Genome Blog

Tickets for Spencer Wells Deep Ancestry Presentation

Wed, 01 Feb 12 17:45:00 UT

As part of our co-sponsorship of the National Geographic Live presentation of Deep Ancestry with National Geographic's Explorer-in-Residence Spencer Wells, we have some free tickets available.

First place to check is the Facebook contest page for the Epcor Centre. Post a comment to the page answering, “Where is your family from?” and you’ll be entered to win a family four-pack. Deadline is 11:59pm, Wednesday, February 1^st.
On Monday, February 6^th, sometime around 4:40p, CBC Radio's Homestretch Program will have tickets to giveaway. They'll also be interviewing Spencer Wells so be sure to tune in this coming Monday.
Swerve Magazine has tickets and you'll have to visit their website now to get in on those ones.
Shaw TV will have tickets.
If you are in the genetics department at the U of C, they have tickets and as soon as I can get more details I"ll let you know.
The Epcor Centre has an email contest that closes later this week. To enter send an e-mail to contests@epcorcentre.org with "DNA" in the subject line, and include your name, address and postal code and you're automatically eligible to win.

The presentation is on February 7^th at 7:00p in the Epcor Centre's Jack Singer Concert Hall. We're pretty pleased to be part of this event as Toronto is the only other Canadian city hosting one of the presentations so it was a good catch for the Epcor Centre and for Genome Alberta.  Check the Epcor website for more details.

Twitter Snips for February 1st, 2012

Wed, 01 Feb 12 16:15:00 UT

Twitter is going to hit user number 500 million this month. That is an impressive feat and means it is becomng impossible to dismiss Twitter as a useful communication tool with an equally useful role in science communication. It also means it is no longer an easy job to find the best accounts to follow and sort out the good from the bad and the useful from the useless.
Here is a VERY small sample of people and posts from the last 2 weeks meant to give you a taste of what is out there and how it is used.
If you're not already a Twitter user, sign up fast and try to be that 500 millionth account. And of course be sure to follow @mikesgene or @GenomeAlberta .

@ayrrisbio Great blog by @digitalbio - Next-generation sequencing adds thousands of new genes http://bit.ly/wd7aSm

@bakercom1 How to Judge if Research is Trustworthy http://mindshift.kqed.org/2012/01/how-to-judge-if-research-is-trustworthy/

@briankotts 13 Everyday Technologies That Were First Imagined In Science Fiction http://read.bi/w7nXyv SAI #scichat

@cdnstemcell Canada is known as a hotbed for stem cell research. Join the excitement; be at the forefront of great innovation! #RenewTheWorldGala

@crscience Science Fairs Are Ground Zero For U.S. Innovation http://t.co/1T1lgZpR #edchat #scichat #STEM

@edyong209 Help me support good sci writing. Every month, I donate £ to 10 ppl whose work I'd pay to read. January's picks: http://bit.ly/AhMATy

@ElizabethMay In Question Period, Joe Oliver claims there has been a "30% reduction in emissions (of GHG) in the oil sands." Not true. #cdnpoli #tarsands

@EmileABegin The pros and cons of working from home. http://buswk.co/AazoYV

@enniscath Excellent post and discussion about medical ghostwriting at @rpg7twit's place http://j.mp/xHi9dk #OccamT

@EpiExperts Looking for another study linking #epigenetics with socio-economics? New one from Glasgow http://bit.ly/yrsQ02

@Genomengin Yale gets new DNA sequencer | Yale Daily News http://bit.ly/wlGMX3 via @addthis

@idtdna Genes linked to cancer could be easier to detect with liquid lasers http://ow.ly/8N4V1 #DNA

@kejames Health coverage in @washingtonpost & @bangordailynews so sensationalized & misleading I had to read it between fingers: http://bit.ly/whEQo9

@msoskil Science Fair Project Ideas http://education.com/science-fair/ #education #scichat #sciencefair

@ShipLives My post for Nature on PIOs, Scientists and getting it right: http://t.co/HnHxmIx5 #scio12 #SITT

@StemCellNetwork New blog post: Trading on hope: A look at what motivates #stemcell tourists and what happens when it goes wrong http://bit.ly/xuy76X

These bits and bytes are brought to you 140 characters at a time by the following:

Can we trust science news in the media?

Tue, 31 Jan 12 16:15:00 UT

Question: What do you get when you have @priongirl, @jayingram and @CTVKarenOwen on @IronwoodStage hosted by @Telus_Spark?

Answer: Well, it is not a tweet-up even though it I noted that the hashtag #sciencecafe was being used. This is a panel including Dr. Valerie Sim, a scientist; Jay Ingram, a science correspondent; and moderator Karen Owen, a TV broadcaster. Tonight’s topic is “Science vs. the Media — Can we trust science news in the media?”, part of the Telus Spark Science Café series held at The Ironwood Stage and Grill.

It was hard finding a place to park in Inglewood, but I was confident there would be plenty of spaces to sit. Was I wrong! I should have known better. The Science Café has been going on for six years now and has grown in popularity with each event. Add the star power of a Jay Ingram and you have the Ironwood so full that people are even sitting on chairs ringing the sides of stage.

Dr. Sim asked us to think back to high school and compare the science nerds with the drama geeks. She pointed out that while there were exceptions, the two groups did not often overlap. Fast forward to adult careers, and you have the white-coated scientist, perhaps using a lot of jargon, having their story greatly shortened and retold with a potentially misinterpreted message which does not relay the passion for which the original science was done.

When it was Jay Ingram’s time to talk, he pointed out that shows like Discovery.Ca are for profit and they must understand and cater to the viewers to keep getting the numbers required by the sponsors. Furthermore, with the show’s success and the need to continue growing audiences, there is less appetite for risk taking. This actually shrinks the types of stories that will be told.
Ingram and Sim next conducted hilarious mock interviews illustrating three types of dysfunctional communication between a scientist and a media person. This demonstration had the audience in stitches of laughter, as we all recognized that we have witnessed each of these interview styles over the years.

Harper Government Invests in Personalized Medicine

Tue, 31 Jan 12 15:15:00 UT

Improving the quality of life of Canadians by developing more effective treatments

Media Release, Ottawa, Ontario(January 31, 2012) – The Harper Government today announced an important investment that will help Canadians in getting more effective treatments and make the healthcare system more sustainable through personalized medicine. The announcement was made by the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, and the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology.

"Our Government is committed to improving the quality of life of Canadians,” Minister Aglukkaq said. “The potential to understand a person’s genetic makeup and the specific character of their illness in order to best determine their treatment will significantly improve the quality of life for patients and their families and may show us the way to an improved health care system and even save costs in certain circumstances."

Personalized medicine offers the potential to transform the delivery of healthcare to patients. Healthcare will evolve from a reactive “one-size-fits-all” system towards a system of predictive, preventive, and precision care. Areas in which personalized approaches are particularly promising include oncology, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, psychiatric disorders, diabetes and obesity, arthritis, pain, and Alzheimer’s disease. In all of these fields, and others, a personalized molecular medicine approach is expected to lead to better health outcomes, improved treatments, and reduction in toxicity due to variable or adverse drug responses. For example, cancer patients would be screened to identify those for whom chemotherapy would be ineffective. In addition to saving on the costs of expensive drug treatments, this personalized treatment would prevent a great deal of suffering, while identifying and initiating earlier treatments that would be more effective.

“I applaud Genome Canada and the CIHR for their leadership in supporting research in personalized medicine,” said Minister Goodyear. “Innovative approaches like these lead to significant health benefits, enhance our knowledge within the medical arena and can be commercialized to help so many others worldwide."

Genome Canada is leading the landmark research competition, with significant collaboration from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Cancer Stem Cell Consortium (CSCC). To qualify for funding, researchers must obtain matching funding that at is least equal to that provided through the competition. Matching funding is typically derived from provincial, academic, private sector or international sources.

- 30 -

Genome Alberta has already set up a new web page for the Genomics and Personalized Health Competition with links to all the necessary forms and information needed for researchers and media.
We also have a media fact sheet available.

Further information:

Cailin Rodgers
Office of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq
Federal Minister of Health
613-957-0200

Stephanie Thomas
Special Assistant (Communications)
Office of the Honourable Gary Goodyear
Minister of State (Science and Technology)
613-960-7728

David Coulombe
Media Relations
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
613-941-4563

Marlene Orton
Director, Media Relations
Genome Canada
613-751-4460 x119
BlackBerry: 613-295-1476

Mike Spear
Director of Corporate Communications,
Genome Alberta
403-813-5843 or mspear@genomealberta.ca

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada’s health research investment agency. CIHR’s mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 14,100 health researchers and trainees across Canada. www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Genome Canada is a non-profit corporation employing an innovative business model based on funding and managing large-scale, multidisciplinary, internationally peer-reviewed genomics research projects in areas such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, the environment and human health. For more information, visit www.genomecanada.ca

The Cancer Stem Cell Consortium is a not-for-profit corporation that was incorporated in 2007 to coordinate an international strategy for cancer stem cell research and related translational activities. For more information, visit www.cancerstemcellconsortium.ca

Application of Genomics to Hydrocarbon Resource Development

Tue, 31 Jan 12 00:55:00 UT

On February 17^th Genome Alberta and the Public Policy Forum are co-hosting a workshop on how genomics tools and technology can be applied to the development of hydrocarbon resources in Canada and around the world. Genomics or genetics are not the first thing that come to mind when you think of Alberta's oil and gas industry but there is a strong and useful relationship. Until recently, the limited ability to grow bacteria and other life forms found in hydrocarbon environments in the laboratory made it difficult to understand the genetic make-up of these organisms. Our new and emerging understanding of microbial action in hydrocarbons can now help in many ways:

Mitigate tailing ponds
Decrease water use in the extraction process
Reduce souring in oil reserves
Reduce corrosion in pipelines and oilfield equipment
Provide a technology platform to manage environmental impact

The list of how genomics is used now, and how it can be used in future oil and gas development, will be the focus of a prestigious group of workshop panelists and speakers:

Terry Hazen - A recognized authority on bioremediation of the Gulf after the BP oil spill and a professor at the University of Tennessee
David Mitchell - CEO of the Public Policy Forum
Gerry Protti - Vice-Chair of Alberta Innovates Technology Futures and founding President of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
Jason Switzer - Director of Corporate Consulting at the Pembina Institute
Eddy Isaacs - CEO of Alberta Innovates Energy and Environmental Solutions
Pierre Meulien - CEO and President of Genome Canada
Steven Larter - Professor at the University of Calgary specializing in metagenomics and hydrocarbon energy production
Subodh Gupta - Chief of Technology Development for Cenovus Energy
Vincent Saubestre - Executive Director of the Oil Sands Leadership Initiative (OSLI)
Mehrdad Hajibabaei - Assistant Professor Biodiversity Institute of Ontario Department of Integrative Biology
Paul Willems - BP, Technology Vice President, Energy Biosciences

Genome Alberta is a non-for-profit funder of genomics research and is holding the workshop to:

Discuss the role genomics can play in developing a more productive and responsible Alberta energy sector
Assess the research and infrastructure capacity in environmental and energy genomics in Alberta, across Canada, and internationally
Explore funding models to advance this area of research.

While this workshop is by invitation only, if you think you could contribute to the discussion or that you or that your organization would like to take part, please contact Heather Smith at hsmith@genomealberta.ca or 403-503-5220 ext. 24 to discuss an invitation.

Genome British Columbia: Beating Childhood Brain Cancer-A Success Story

Mon, 30 Jan 12 19:15:00 UT

In March of 1993, Penny Flynn and Jeff Date received devastating news: their nine-month-old daughter Taylor had been diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a cancerous brain tumour. Cancer is the leading cause of non-accidental deaths in children, and medulloblastoma is the most common form of childhood cancer. The few children who do survive the aggressive and debilitating treatments must then often cope with a host of side-effects, such as learning challenges and physical disabilities. In essence, saving the child's life is an important initial victory, but also the start of life-long challenges for the child, their family and the health care system.

A new national, multi-disciplinary team made up of experts in BC and Ontario is leading the way to change and improve how this cancer is treated. With more than $9.8 million in funding from Genome BC and other partners, they aim to develop laboratory tests to determine which type of brain cancer the child suffers from in order to more accurately classify the tumours for treatment. This would significantly increase the survival rate, and improve the quality of life of children with brain cancer.

Alberta Researchers Receive Top Achievement Awards

Thu, 26 Jan 12 23:15:00 UT

2011 CIHR-CMAJ Top Achievements in Health Research Awards

Genome Alberta is pleased to see all researcher recognized for their work but are particularly pleased so see Board Member Dr. Marv Fritzler among those recognized by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Canadian Medical Association Journal

Ottawa, Ontario (January 23, 2012) – The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) have announced the six recipients of the 2011 CIHR-CMAJ: Top Achievements in Health Research Awards. Each researcher who is honoured improved our understanding of health and human diseases, helped tackle health challenges, and improved the health care system.

For the third year, a peer-review panel of Canadian and international experts selected exceptional individuals based on the considerable health impact of their work to benefit Canadians and others worldwide. Among the six outstanding achievements selected, two received special mentions for their highest-ranking successes.

Dr. Daniel Drucker for his innovative work in improving the lives of patients with type 2 diabetes (Toronto, Ontario) – Special mention
Dr. Gideon Koren and colleagues for revolutionizing the area of medication safety in pregnancy (Toronto, Ontario) – Special mention
Dr. Marvin Fritzler for identifying novel autoantigens that resulted in new diagnostic testing and biomarkers for autoimmune diseases (Calgary, Alberta)
- Virtually all of Dr. Fritzler's discoveries of novel autoantigens have been translated into new diagnostic assays or biomarkers that are in wide use in clinical diagnostic and research laboratories around the world. Dr. Marvin Fritzler's work out of Calgary is particularly important for patients with autoimmune disorders.
Dr. Terry Klassen and colleagues for improving health outcomes of acutely ill and injured children visiting pediatric emergency departments (across Canada)
Drs. Anthony Tang and George Wells for helping reduce cardiac mortality rates with resynchronization therapy and implantable defibrillators in heart failure (Ottawa, Ontario)
Dr. Michael Hill and colleagues for the Calgary Stroke Program (Calgary, Alberta) that has changed the face of stroke care by thoroughly integrating research and clinical care
- Dr. Hill's team has changed the face of stroke care. The Calgary Stroke Program, through its multidisciplinary clinical research group, has guided practice changes in Canada and beyond. A defining feature of the program is that research and clinical care are thoroughly integrated.
Dr. Alain Beaudet, President of CIHR, congratulated the researchers. "Today we celebrate the tireless work of outstanding individuals who dedicate their careers to finding innovative solutions to pressing health care problems. Along with their significant advancement of knowledge, they ensured the results had a direct impact to benefit patients. These researchers have humbly improved the lives of millions of people worldwide."

"The calibre of recipients is remarkable and reflects the high quality of research in Canada," said Dr. John Fletcher, new Editor-in-Chief of CMAJ. "Their work, from improving management of type 2 diabetes to revolutionizing medication safety for pregnant women to helping better diagnose and understand autoimmune disorders and more, will have a lasting impact in the practice of medicine and for many people around the world."

"The recipients of this award have demonstrated the key purpose of health research – translating research knowledge into practical health outcomes," said Dr. Ian Graham, Vice President, Knowledge Translation and Public Outreach at CIHR. "The achievements recognized today are a testament to how health research and better healthcare delivery go hand in hand."

Essays from the two highest-ranking achievements are available on the CMAJ website under "Special Reports".
Essays by the winners of the two highest-ranking achievements are available:

National Geographic Live with Spencer Wells

Thu, 26 Jan 12 21:45:00 UT

Deep Ancestry with Spencer Wells - A Genome Alberta co-sponsored event

I shouldn't be surprised given the number of ads, print magazines, and online sites devoted to it, but until I heard some comments by Spencer Wells I never realised genealogy is the second most popular hobby behind gardening. Spencer Wells is a population geneticist, the National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and heads up the Genographic Project. He'll will be speaking in Calgary on February 7^th about the project and about some of the things he has learned travelling around the world to collect DNA samples and research human migration patterns. The project is using the latest technology in DNA analysis to create a genetically-based map of human migration. The team has collected hundred of thousands of DNA samples to help understand how we started from a small population in Africa, and spread around the globe over the last 60,000 years.

There are some fundamental questions that we don't have complete answers for yet.

When did modern humans first colonize the Arctic?
How many waves of migration were there into the Americas?
Who are the oldest populations in Africa and therefore the world?
Can ancient remains from animals help to trace the spread of domestication?

The project draws on experts in human population genetics and related disciplines, located at 11 research laboratories and universities. Together they lead regional efforts to obtain and analyze DNA samples from indigenous populations and there is another scientist focusing on DNA collected from ancient samples.
The project also invites the general public to join in, submit a sample for the broader research project, and get information about their own ancestry. Sounds like an interesting project so what is a journalist turned Genome Alberta Communications Director supposed to do other than join the project !

2012 Large-Scale Applied Research Project Competition in Personalized Health

Thu, 26 Jan 12 16:45:00 UT

Request for Applications (RFA) Genomics and Personalized Health A Genome Canada – CIHR Partnership

Genome Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), is seeking proposals for large-scale research projects which focus on the application of genomics1 in the area of Personalized Health. Through this partnership Genome Canada will implement an important element of its Strategic Plan (2012-2017) and CIHR will launch its Personalized Medicine Signature Initiative. This strategic partnership will build on the complementary mandates of Genome Canada and CIHR and provide an opportunity to maximize the effectiveness of the research communities, infrastructure and resources supported by both organizations.

In the context of this competition Personalized Health can be seen as a more evidence based approach to decision making both with regards to health maintenance and disease interventions. There is a spectrum of activities that span what is referred to as the molecular medicine continuum from health maintenance and disease prevention, through early detection, to treatment of disease and disease prognosis. This approach relies upon an increasing knowledge of the underlying risk factors, causes, and mechanisms of disease pathogenesis as well as an understanding of the influence of environment, behaviour and lifestyle on the onset and outcomes of the disease state.

Under this Request for Applications (RFA), genomic and GE3LS activities can be targeted to any part of the continuum but must demonstrate their potential to contribute to a more evidence-based approach to health and their potential to improve not only the cost-effectiveness of the health-care system, but also to ensure that discoveries are translated into patient and population benefits. In order to maximize the effectiveness of this RFA in advancing genomics research and its application in Canada, sharing of resources and expertise through inter-regional or international collaboration is encouraged at all levels.

For the details, forms, and important dates you can visit our new Genomics and Personalized Health page or contact Heather Smith hsmith@genomealberta.ca at 403-503-5220 ext. 24

January 31st updated information: The full media release is now available at http://genomealberta.ca/blogs/harper-government-invests-in-personalized-medicine.aspx

Warning: Your Information is Set to Overload

Mon, 23 Jan 12 18:00:00 UT

Information.
We're drowning in the stuff. It includes our regular diet of journals, TV, radio and music, e-mails ranging from newsletters to our day-to-day business, and social media feeds. Finding yourself in the deep end of the information pool doesn't take very long.
At the Science Online 2012 Conference last week I joined the session 'Drowning in Information' led by Walter Jessen and Simon Frantz and it was clear from the discussion that lots of us feel that way and few people haver all the answers. It seems that if we don't deal with the problem we're going to slip beneath the next wave of information and never re-surface.
First order of business maybe some drown-proofing by simply taking in less information. Cancel online and online subscriptions that you don't need or read. I decided to undertake the cleanup exercise a while ago and have unsubscribed from several digests, newsletters, and Google Alert coming into my Inbox. Many of my remaining alerts and feeds are channeled into my iGoogle Home Page which at least gets it out of my e-mail and integrates it into my browser home page. Mostly what is left in the Inbox are BioSmartBrief, GenomeWeb Daily News (these 2 are both customizable in themselves), The Hill Times ( a paid subscription), the POLITICO Playbook and a few similar beasts that are not daily intrusions.

Then the session came to the tools we can use. Oh, the tools, tools, tools.