Genome Alberta's Official Newsletter

Genome Alberta Newsletter GenOmics - June 15, 2010

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Genomics News

Genome Canada Funded Research Finds Key Changes in People with Autism

A new international study from The Autism Genome Project and published in the June 9th edition of Nature, demonstrates that people with autism may have differences in their genes that are unique to each person. This Canadian led study is funded by public and private partners including major awards and support from Genome Canada, through the Ontario Genomics Institute. The research team is co-led by Dr. Stephen Scherer, a molecular genetics researcher at the University of Toronto, Director of the McLaughlin Centre for Molecular Medicine and Director of the Hospital for Sick Children's Centre for Applied Genomics and by Dr. Peter Szatmari, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University and Director of Hamilton's Centre for Child Studies.

For the complete release, additional links, and a video from Dr. Scherer please visit the GenOmics News site.


Genome Canada Large Scale Applied Research Competition Webinar

To reach a greater number of researchers and save time and travel expense Genome Alberta held a webinar on June 1st to help guide interested researchers through the funding application process.

There were 71 people registered for the webinar and not only did most of them logon for the event, in some cases there were several people in a single office so the actual number of attendees was likely even higher. Those that could not attend the webinar live had the chance to view a recording of it later or download the slide presentation that was part of the webinar. With the tight timelines for this competition we felt that a webinar accessible from anywhere in the world was an efficient way to dispense the information and we're pleased with the positive response we’ve received.

If you are planning to submit a Registration, please remember that the deadline for submission to our office is June 15, 2010. We will accept an electronic submission as long as we receive scanned versions of the signature page AND the Originals signatures are sent to us by courier the same day. Please send a pdf or Word version of the Registration and in a SEPARATE file send us the scanned signatures.

You can go to our home page at http://genomealberta.ca to find links to all the necessary application forms and guidelines and to view the webinar or the slide show.


OGI Awards Summer Research Fellowships to Six Ontario Students

The Ontario Genomics Institute (OGI) has announced the recipients of its 2010 OGI Summer Research Fellowship Program. The program offers undergraduate students at Ontario universities a unique opportunity to engage in leading-edge genomics and proteomics research, gain familiarity with associated enabling technologies, or explore the societal outcomes, impacts and issues associated with the research. Through their fellowship experience, students acquire a deeper understanding of the impact genomics is having and will have across the spectrum of human and animal health, agriculture, biosurveillance, natural resource management and sustainable energy.

To read the full press release visit: http://www.ontariogenomics.ca/media-centre/news/2010-6-11/527


Latest edition of the Canadian Bioinformatics Help Desk Newsletter

http://gchelpdesk.ualberta.ca/news/01jun10/cbhd_news_01jun10.htm

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GenOmics Top Stories

GenOmics is a 24 hour science newsroom which headlines some of the top ‘omics’ stories of the day. Not only will GenOmics keep you in tune with what both popular and science media are saying, you’ll get background video, blogs and other related stories. Synthetic biology, metagenomics, genetic testing, persoanlized medicine and agriculture biotechnology are all featured on GenOmics. You can add comments to stories, pose questions and add your own items to the calendar. You can even add your own stories. If you own an iPad we have tweaked the site so you can simply sit back and enjoy reading the features in our digital science newsroom.

GenOmics has been featured as a case study at numerous conferences on social media and government and is getting a good reception from the PR and communications community. We are part of the Newscloud social media community and are working with newscloud.com and several media organizations in the United States to enhance the software and introduce new features.

Try it – we’re sure you’ll like it.

• Autism linked to gene changes
• Berkeley Asks Freshmen for DNA Samples
• Dr. Steven Vamosi is in Nerd Corner this week
• FDA Warns Consumer Genomics Firms, Illumina on Selling Unapproved Dx Products
• Breaking: FDA Likely to Require Pre-Market Clearance for DTC Personal Genomics Tests
• Commercial GM wheat 10 years away

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Found on Twitter

What does a painting from 1922 have to do with the Twitter of today? Check our latest Twitter Snips to find out and to find more links to more Twitter posts we think you’ll find interesting.

@crossborderbio New Post: Friday Science Review: June 11, 2010 - Catch up on these genetics stories between World Cup soccer games G... http://ow.ly/17HlZP

@dvergano "NIH chief Collins faces stem cell donation dilemma." Includes me on complex ethics of the case http://bit.ly/9BCM5X #HeLa

@matthewherper You know, when you quote Francis Collins in full, his genome predictions weren't that far off. http://ow.ly/1XHml

@NikonSmallWorld In honor of the 8th Annual ISSCR Meeting this week, check out this image of stem cell neurons: http://bit.ly/986xJd

@phylogenomics More on UC vs Nature from #UCDavis: UC fights $1 million increase in license fee for Nature journals http://ff.im/-lSOe1

@scisu Oil from spill could have powered 38,000 cars (and more) for a year, UD researcher says http://bit.ly/bi1cEg


Our featured tweeters are:

• @crossborderbio Jeremy Gruschow is a Ph.D. J.D. practicing corporate law at Ogilvy Renault LLP in Toronto
• @dvergano is a science and society reporter at USA TODAY.
• @matthewherper Matthew Herper is a reporter with Forbes covering science and medicine
• @NikonSmallWorld is the Twitter account for Nikon's annual competition recognizing excellence in photography through the light microscope
• @phylogenomics Jonathan Eisen is an evolutionary biologist, microbiology & genomics researcher, open science advocate, and professor at UC Davis
• @scisu Susan Steinhardt loves all things science and handles communications for @BioKM, and write for @PostDocsForum

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GE³LS Digest

For more information about GE3LS Digest, please visit http://www.genomealberta.ca/ge3ls/newsletters.aspx

College Bound, DNA Swab in Hand – May 18, 2010

Instead of the usual required summer-reading book, this year’s incoming freshmen at the University of California, Berkeley, will get something quite different: a cotton swab on which they can, if they choose, send in a DNA sample. The university said it would analyze the samples, from inside students’ cheeks, for three genes that help regulate the ability to metabolize alcohol, lactose and folates. Those genes were chosen not because they indicate serious health risks but because students with certain genetic markers may be able to lead healthier lives by drinking less, avoiding dairy products or eating more leafy green vegetables. Berkeley’s program for the class of 2014 is the first mass genetic testing by a university. Jasper Rine, the professor of genetics who is leading the project, said it was designed to help students learn about personalized medicine and identify their own vulnerabilities.


Synthetic Biology Grows Up: Announcement of New Organism Paves Way to for Smart Governance – May 20, 2010

Today’s announcement from the J. Craig Venter Institute that the group has engineered a synthetic cell is cause for celebration. Made-to-order life forms may someday be used for a variety of tasks that could significantly improve the quality of human life. The tools of synthetic biology, among many other benefits, will allow scientists to:

• advance our understanding of basic biology
• create new vaccines, drugs and diagnostic tools
• repair diseased tissue
• engineer new carbon-neutral energy sources
• provide countermeasures for polluting environmental toxins

Synthetic biology, or “synbio,” is a relatively new laboratory discipline that involves creating or altering new life forms. The basic tools of synbio are standard biological parts—sets of genes and chromosomes with known and specific functions created in modern biology labs—that can be assembled to program cells and control an organism’s functions. The process resembles computer programming in that scientists assemble blocks of genetic “code” into instructions for tiny cellular machines.


Framing Genomics, Public Health Research and Policy: Points to Consider

Genetic information can be used to target interventions that improve health and prevent disease. Indeed, the results of population genomics research could be useful for public health and national pandemic plans. Yet, firm scientific evidence originating from such research and the indicators of the role of health determinants, gene-gene and gene-environment interaction remain to be assessed and validated before being integrated into pandemic plans or public health programmes. It is not clear what is the role of the State in research on the elucidation of the determinants of gene-gene and gene-environment interactions and how, when, and if such data can be accessed and used for such planning. Over a period of 3 years, we sought to address these questions by gathering data and literature relevant to research in public health genomics, preparing issues papers and, finally, consulting with stakeholders on a provisional ‘points to consider’ document at various times. Examining in turn the issues of privacy, State powers, stakeholder perceptions, and public participation, we propose in this article, for each of these themes, a series of recommendations aiming to provide guidance on the role of the State in the use of genomic information for public health research, prevention and planning.

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Events

We have a new Calendar of Events page on our website at http://www.genomealberta.ca/Event_list that will give you both a Calendar view by month and a list of specific upcoming events. If you have an event you’d like included in the calendar or in our newsletter, send the information to info@genomealberta.ca  Here are a few events you might want to note on your own calendar.

World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing
June 27^th to 30^th, 2010
Gaylord National Resort and Convention Centre, Washington, D.C.

This is the 7^th World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing and it has become the world's largest industrial biotechnology event for business leaders, investors and policy makers in biofuels, biobased products, and renewable chemicals.
There will be plenary session, a full breakout program, investor session, and a poster session. For the full agenda you can go to http://bio.org/worldcongress/program/

Genetic Alliance Annual Conference 2010
July 15^th - 18^th, 2010
Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center
Washington, DC.

The theme for the 2010 Annual Conference is Advancing Novel Partnerships.
The conference starts on Thursday, July 15th with Genetics Day on the Hill, followed by Gene Screen: A Night of Film on Health and Genetics and over the 4 days features plenary sessions, breakout workshops, and end with an “Open Innovation” where participants develop their own workshops.

Main Conference Website: http://www.geneticalliance.org/conference2010

10^th World Congress of Bioethics
July 28^th - 31^st, 2010
Singapore
http://www.bioethics-singapore.org/wcb2010/

Agricultural Biotechnology International Conference
September 12^th -15^th, 2010
TCU Place, 35 - 22nd Street East,
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

The theme of this year's Agricultural Biotechnology International Conference (ABIC 2010) is Bridging Biology and Business and features three streams: energy, Health, and Sustainability.
This is an annual event for industry leaders, policy makers, scientists, researchers and other professionals working in the area of agricultural biotechnology. The conference is a forum where the latest scientific advances in agricultural biotechnology are presented, and where future directions of the technology are highlighted and discussed. Attendees will hear about advances, barriers and action options which may influence science and business endeavours on a global scale.
There will be plenary speakers, a full breakout program, poster session, and a trade show.

You can view agenda details on the ABIC website.

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