NRC Annual Report 2001-2002

Meningitis-Cvaccine approved for CanadaOn January 14, 2002, NRC andits partners – Shire Biologicsand Baxter Corporation –celebrated the launch of amajor breakthrough in vaccinetechnology with the approvalby Health Canada of the NeisVac-C vaccine developed at NRC. Neis Vac-C is anew, highly effective vaccine that protects people ofall ages, including children as young as two monthsof age, against Meningitis-C. The vaccine’s capacityto effectively protect very young children, the grouphardest hit by Meningitis-C, sets Neis Vac-C apartfrom traditional vaccines used in North America.The vaccine was originally launched in Britain andwill continue to be introduced in other parts of theworld in 2003-2004. This NRC vaccine technologygenerated a single royalty payment to NRC ofalmost $3 million – the highest ever made to afederal government organization.Broadband Visual Communications –reaching out across CanadaNRC formed its Broadband Visual CommunicationsResearch Project (BVC) in 2001 as an outgrowth ofits ongoing research into broadband applicationsfor learning. This program involves collaborationswith the National Arts Centre (NAC), theCommunications Research Centre (CRC), theUniversity of Ottawa, CANARIE, McGill Universityand the Manhattan School of Music. The programfocuses on visual and interactive capabilitiesunique to broadband with a particular emphasison the environments and applications that bringpeople together across distance and time. Theprogram supports three learning communities:advanced violin students working with NAC musicdirector Pinchas Zukerman; high school studentsengaged in project-based learning in eight broadband-connectedschools across Canada; and highschool teachers involved in professionaldevelopment.“Science studies what is, technology createswhat has never been.”Dr. Theodore von Karman1881 – 1963White Rose oil field platform testOffshore oil field development is important toNewfoundland’s economy and the future of itsmarine engineering industry. With the province’sthird major offshore oil development about to getunderway, NRC is maintaining its record of havingbeen asked to study all three offshore productionsystems. The NRC-IMD Offshore Engineering Basinwas used for preliminary studies of the proposedFloating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO)vessel for the White Rose Field. A seriesof model tests were conducted involving theproducers, Oceanic Consulting, and NRC tomeasure mooring loads, green water and otherfactors affecting the FPSO in the field. NRC was thesite for extensive testing of the Hibernia GravityBase Structure that has operated successfully since1996, the Terra Nova FPSO deployed in 2001, andthe Cohasset-Panuke project.25V a l u eS C I E N C E A T W O R K F O R C A N A D A