, University of Calgary
Speaker: Dr. John Tisdale, M.D., Chief, Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, NHLBI, NIH
Join us for a university-wide introduction to the Living Medicines Initiative, a new Cumming School of Medicine initiative advancing living medicines across cellular, genetic and microbial therapeutics. The session will include an inaugural keynote from Dr. John Tisdale on cellular and gene therapies for sickle cell disease, highlighting how living medicines can move from scientific discovery to clinical translation and real-world patient impact.
Stay connected with the Living Medicines Initiative
The Living Medicines Initiative is building a broad community of researchers, clinicians, trainees, staff, patients, families, community members, partners and supporters committed to advancing the next generation of therapies built from living systems.
Complete this form to receive updates, learn about future events, share your area of interest, or connect with the initiative.
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