GenOmics

Grade 12 researcher wins top honours in Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada finals at National Research Council, Ottawa Media Release, Ottawa, May 8, 2012 /CNW/ - An Ontario student, 16, who invented a disease-fighting, anti-aging compound using nano-particles from trees, won top national honours today in the 2012 Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada (SBCC).

Her super anti-oxidant compound acts like a "nano-vaccuum" and could one day help improve health and anti-aging products by better neutralizing harmful free-radicals in the body. Her research is detailed online at http://bit.ly/Jw8mrq.

Students across the Yukon will be able to dust off their best CSI techniques when ‘Genome BC Geneskool’ visits local high schools in Whitehorse, Teslin and Haines Junction from May 7th to May 10th. These fun and interactive science workshops, presented in partnership with Let’s Talk Science, allow students to delve into hands-on activities and try out practical scientific methods such as using genomic techniques to analyze and compare suspect DNA in a mock crime scene investigation.

News Release: London, ON, April 26, 2012 – Today, the Monsanto Fund announced a $76,000 investment in Let’s Talk Science, a national, non-profit, science outreach organization. The investment allows Let’s Talk Science to support the current and future needs of Grade 8-12 educators in rural areas and develop web-based programs and services to match these needs.

At the request of the Monsanto Fund, Let’s Talk Science recently investigated the disparities between urban and rural educators in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. One finding from the study revealed that technology was available to many rural educators but classroom-ready digital resources were not. Let’s Talk Science is using this knowledge to develop and implement initiatives and programs to assist educators.

23andMe's Videos Now Featured on Khan AcademyMedia Release, Mountain View, CA – April 20, 2012 – To celebrate DNA Day, Khan Academy, the world’s online classroom, and 23andMe, a leading personal genetics company, are working together to promote the importance of genetics education. 23andMe’s Genetics 101 and Human Prehistory 101 video series are now available on KhanAcademy.org.

DNA Day commemorates the day in 1953 when James Watson, Francis Crick, and colleagues published papers in the journal Nature on the structure of DNA. Additionally, on the same date in 2003 it was declared that the Human Genome Project was very close to complete.

National biotechnology research competition encourages Canadian youth to pursue future studies and careers in Canada's $86 billion biotechnology industry Media Release, Toronto, Ontario, Apr 03, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) - How will you change the world? That question has been the inspiration for hundreds of students across Canada to compete in the "2012 Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada (SBCC)", a national biotechnology research competition that encourages students to pursue future studi...

Media Release, April 4, 2012. Bethesda, Maryland - To help foster the next generation of global health scientists, Fogarty International Center and its partners at the National Institutes of Health are building a network of U.S. academic institutions to provide early-career physicians, veterinarians, dentists and scientists with a significant mentored research experience in a developing country.

About $20.3 million in total will be awarded over the next five years to support 400 early-career health scientists on nearly year-long research fellowships in 27 low- and middle-income countries. The Fogarty Global Health Program for Fellows and Scholars program will provide five consortia of academic institutions with about $4 million each over five years, to support the training activities of a total of 20 partner institutions. In addition to Fogarty, 15 NIH institutes and centers plan to...

Media Release, Toronto, November 24, 2011 – The Ontario Genomics Institute (OGI) has announced a new funding program to cover the cost of laboratory equipment for secondary school science classes.

The OGI Genomics Equipment Grant awards $3,000 to cover the cost, or assist with, the purchase of new laboratory equipment, as well as $1,000 to cover the costs of consumables for the equipment. The grant is open to all grade 11 and 12 life sciences teachers and departments in publically funded Ontario secondary schools.

Top Canadian, Top 16 Standing at International Synthetic Biology Competition The University of Lethbridge’s International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) team is the top team in Canada, and has made it to the top eight per cent of all teams entered at the International Genetically Engineered Machines competition in Boston, Massachusetts, which wrapped up Monday, Nov. 7.

The team can be available for interviews on reasonable notice on Wednesday, Nov.9.

They presented their most recent research on a petrochemical-eating bacteria their group has designed, and how it could be used to help clean up water in tailings ponds – a byproduct of the bitumen refining process in which water that cannot be recycled is deposited into large ponds to settle. Their work has attracted attention and funding from several organizations, including the Oil Sands Initiative. http://www.uleth.ca/notice/display.html?b=13&s=14375

Media Release

Toronto, October 7, 2011 – The Ontario Genomics Institute (OGI) has announced that Ms. Jacqueline Ross, who teaches biotechnology at Thornlea Secondary School (Markham, Ontario), is the recipient of its 2011 Genomics Teaching Prize. The annual prize recognizes the Ontario secondary school teacher whose teaching best exemplifies OGI’s commitment to preparing Ontario’s students for their future roles.

Ms. Ross has been teaching for 17 years and over the last five years has developed a laboratory-based biotechnology course, which is unique to the York Regional District School Board. In addition to the development of the course, Ms. Ross secures external guest lecturers and leading scientists in their field to come in and speak to her class not only about the science of genomics but about the societal implications of such research. She also arranges for her students to attend field trips t...

Media Release

BLACKSBURG, Va., Oct. 7, 2011 – In the famous Looney Tunes cartoon, Wile E. Coyote desperately schemes novel ways to track and catch the elusive Road Runner. But in the context of wildlife behavior research, two Virginia Tech students found that the tables were turned this summer as they schemed new ways to track and study the elusive coyote.

The coyote (Canis latrains) is a highly adaptable carnivore that lives in many different ecosystems, both rural and urban. Coyotes have been spotted in every county in Virginia and are rumored to have roaming ranges of at least 30 kilometers. This makes them particularly difficult to track, and little is known about coyote ecology, particularly in Appalachian ecosystems.

Introductory genomics course available at www.learncattlegenetics.comMedia Releasze MADISON, N.J. — Sept. 20, 2011 — Producers and veterinarians looking to make more informed decisions to advance genetic progress in their herds have a new educational resource from Pfizer Animal Genetics. “Using Genetics to Optimize Cattle Performance” is the first of three free e-learning sessions to be made available at www.learncattlegenetics.com to help beef and dairy producers, veterinarians and anyone in...

ETHESDA, MD-August 5, 2011 | The American College of Medical Genetics has unveiled a brand new Online Live Learning Center which will bring online genetics education to a variety of health care professionals. This valuable, on-demand resource brings the latest educational programming in genetics from ACMG’s live learning offerings such as the Genetics Review Course and Annual Meeting Short Courses to health professionals who are practicing in, or who are interested in, genetics.

“The application of our knowledge of genes and the human genome to the practice of medicine is growing and changing at an astounding rate. ACMG is dedicated to being at the forefront of education in genetics and genomics and the new ACMG Online Live Learning Center is an exciting addition to our growing offerings to a variety of medical, laboratory and scientific professionals,” said ACMG President Wayne Grody, MD, PhD, FACMG.

Media Release

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Most middle-schoolers struggle to grasp the introductory concepts of genetics, a field of study considered crucial to advancing solutions to health problems and disease such as cancer, according to a study led by a Michigan State University researcher.

In the journal Science Education, Michelle Williams suggests genetics and heredity lessons should be taught with broader context and in a visually stimulating manner via computer technologies.

Carlton Hoyt, Ph.D., is a scientist-turned-business person and is principal consultant and co-founder of BioBM Consulting.

He wrote this series of 3 blog posts on the PostDocs Forum because he wanted to offer some career advice to post docs. In the process he noted that while he wasn't trying to steer anyone away from a science career path, a little reality check and self examination might just get you thinking.

You can find the 3 parts on the PostDoc Forum:

First there was the comic strip at http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive_list.php which gave an "ongoing chronicle of life (or the lack thereof) in grad school."

Written by Jorge Cham, the comic features Cecilia, Mike Slackenerny, Tajel, and a nameless grad at the centre of the action. Reading the strips you'll likely be able to think of your own grad school or university days and recognize people and situations. The strip was followed by books, and of course, merchandise.

Now after 9 years as a comic, there is a movie version of PhD ( which stand for Piled Higher and Deeper by the way ).

Toronto, May 18, 2011 – The Ontario Genomics Institute (OGI) has announced the recipients of its 2011 OGI Summer Research Fellowship Program. The program offers undergraduate students at Ontario universities a unique opportunity to engage in leading-edge genomics research, gain familiarity with associated 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...

Gowlings, in conjunction with National Biotechnology Week and in partnership with Bioscience Education Canada, invites you to participate in our Biotech Essay Contest.

Write and submit a 1,500 word essay by May 31 on your view of "Canada's Top Biotechnology Story of the Year." Topics can include health-based research, agricultural innovations, or industrial applications for biotech. Your topic must be Canadian-based, for example, Canadian research or Canadians involved in a larger international study. The development or finding you report on must occur or have been recognized as a notable advance in an ongoing study within the period of June 1, 2010 to May...

If you want to vote for the entries that will become the People's Choice Awards you have until May 20th.

Go to http://www.google.com/events/sciencefair/vote.html and you'll see the entries by age categories. The page can be a bit quirky in Internet Explorer 9 but works fine in Googgle Chrome.

You can vote once in each category and there are some incredible projects in there. Whether or not you support the Canadian entries they are all worth looking at, and picking one to vote for just to let the kids know people are watching.

Alberta’s regional science fairs are now over and a competitive Team Alberta will be on the way next week to Toronto for the 50th annual Canada-Wide Science Fair.

Genome Alberta sponsors all the Alberta regional science fairs with both operating funds and award sponsorship. We support independent research project-based learning and we are very proud of the outstanding students who were recipients of this year’s Genome Alberta Awards.

List of Genome Alberta Science Fair Award Winners:

Genomics is a disciplined field of study so why mention it in the same context as the highly subjective areas of art, and music?

One of the reasons is that art is often used as a tool to comment on current culture. Today in our fast paced world of 140 character tweets and snappy sound bites, art and music can offer an instant snapshot of what the writer, singer, or artist is thinking. Genetics can be a scary subject and you often see that captured in a piece of art.

That same ability of art and music to create a message at a glance or a listen has also made it a pretty good educational tool.