Genome Blog [Category - Mikenomics]

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

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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.

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

New Address for GenOmics

Sun, 22 Jan 12 03:00:00 UT

GenOmics has a new home. It has moved all of its belongings, cool features, and information to a new address at http://genomicsnews.ca . Make a mental note that it is a dot ca domain, because we don't want you to head down the dot com street and end up in the wrong place. GenOmics has seen some remodeling, a little touchup paint, and a complete renovation over the years, but this is the first time it has packed up and moved.

It started life in 2008 as a Facebook application that enabled Facebook users to send virtual genes to their friends.
There was the gene for blues eyes, one for red hair, the Night Owl gene for those who stayed out late, and a gene for big dogs. Each gene had an icon designed by an artist just for the application (no clip art ! ), a description of what the gene and genes do or don't do, an 'About Genome Alberta' section, and a whatever news we could squeeze into a paragraph. We gave away almost 15,00 genes in that first year - not bad for our first venture into social media.
Our developer then, and now, was Jeff Reifman of newscloud.com

Don't Shoot the Media - or the Scientist

Fri, 20 Jan 12 21:00:00 UT

Yesterday at the Science Online 2012 Conference in Raleigh I attended an afternoon session on "Why Scientists Hate and Fear the Media; or, Science Training for Journalists". Quite a mouthful which at times proved to be hard to swallow because what was destined to be a lively session anyway, eventually came off the rails. The upside of the 'unconference' format is that sessions are more relevant to more attendees, but the downside is that sessions can be "we the unknowing led but the inexperienced."
What I was able to come away with though, was that many scientists worry about damage to their reputation after missteps, misquotes or misunderstanding. A bad round with the NY Times, CNN, or Wired.com can derail your career.
No doubt that could happen. Emphasis on the could and I hope some of yesterday's attendees joined today's session on risk, wonderfully led by David Ropeik, to help ease their mistrust.

What yesterday's session skipped by was a realistic scan across the average science - media - scientist - journalist relationship.
For a start the average researcher in the average university is not likely to get a call from the NY Times, Guardian, or CNN or in Canada, a print outlet such as the Globe and Mail. The call is more likely to come from a local newspaper, or an electronic broadcaster, and this changes the scenario significantly.
The big national outlets or specialty publications are more likely to have a dedicated beat reporter who has time to read the original science paper or dig deeper into the research. Specialty publications also have deadlines that are farther out. Despite a dismissive comment during the session about reporters who don't read the research paper, there is no escaping the fact a local reporter has neither the time or the background to read a scientific paper. Nor is it in any way similar to the tweeted comment about a "reporter who doesn't read a science paper is like a restaurant reviewer who doesn't visit the restaurant".

Imagine this:

Trying Out an Impossible Project at #scio12

Wed, 18 Jan 12 22:45:00 UT

I'm in Raleigh, North Carolina for the Science Online 2012 Conference. It is the 6th Conference, but my first chance at hearing what some of the top science writers, bloggers, journalists, and science PR folks are doing to make science communication better. The 450 attendees come from all over the U.S., Canada, the UK and I noticed a post appeared from someone arriving from Germany so we're all guaranteed a lot of practical ideas coming out of some diverse background.
Ulitmately the conference, the presentations, and the people, are all about some basic communications in a modern context.
In a crowd fulll of the most digitally saavy people I'm likely to come across for awhile, I was trying to figure out how to bring a unique twist to things.
Which is where the Impossible Project comes in. Ani instant imaging process, wireless, no printer required and no issues around bandwidth ( which is becoming a problem as the hotel fills up with tjhose armed with one or more WiFi device). A basic imaging tool from a communication age of a few decades ago.
I dug out my old Polaroid camera and thanks to the Impossible Project begun in 2008 I was also able to find instant film at the Camera Store in Calgary. Jim Slobodian is Assistant Floor Manager at the store and not only was he helpful, but he really has spent some time learning about an old technology that is seeing some life breathed back into it.

Twitter Snips for January 18th, 2012

Wed, 18 Jan 12 20:00:00 UT

This week I'll be attending the Science Online Conference at North Carolina State University. I first heard about the conference several years ago on, where else, Twitter.
It is the 6th gathering of scientists, students, educators, PR folks, journalists, librarians, bloggers, and programmers interested in how the Internet is changing the way we talk about science and how we as communicators can make the most of new media.
Whether it is through website, Twitter, Facebook, ResearchGate, or specialized tools like our own GenOmics application you can be sure it will be discussed thoroughly, both online and offline.
Many of the people in this edition of Twitter Snips are part of the conference and many more than the 450 people attending in person will be following online.
We'll be tweeting, posting some blog entries and uploading some pictures over the next week so be sure to check back here often or follow @mikesgene or @GenomeAlberta.
In the meantime here is a very small sampling of what you can find on Twitter from some of those part of the Science Online 2012 community.

@BoraZ Open science, publications & digital evolution: Like it or not science and research are changing http://t.co/2tcAdiAT @AggieResearch #scio12

@Comprendia Helping Life Science Companies Empower Bloggers At ScienceOnline #scio12 http://bit.ly/A8hMwV Sign up to connect!

@eSchoolNews Homeless teen honored in prestigious science competition http://ow.ly/8v4rB #edchat #science #scichat

@GaryM The $1,000 Human Genome: Are We There Yet?: Scientific American http://t.co/LKkAHmVn #scichat #biology #genome

@Genomengin First prostate cancer mutation http://nblo.gs/sCClg

@genomicslawyer Biotech Firms Battle Over Same Day Genomes: http://onforb.es/yPoZc7 @matthewherper on $ILMN's Ion Proton counterpunch.

@humangenomeorg Researchers identify genetic risk factors associated with diabetes. http://bit.ly/yKmAtl

@LinusReport @LIFECorporation says even if NIH cuts budgets by -8%, they would continue to grow due to 'minimized headwinds' #JPM12

@Megan_BOLD DNA Barcoding Assistant App for iPhone is now free in the app store http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dna-barcoding-assistant/id477080376?mt=8 #DNAbarcode

@Mol_Med 40 Most Awesome iPad Apps for Science Students. http://ow.ly/7S8VT

@PacificLearning Inside Science books help build scientific knowledge, content vocab & nonfiction comprehension! http://t.co/FAQY5MbI #scichat #edu #STEM

@phylogenomics Research Works Act H.R.3699: The Private Publishing Tail Trying To Wag The Public Research Dog, Yet Again http://shar.es/WIt8f

@ScienceBlogTwit Scientists learn how stem cell implants help heal traumatic brain injury http://goo.gl/fb/syMR6

@Sheril_ An excellent new comic highlights the major red flags of #science quackery (version 2.0) http://bit.ly/AbdS45 from sci-ence.org

@WRALTechWire New blog post: Life science service sector to rebound, report says http://wraltechwire.com/10592196

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