GenOmics

Canadian universities attract the brightest and best researchers with federal fundingMedia Release, Ottawa, ON, Mar 13, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Researchers at universities across Canada will continue to make advances in disease prevention and treatment, informational technology, sustainable development, and business and management practices, among many other areas, thanks to a federal investment in the Canada Research Chairs Program. The funding announcement was made today by the Hono...

The rapid development of fast, affordable whole genome sequencing (WGS) technologies is set to bring major changes to clinical and public health practice. The potential benefits within the next few years are significant: improved diagnosis and management of inherited diseases and cancer, and more personalised use of treatments and therapies.

The potential benefits of the new technologies are significant: improved diagnosis and management of inherited diseases and cancer, and more personalised use of treatments and therapies. However,successful delivery of a more efficient and effective system of healthcare using genomics requires:

The Canadian Science Policy Conference ( CSPC ) went from the collective mind and lab of the organizers and into the real world once again yesterday - this year at the new Convention Centre in Ottawa. This is the 3rd Annual CSPC and I was part of the group that pulled the first one off in Toronto in 2009 There are still some familiar faces among the organizers and some new faces, but one thing hasn't changed - this remains a grassroots effort from a new generation of scientists and researcher...

Media Release, Ottawa, November 17, 2011—A multi-year funding extension for the federal Genomics Research and Development Initiative (GRDI) will strengthen Canada's ability to perform groundbreaking scientific research. The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), announced the three-year, $59.7-million investment in GRDI during his keynote speech at the Canadian Science Policy Conference today.

"Our government is proud to make this investment in scientific research, which is helping to build bridges between academia, policy makers and the private sector in the emerging field of genomics," said Minister of State Goodyear. "Our exceptional support for innovation is making Canada a premier destination for the world's top researchers, keeping our economy strong and creating high-quality jobs."

Earlier this week we posted a story from the Biotechnology Industry Organization based in the U.S. about the regulatory framework surrounding animal biotechnology. Since then I've come across a couple of video about animal biotech in the U.S. which I thought I would share.

One of the video on how much animal research is done in the U.K. is embeded here. The other video about animal research and diabetes is an example of how and why animals are used in biotechnology and you can see it on YouTube

Dave Edwards is the Director of Animal Biotechnology at the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) in Washington, D.C. At BIO, Dr. Edwards works with members that are the cutting edge in animal cloning and genetic engineering and working to address food security, sustainability, human health, and animal welfare issues through biotechnology.

I talked to him a few weeks ago about some of the challenges facing animal biotechnology companies and researchers and here is the interview:

The November 22nd deadline for funding applications under the Joint Synthetic Biology Initiative is approaching quickly.

The Joint Synthetic Biology Initiative (JSBI) is a partnership between the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (Dstl), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Medical Research Council (MRC).

Up to £2.4M has been earmarked to the call for proposals and we expect to fund approximately 20 high quality, innovative projects. It is expected that requested project costs will typically be up to £120k with duration between 6 and 24 months. The management and administration of the call will be provided by BBSRC.

Media Release, Washington, D.C. (September 16, 2011)

Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) President and CEO Jim Greenwood released the following statement on the new initiatives announced by President Obama earlier today:

Media Release, Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The National Institutes of Health announced that it is awarding $143.8 million to challenge the status quo with innovative ideas that have the potential to propel fields forward and speed the translation of research into improved health for the American public.

These awards are granted under three innovative research programs supported by the NIH Common Fund: the NIH Director’s Pioneer, New Innovator, and Transformative Research Projects Awards. The Common Fund, enacted into law by Congress through the 2006 NIH Reform Act, supports trans-NIH programs with a particular emphasis on innovation and risk taking.

Media Release, August 15th

VICTORIA – The Province is providing $25 million to Genome BC in support of its ongoing research in the areas of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, human health, bioenergy, mining and the environment.

This funding from the Ministry of Health, will allow Genome BC to continue harnessing the power of genomics research and work toward providing solutions to current challenges faced by sectors important to B.C.

A new briefing paper from the Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development (FIELD) based in the U.K. is available at http://www.field.org.uk/files/synthetic_biology_biofuels_briefing_paper.pdf

Media Release

VERO BEACH, Fla., Aug. 11, 2011 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited a waste-to-energy bioprocessing facility under construction in Florida today to announce that the Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Energy (DOE) have awarded 10 grants totaling $12.2 million to spur research into improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of growing biofuel and bioenergy crops. The grants are part of a broader effort by the Obama administration to develop domestic renewable energy and advance...

The time-consuming regulation of genetically engineered plants and animals has serious long-term implications for agriculture and food security in the United States. A cumbersome and time-consuming federal regulatory process is stifling commercial investment in the development of genetically engineered animals for food and has serious long-term implications for agriculture and food security in the United States, reports a task force of experts led by a UC Davis animal scientist.

“Although humans and animals have been consuming genetically engineered food from plants for years, images of genetically engineered animals open new and often contentious debates about the issue,” said Alison Van Eenennaam, the report’s lead author and a UC Davis Cooperative Extension specialist in animal genomics and biotechnology.

WASHINGTON, DC, USA –

The Provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba have signed a ground-breaking Letter of Intent (LOI) to Cooperate on Research and Innovation Initiatives today at the BIO International Convention in Washington, DC. The LOI recognizes the two provinces’ history of cooperation in areas such as electricity, transportation and emergency response, and focuses on key priority areas of mutual interest in the research and innovation areas:

Crop agricultureBioenergy, bioproducts and environmentHuman and animal health.The Life Science Association of Manitoba (LSAM) and Ag-West Bio Inc., the biotechnology sector membership organizations in both provinces, applaud the nature of the LOI.

The Biotechnology Industry Organization released the results of a nation-wide survey they sponsored in the U.S. earlier this month.

They had good reason to be pleased with the results because even during the current economic slowdown, a narrow majority of voters believe the U.S. federal government should support the biotechnology industry through either tax policies or direct funding. There also didn't seem to be a level of fear or distrust that is often associated with the industry.

Here is the list in order of precedence. For the Canadian science and research community you might want to note Christian Paradis is the new Industry Minister and Minister of State (Agriculture) and Gary Goodyear maintains his role as Minister of State for Science and Technology.

Stephen Harper — Prime Minister

Rob Nicholson — Justice and Attorney General

From the latest edition of Beaker Beat.

by UMR

May 10, 2011 – Two economic reports released this evening showcase the impact of National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding on U.S. job growth and global competitiveness in the health and life sciences industries. NIH directly and indirectly supported nearly 488,000 jobs and produced $68 billion in new economic activity in 2010 alone, according to a report from the nonprofit coalition, United for Medical Research (UMR). A complementary report from Battelle provided the first comprehensive an...

A recent AAAS seminar explored the potential consequences of direct-to-consumer genetic testing—and the appropriate role of government regulation—through the lens of two individuals who went through genetic testing.

Customized nutritional products, diet supplements and vitamins are all sold by direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies, Donna Messner, Gordon Cain Fellow at the Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) said. There are also tests to determine a dog’s breed, a child’s paternity, and whether a child is likely to perform well in team or individual speed, endurance or strength sports.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the UK government have agreed to extend the long-standing concordat and moratorium on genetics to 2017. There will be an interim review in 2014.

The moratorium means the results of a predictive genetic test will not affect a consumer’s ability to take out any type of insurance other than life insurance over £500,000.

A .pdf of the document is available on the ABI website.