On May 10, Island Studies Press announced the launch of a new book by Mo Duffy Cobb and Lori Mayne, The Chemistry of Innovation: Regis Duffy and the Story of DCL.

Regis Duffy was the first Board Chair of the PEI BioAlliance and was a critical leader in developing the bioscience sector and research capacity in PEI. The BioAlliance benefited early on by reflecting Duffy’s values of working beyond self-interest, focusing on the larger benefit, and investing in long-term success. Duffy was also key in establishing the self-reliance and sustainable prosperity of the sector that would ensure future generations of Islanders could find meaningful employment locally and newly developed PEI products would be sold around the world.

Read full release from Island Studies Press:

How did a farm boy from Prince Edward Island become a successful businessman, mentor, and community philanthropist? A new book by Mo Duffy Cobb and Lori Mayne tells the behind-the-scenes story of how Regis Duffy became a household name. The Chemistry of Innovation: Regis Duffy and the Story of DCL depicts the growing pains and leaps of faith of a community-minded business.

In 1970, Regis Duffy — then dean of science at UPEI — started a small chemical reagent company in a makeshift basement lab at Saint Dunstan’s University to create summer jobs for his students. Diagnostic Chemicals and its offspring, BioVectra, soon grew into global competitors in the diagnostic and pharmaceutical industry, employed hundreds of Islanders, and provided a model for entrepreneurship and economic development in Canada’s smallest province. The key to his success? As Regis once said, “Innovate or die; the alternative is not that appealing.”

The Chemistry of Innovation celebrates the vision, hard work, and people-centred approach that allowed DCL to grow from a start-up “stirring chemicals after church” into a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. Ever the farmer, Regis planted the seed for a thriving biotech industry on Prince Edward Island.

Published by Island Studies Press at UPEI, The Chemistry of Innovation: Regis Duffy and the Story of DCL is now available for sale at The Bookmark, the UPEI Bookstore, Indigo, Coles, and online through the distributor, Nimbus Publishing. This book was the recipient of a SSHRC Exchange Publication Award from the Vice-President Academic and Research Office at the University of Prince Edward Island. The book also received support from the PEI BioAlliance, Sekisui, and the Office of the President at UPEI.