Genome Alberta's Official Newsletter
Genome Alberta Newsletter GeneSnips - December 16, 2009
Genome Alberta News
Bovine Genomics
Genome Alberta is joining with a range of partners to seek out new directions in bovine genomics research. We are building on the work coming out of the 2008 Aquatic and Terrestrial Animal Genomics position paper and the Canadian Bovine Genomics workshop held in Calgary on September 14th of this year. We’ve also added some new bovine genomics resources to our website which you can view by going to http://genomealberta.ca/
bovinegenomics Stay tuned in the New Year for more information about what we see ahead in bovine genetics.
New Bio-Tech for Enhanced Oil Recovery
A new bio-technology that is being developed to access hard to reach oil reserves has received $953,944 from the Canada - Saskatchewan Western Economic Partnership Agreement (WEPA), to carry out tests on the efficacy and usability of the technology in the oil wells.
The Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR), under development by various research institutions led by Genome Prairie, will pump nutrients into oil reservoirs to stimulate growth of microorganizms that react to release trapped oil that is then pumped out to market.
You can view the full press release at the Western Economic Diversification Canada website.
Genome Alberta Board Meeting
Genome Alberta’s Board met on December with new Board chair Dennis Fitzpatrick. Pictured from the left are Genome Alberta CEO David Bailey, Dennis Fitzpatrick, Greg Senda and Kevin Keough. You can find more pictures of the Genome Alberta Board by visiting our Picasa photo sharing site.
Genome Atlantic Health Researcher Receives Award
Dr. Terry-Lynn Young, co-lead of Genome Atlantic's Atlantic Medical Genetics and Genomics Initiative (AMGGI) was the recipient of the President's Award for Outstanding Research from the Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Dr. Young was instrumental in the AMGGI project's landmark discovery of a gene related to a deadly cardiomyopathy in 2008. The finding has since been incorporated into a diagnostic tool, ensuring that people around the world can benefit from this important breakthrough.
For more on Dr. Young's award, visit http://www.mun.ca/marcomm/
news/index.php?includefile= showitem.php&id=2707
Eavesdropping on Cell Conversations
A new technique that allows scientists to monitor communication between cells could transform the way laboratory medical experiments are conducted. The method is likely to make laboratory studies of cancers and other human diseases, and assessment of new drugs to target them, more accurate.
The study was completed by Dr Rune Linding, head of the Cellular and Molecular Logic Team at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in the UK, along with UK and Canadian-based colleagues. The research is published in the latest edition of the journal Science.Funding for this project came from the ICR, the Medical Research Council, Genome Canada through the Ontario Genomics Institute, a Terry Fox Programme grant from the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Human Frontiers Science Program and The Lundbeck Foundation.
Latest Edition of the Canadian Bioinformatics Newsletter
http://www.gchelpdesk.
ualberta.ca/news/15dec09/cbhd_ news_15dec09.htm
Christmas Genes
GenOmics is a Facebook site where you can find stories, images, and videos related to the latest news in genomics, synthetic biology, GE3LS, and many other related ‘omics’. Registered users can also ‘give-a-gene’ for Christmas. There are 24 to choose from ranging from the genes for red hair or blue eyes, to the gene that helps a firefly glow in the dark. Just point your browser to http://facebook.genomealberta.
ca and look for the send a gene tab.If you aren’t registered you can still read or browse all the information on the site but why not sign-up and send your friends a gene.
All stories and the genes you exchange are virus-free and you don’t have to share any personal information you don’t want to.
Here is a small sample of some of the stories currently on GenOmics.
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Top Stories on GenOmics
New ethical questions are being raised in stem cell research
A groundbreaking discovery two years ago that turned ordinary skin cells back into an embryonic or pluripotent state was hailed as the solution to the controversial ethical question that has plagued stem-cell science for the past decade. What are the ethical and legal barriers facing new stem cell procedures? Genomics editors have included a video from the Gerard Health Foundation that addresses some of the questions raised in the stem cell debate.
Stem Cell Network Blog: Ethical and legal questions important in moving stem cell therapies to clinic
iPS cells give us an unprecedented opportunity to create patient- and disease-specific cells. Labs around the world have demonstrated that iPS cells can generate disease-specific cells for illnesses such as muscular dystrophy, Parkinson's and type 1 diabetes, among many others. Blog posting from Michael Rudnicki.
Picture of the Week: How genetics works
Not heavy science but a fun picture from a genetics geek with a good eye for telliing a story.
Science and Technology Innovation – looking to the future
The final part of the “Rethinking science and technology innovation series” from the 2020 Science blog. The series looks at the critical roles science and technology will increasingly play in society over the coming decades and the challenges of getting science and technology-based strategies and policies right.
What ELSI was New? Plenty
From October 5 to December 8, 2009, the Genomics Law Report featured a series of thirty-six guest commentaries by industry, academic and thought leaders in the fields of genomics and personalized medicine. The What ELSI is New? asked each contributor to briefly respond to the question: “What do you believe is the most important ethical, legal or social issue (ELSI) that must be addressed by the fields of genomics and/or personalized medicine?”
Type 2 diabetes gene predisposes children to obesity, study finds
Pediatric researchers have found that a gene already implicated in the development of type 2 diabetes in adults also raises the risk of being overweight during childhood. The finding sheds light on the genetic origins of diabetes and may present an avenue for developing drugs to counteract the disease, which has been on the upswing in childhood and adolescence.
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Upcoming Events
GEEE! in Genome
Until January 4, 2010
Vancouver, B.C.Planning a trip to Vancouver over the holidays? You have until January 4th to take in the GEEE in Genome exhibit at the Telus World of Science in Vancouver.
For more information go to http://www.scienceworld.ca/
genome or to http://geenome.ca/
Plant and Animal Genome XVIII Conference
January 9-13, 2010
San Diego, California, Town & Country Convention CenterCanada’s Genome Centres will be represented at the Annual PAG conference and we look forward to seeing you there.
For more information about PAG go to http://www.intl-pag.org/
ALI Social Media for Government Conference
January 25-28, 2010
Edmonton, AlbertaHow to Engage Your Employees and Citizens by Using the Latest Web 2.0 Technologies
Genome Alberta’s Communications Director Mike Spear will be speaking at the Social Media for Government Conference in Edmonton this coming January and if you mention his name when registering you’ll get a 50% discount on the registration rate. For more information go to:http://www.aliconferences.com/
conf/social_media_govt_ canada0110/index.htm
National Bioscience Educators Conference
February 16th – 18th
Winnipeg, ManitobaBioscience Education Canada and MindSet (Manitoba) are holding the 4th Annual National Bioscience Educators Conference on at Red River College.
For more information go to http://bioscienceeducation.ca/
our-programs/national- bioscience-educators- conference/
Federated Press Social Media in Government Conference
February 16 & 17, 2010
Ottawa, OntarioGenome Alberta’s Mike Spear will be one of the speakers talking about best practices for developing a social media strategy and integrating social media to facilitate collaboration and using case studies and interactive sessions. The all important “why” and “how much will it cost” questions will also be addressed.
For more information go to http://tinyurl.com/ye8smbu
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GE3LS Digest
The Get Out of Jail Free gene – November 17, 2009
When Walter Perez taunted a Muslim man for wearing eye make-up, he could not have known that he would pay for such unkindness with his life. His heavily kohl-ed target, enraged and armed, stabbed him to death. Abdelmalek Bayout, an Algerian who claimed that he darkened his eyes for religious reasons, was initially jailed for just over nine years, after a court heard that he had a history of psychiatric illness.
New 'Skin' From Stem Cells – November 17, 2009
Embryonic stem cells, which can turn into a variety of cells in the body, can produce temporary skin that could help burn victims while they're waiting for skin grafts, new research from France suggests.
The findings, reported in the Nov. 20 issue of The Lancet, could lead to treatments that build on the existing use of cell therapy to help burn patients recover from injuries.
Obama Names Chairs of New Bioethics Panel – November 24, 2009
President Barack Obama has established a new presidential council to advise him on bioethical matters. It replaces the sometimes controversial council that advised President George W. Bush.
The chair of the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues will be Amy Gutmann, a political scientist and the president of the University of Pennsylvania.
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Found on Twitter
Twitter can be a bit hard to define, but consider it a 140 character bulletin board where you can share as much or as little as you want. You just have to learn to be short and to the point. You can also go to our home page at http://genomealberta.ca any time of the day or night to see Genome Alberta’s Twitter activity without having to sign up. Here are a few of the items that @mikesgene tracked down on Twitter lately.
@2020science Gregor Wolbring on "Ableism" and technology innovation - next installment of Hooked on Tech series: http://2020science.org/Sv
@IAmBiotech Give Me a Home Where Biotech Wheat Can Roam: http://ow.ly/LUfB
@idtdna http://twitpic.com/t21nj - Attending Plant & Animal Genome next month? Stop by our booth and register to win a Nintendo Wii System
@Comprendia RT @whitecoatstrat @IAmBiotech @vabio: NYT editorial: DNA tech resulted in 139 ppl being released from Death Row in USA: http://ow.ly/LV7X
@NatRevDrugDisc RT @NatureNews Stem-cell induction made simpler http://ff.im/-cRRzj
@genomicslawyer What ELSI Was New? Plenty. http://bit.ly/8VzFDE Check out the recap from the Genomics Law Report's series and download the e-book
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Genome Alberta Researchers
There are hundreds of researchers, post doc students, graduate students, and administration staff connected to Genome Alberta’s projects around the province. Last week we profiled 2 new additions to the Sun Centre for Visual Genomics and this week we’re featuring Dr. Lisa Gieg, Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Petroleum Microbiology Research Group. She isn’t new to the University of Calgary but she now part of our Hydrocarbon Metagenomics project.
We sent an e-mail to many of our researchers asking them to share a little bit about themselves and here is what Lisa had to offer.
Who was the most influential teacher in your life?
Phil Fedorak (University of Alberta)If you had not pursued a career in research, what would you most likely be doing today?
Documentary filmmakerWhat are you reading right now?
"The Corrections" and "Oil"What group or musician is at the top of your music playlist this week?
Ben HarperWhat do you think is the most important development in genomics in this century?
Polymerase chain reaction -- a prequel to all gene/genomics-based analysesWhat is the most significant impact that genomics has had on your field?
Better understanding of the potential biochemical reactions used by strict but poorly understood anaerobes (ie. Syntrophus, anaerobic alkane degraders) that are found in the deep subsurface ecosystems such as oil reservoirsWhat is the most important question that genomics can/will answer in your respective field of inquiry?
Determining novel anaerobic enzymatic mechanisms and thus biochemical pathways of hydrocarbon metabolismWhat are your hobbies?
Swimming, running, biking (triathlons), reading, sewingWhat single piece of advice would you give to someone considering a life in science?
You have to love it -- and love solving puzzles!
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