Fast Facts

VIDO is a not-for-profit organization owned by the University of Saskatchewan. A separate Board of Advisors contributes industry expertise and practical guidance.

The Organization
The Research
The Director
Corporate Success
The Vaccines
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History and Directors

The Organization

• The University of Saskatchewan's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) is located in Saskatoon, Sask. at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S)
• VIDO was created in 1975 with a mandate to develop vaccines for the protection of livestock against serious and economically devastating diseases, and to ensure the technology reached the producer.
• VIDO has gone from a staff of five temporarily housed in trailers to a new name, a brand-new state-of-the-art building, and more than 150 employees and researchers occupying 100,000 square feet.
• VIDO’s facilities include modern virology, immunology, bacteriology and biochemistry labs and a 160-acre research station.
• Partners including the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Government of Canada, the Government of Saskatchewan, the University of Saskatchewan and the City of Saskatoon have joined to create the International Vaccine Centre (InterVac). InterVac is a $140 million Containment Level 3 facility being built adjacent to VIDO. InterVac/VIDO will conduct large animal and human infectious disease research toward vaccines against emerging diseases.
• VIDO is a not-for-profit research centre wholly owned by the U of S and operates with substantial support from the governments of Alberta and Saskatchewan, as well as the Government of Canada and industry competitive grants. VIDO’s annual operating budget exceeds $12 million.

The Research

Information sheet: The story of a vaccine

• VIDO is internationally recognized for the design of many vaccines and products increasing productivity and improving health and quality of life for livestock.
• The national and international animal health industry has adopted VIDO technology and products for use in disease prevention programs. For example, the Organization created the first genetically engineered subunit animal vaccine, and was the first to demonstrate that DNA immunization, known to lead to a long-lasting and broad spectrum immune response, could be effective in cattle.
• VIDO is known for its research into new vaccination strategies for improving protection and ease of delivery of vaccines for both human and animal diseases.
• The Organization hosts visiting scientists and also provides a challenging and rewarding training environment for undergraduates, postgraduates, and postdoctoral fellows – who make up one third of VIDO’s staff.

VIDO research projects fall within seven program areas:

The Director

Corporate success

• VIDO continues to be competitive nationally and internationally, with more than 80 awarded U.S. patents.
• The Organization participates in collaborative agreements and research contracts with a growing number of multinational animal health and pharmaceutical companies, along with government and academic institutions.
• VIDO teamed up with the University of British Columbia and a corporate partner to lead a $27m national genomics project funded by Genome Canada through Genome Prairie. The project applied the science of genomics and proteomics to revealing mechanisms of mucosal immune responses to infection.The unique findings of this project are being further developed in the Pathogenomics of Innate Immunity project, funded at $12.8 million.
• VIDO is one of four Canadian teams offered funding through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative.

The vaccines

• The Pneumo-Star vaccine was the world’s first recombinant vaccine licensed for use in animals. Other products in bold were also world firsts of their type.

VIDO was also a partner in the development of a vaccine for cattle against E. coli O157:H7. The vaccine, to be available in Canada by the summer of 2007, is being commercialized by Bioniche Life Sciences Inc. (Belleville, Ont.) and will improve the safety of food and water by controlling the spread of this toxic strain.

In September, the vaccine was recognized internationally as the best new veterinary product for livestock as part of the Animal Pharm Industry Excellence Awards '07. The "best new veterinary product for livestock" award recognizes excellence in pharmaceutical or vaccine development for production animals. In February 2008, the vaccine was approved for a conditional licence by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For more information on the E. coli O157:H7 vaccine, see this Q&A hosted by Bioniche.


Last updated Nov. 2007.

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