Podcasts about engineering research council

Guest: Dr. Ali Kashani, co-founder and CEO of Serve Robotics (Nasdaq: SERV)Website: https://www.serverobotics.com/Bio:Dr. Ali Kashani co-founded Serve in January 2021 and has served as Chief Executive Officer since. Prior to co-founding Serve, he served as Vice President of Postmates Inc., an on-demand food delivery platform. Prior to Postmates, Dr. Kashani was the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Neurio Technology, Inc., a smart home technology company acquired by Generac Power Systems (NYSE: GNRC). Dr. Kashani is an inventor with 15 granted or pending patents. Dr. Kashani received both his Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering and his Doctorate in Robotics from the University of British Columbia and was awarded Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada's Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship.

My guest on this episode is Bob McDonald. Bob has been the host of CBC Radio's Quirks and Quarks since 1992 and is a regular science commentator on the CBC News Network and a science correspondent for The National. He is the author of multiple books, including The Earthling's Guide to Outer Space, Canadian Spacewalkers, and The Future is Now. He has been honoured with the Michael Smith Award for science promotion from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Sandford Fleming Medal from the Royal Canadian Institute for Science, and the McNeil Medal for the public awareness of science from the Royal Society of Canada. He has also been made an Officer of the Order of Canada and has an asteroid named after him. Bob's most recent book is the memoir Just Say Yes, which was published in 2024 by Douglas & McIntyre. Astronaut and author Chris Hadfield says about Just Say Yes that “Bob takes his rare ability to explain the world to us all and applies it to himself in this delightful, often surprising and ever-insightful autobiography.” Bob and I talk about the importance of promoting and communicating real science amid the proliferation of misinformation and conspiracy theories (and why the closing of the Ontario Science Centre doesn't exactly help with that goal), about his initial reluctance to include the story of his childhood sexual abuse in his memoir (but why he is proud that he did), and about his work-in-progress, a book for kids that focuses on—surprise!—science. This podcast is produced and hosted by Nathan Whitlock, in partnership with The Walrus. Music: "simple-hearted thing" by Alex Lukashevsky. Used with permission.

Bob McDonald, Canadian icon and host of CBC Radio's Quirks and Quarks, discusses his book, Just Say Yes: A Memoir. Bob McDonald has been the host of CBC Radio's Quirks and Quarks since 1992. He is a regular science commentator on CBC News Network and science correspondent for CBC TV's The National. He has been honoured with the 2001 Michael Smith Award for science promotion from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, as well as the 2002 Sandford Fleming Medal from the Royal Canadian Institute for Science, and the 2005 McNeil Medal for the public awareness of science from the Royal Society of Canada. In November 2011, McDonald was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. He is the recipient of thirteen honorary doctorates . In 2014, asteroid 332324 was officially named bobmcdonald.

Renowned animal welfare researcher Nina von Keyserlingk believes that scientists can help bridge the gap between public values and animal welfare, providing evidence on which systems work for the animals, work for the farmers and resonate with societal values. Nina grew up on her family cattle ranch in British Colombia, Canada, and she is now the NSERC* Industrial Research Chair Professor at the University of British Columbia. She is internationally recognised as a pioneer in the field of farm animal welfare research. In this episode, we discuss: defining animal welfare, with a recognition that we must factor in the humans who influence the lives of animals - the 4th dimension of animal welfare, some of the management changes seen in the cattle industry that were driven by scientific findings, such as social housing for calves after nipple bucket feeding was introduced, recognising that changes take time and change offers opportunities. Listen in to hear Nina's thoughts on communication, cows and coffee! *NSERC Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Background: 73% of Canadian dairy farms use tie stalls (2022 figures from Canadian government).

Science Behind Strength Training for Your Health Strong muscles play a key role in our ability to do the everyday activities we need and love to do (including sexy time). For most, getting the gumption to pick up a weight feels impossible. It doesn't have to be! Groundbreaking research tells us that doing something is better than doing nothing. Simple is sexy folks. If reducing frailty isn't enough of a motivator, then maybe erectile dysfunction is. Exercise is the number one preventative medicine for erectile dysfunction. So get up and grab those weights, your penis (and your partner) will thank you. Join Brad Currier, a PhD candidate at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, and Pelvic Health Specialist in Asheville, NC, Dr. Susie Gronski, as they uncover simple, sensible, and science-best ways to strengthen your muscles for your health. Video Chapters: 0:52 82% of people don't meet resistance training guidelines 2:24 Benefits of strong muscles 3:23 Strength training guidelines for general health 4:15 Why people avoid lifting weights 6:35 You can build strong muscles with lighter weights 7:32 You can build muscle without getting massive and bulky 9:55 The 3 most studied resistance training programs (load, sets, and frequency) 10:25 Doing something is better than nothing. 10:52 Exercise dose to build muscle strength 10:59 Exercise dose to build muscle mass with resistance training 12:33 Minimum number of days to get benefits from resistance training 13:30 How many reps and sets should you do for muscle strengthening 18:30 Resistance training to improve daily activity 20:00 Strengthening pelvic floor muscles 23:30 Testosterone and steroids for muscle strength 27:04 Supplements are a waste of money 29:03 Best advice if you're new to strength training 32:11 Connect with Brad on Twitter and LinkedIn Meet Our Guest: Brad Currier is a PhD candidate at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. Brad's research aims to improve health throughout the lifespan, with a particular focus on muscle, nutrition, and exercise. Brad has been recognized for his work by several organizations, including the American College of Sports Medicine and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. #weightlifting #musclegrowth #resistancetraining #exercise #strengthtraining #musclebuilding #strength #gettingstronger #health #menshealth #womenshealth #testosterone #pelvichealth #pelvichealthspecialist #ashevillenc RESOURCES: Free sex and pelvic pain resources https://drsusieg.com/resources Online Pelvic Pain Relief Program for Men https://drsusieg.com/pelvic-pain-in-men-online-program Connect With Brad Currier: Check out Brad and his team's research here: 10.1249/01.mss.0000988184.72637.ef Twitter: https://twitter.com/brad_currier LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-currier CONNECT WITH ME DR. SUSIE AND HER TEAM: Website: https://drsusieg.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.susieg/ and https://www.instagram.com/lainie_ot/ Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a healthcare professional with any questions you may have regarding treatment, medications/supplements, or any medical diagnoses. This information is intended for educational purposes only and is in no way to substitute the advice of a licensed healthcare professional.

How close are we to a scalable quantum computer? How do they work? Why is it so difficult for women in science? Is that changing? In this episode we have the fascinating new technology of Quantum Computers to get our heads around. They've been in the news a lot recently for the extraordinary computing power they could offer if harnessed properly; and also in conjunction with misleadingly named ‘teleportation' technologies that can encode information in a quantum key and have it appear at the destination almost instantaneously and unshackably using quantum entanglement. But how do they work? Our guest today Shohini Ghose explains beautifully, she studies them as a professor of Quantum Physics at the Wilfrid Laurier University in Toronto, Canada. She is also a Senior Fellow at TED and her TED talk, ‘A beginners guide to Quantum Computers' has been viewed almost 5 million times. She's a passionate advocate for women in science which she's just released a new book on, ‘Her Space, Her Time' and which we'll be getting into around the 45min mark, and she's the Chair for women in Science at the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. She is also the author of the 2019 book ‘Clues to the cosmos'. I couldn't let such a brilliant since communicator get away without asking her what the measurement problem means for the nature of reality too. Fascinating stuff! What we discuss: 00:00 Intro 06:50 A beginners guide to quantum computers 09:50 The difference between binary 0/1 opposite and quantum superposition ‘probabilistic' states 13:20 Integrating sensitive quantum systems into a practical computing technology 15:00 Harnessing cubits connecting them via entanglement for processing power 15:30 Avoiding the ‘noise' of entanglement with external particles: near absolute zero conditions  20:40 The applications of quantum computing 21:30 Encryption via ‘no cloning' keys 22:10 A quantum enhanced internet - more security 25:40 Developing new chemical compositions via quantum simulations  30:10 Quantum ‘teleportation'  35:40 Clarifying the role of light photons in quantum teleportation - it isn't instantaneous 40:30 The limitations: When will we have a practically useful quantum computer (VS Neural network computers, see Vitaly Vanchurin episode) 45:30 Women in Science throughout history and the appropriation of their success by men 47:10 “Her Space, Her Time”, Shohini's new book 47:40 The Mathilda effect: When men get credit for women's work 52:30 Skew in The Nobel Prize and awards in general, and the risk of tokenism now 56:10 There is a lower ratio of women choosing science careers, but is that culturally biased data? See study 01:03:10 “Clues to the Cosmos” Shohini's first book  01:05:10 The way new experiments force us to update our theories step by step 01:09:05 The implications of non-local probabilistic quantum phenomena  01:12:10 Matter is not fixed, reality is fluid 01:13:55 Measurement problem's meaning: Even the separation between classical and quantum scale is fluid References: Shohini Ghose “Her Space, Her Time: How Trailblazing Women Scientists Decoded the Hidden Universe” 2023 https://g.co/kgs/bt9h63 A Beginners Guide to Quantum Computers, TED talk https://www.ted.com/talks/shohini_ghose_a_beginner_s_guide_to_quantum_computing?language=en Nobel prize for experiments confirming non-local realism and entanglement https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-universe-is-not-locally-real-and-the-physics-nobel-prize-winners-proved-it/ Vitaly Vanchurin - Neural network computers https://www.chasingconsciousness.net/episode-38-vitaly-vanchurin-the-world-as-a-neural-network A celebration of women scientists, TED talk https://www.ted.com/talks/shohini_ghose_a_celebration_of_women_scientists_and_why_we_need_more_of_them Scientific Careers and Gender differences, A qualitative study https://jcom.sissa.it/article/pubid/Jcom0701(2008)L01/ Shohini Ghose, “Clues to the Cosmos” 2019 https://g.co/kgs/PiuqF6

On this episode of the podcast Daily Commercial News staff writer Angela Gismondi looks at the current state of the labour market in Atlantic Canada. She spoke with Construction Association of Prince Edward Island general manager Stanley Sanderson about the challenges faced by the industry that resonate around the country, such as shifting attitudes towards the trades as well as labour shortage issues inherent to PEI.  Angela also spoke to ConstructConnect chief economist Alex Carrick about Atlantic Canada from an economic perspective and he reflected on how the pandemic contributed to people moving to the Atlantic provinces in search of more space and affordability. He also addressed how despite a rapidly rising population and the possibility of an increasing labour pool, construction will still have towards modular, automation and other technologies to meet demand. She also spoke with Duncan Williams, the president and CEO of the Construction Association of Nova Scotia about housing and immigration into the province, including residents of large Canadian cities moving during the COVID-19 pandemic to more affordable locations in the province. We also have the latest headlines from the Daily Commercial News and the Journal of Commerce, including Angela's story about Graham Construction's work on the Lawson Centre for Sustainability, a $117-million, four-storey, hybrid mass timber and concrete structure and The Independent Electricity System Operator launching its Save on Energy's BizEnergySaver in Ottawa to help industrial, commercial, institutional and multi-unit residential building owners and operators make equipment improvements that increase energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption. Angela also has a story from the west about The Canadian Wood Construction Research Network's major initiative, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada-Alliance Grant Next-Generation Wood Construction research program, and digital media editor Warren Frey has a story about how B&B Contracting in Surrey, B.C. and LiUNA Local 1611 were able to train high school students right after graduation so they have a fast track into the construction industry. Economic stories highlighted include John Clinkard's look at how while Canada is welcoming more international immigrants than ever before, it may be imperiling the goal of improving housing affordability, and new Top 10 ConstructConnect project lists for both Canada and the United States.  You can listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music's podcast section. Our previous interview with City of Vancouver green building manager Sean Pander and clean energy engineer Brenda Scott Castro about how Vancouver can adapt aging architecture to changing climate conditions is here. Thanks for listening. DCN-JOC News Services Graham outlines what goes into constructing the $117M U of T Lawson Centre for Sustainability Local energy efficiency program launched for businesses in Ottawa Insurance Essentials: Liability risk mitigation tips for electrical contractors Ground broken on second Surrey hospital, new cancer centre Eliminating misconceptions, filling gaps focus of national mass timber research project Surrey high schoolers fast-track into apprenticeship roles Exceptional Immigration Imperils Goal of Improved Housing Affordability Top 10 major upcoming educational and medical construction projects - Canada - September 2023 Top 10 major upcoming Midwest and Northwest construction projects - U.S. - September 2023 The Construction Record Podcast – Episode 301: training the next generation of construction workers

This episode is a special treat, not only for listeners, but also for me.  I will be talking to a popular Canadian media icon and long time host of CBC's Quirk's & Quarks show, science journalist Bob McDonald. We will be talking about his new book The Future is Now: Solving the Climate Crisis with Today's Technologies. In the book, Bob brings an upbeat we can do it message to a world in need of hope. BOB McDONALD has been the host of CBC Radio's Quirks & Quarks for over 30 years. He is a regular science commentator on CBC's News and a science correspondent for CBC TV's The National. His previous book, Measuring the Earth with a Stick was shortlisted for the Canadian Science Writers Association Book Award. He has been honoured with the 2001 Michael Smith Award for Science Promotion from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; the 2002 Sandford Fleming Medal from The Royal Canadian Institute; and the 2005 McNeil Medal for the Public Awareness of Science from the Royal Society of Canada. In 2011, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. His recent book, THE FUTURE IS NOW: Solving the Climate Crisis with Today's Technologies is a national bestseller. Support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Join the Facebook discussion @TheRationalView Twiiter @AlScottRational #TheRationalView #podcast #bobmcdonald #quirksandquarks #energytransition #cleanenergy #greenenergy #nuclearenergy #atomicenergy

Midway through his undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia, a laboratory 'help wanted' poster caught Jeff Dong's eye. He applied, gaining invaluable practical experience that summer in Stephanie Borgland's lab. "She really supported me in understanding what research is about," said Dong, who went on to complete his PhD through UBC's Department of Microbiology and Immunology, moving to Calgary for post-doctoral work at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute. "That process was really exciting for me." He accepted a faculty position last year as an assistant professor in the University of Saskatchewan's Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology.  Dong is fascinated by macrophages: white blood cells that serve as the immune system's warning system and clean-up crew. He tracks the way they work in the brain and spinal cord, focusing on how they slip into states of dysfunction with age, and with stress. "They're the first line of defence," said Dong. "The microglia will go and say, 'okay the cell has died, let me clean this up.' Or if there's the release of something toxic, the cell will say, 'oh, there's something happening here, let me check it out." With age though, our microglia aren't always as diligent.  "As a cell becomes older, it can forget what it's supposed to do," said Dong.  Dong recently received support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to look more closely at macrophages. "What are the specific mechanisms or signaling that occur on the macrophages, and how does this lead to their ability to remove or to react against these oxidized lipids?" He said patients with spinal cord damage, and diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis often endure similar breakdowns. Dong's work, Oxidized phosphatidylcholines identified as potent drivers of neurodegeneration in Multiple sclerosis, won a Brain Star Award last year from Canada's MS Society and the Canadian Institutes of Health Information. He's also won the MS Society's Catalyst grant for early-career researchers. "That's a pilot project where we're looking to generate some novel tools and new animal models to study a protein, a molecule we call 'osteopontin'," said Dong. "We think it may be a player in terms of making MS disease worse with age." In this episode, he talks about macrophage longevity, as well as cellular changes caused by Multiple Sclerosis. "How long has the cell been responding against the damage, and how old is the cell itself?" said Dong. "They both contribute to the progression." He's also testing different models, to see whether higher levels of fitness makes cells more resilient against oxidative stress.  "Hopefully we'll have answers in a year or two," he said. Dong admits he chose the University of Saskatchewan because of its strength in MS research, and because there are so many young biomedical scientists. "The university is very vibrant in terms of the early career research community," he said. "These are fantastic colleagues who I can grow with and do very exciting research with over the next number of decades."  

Shownotes for Maya Acherman PHD   Professor Ackerman is a world-renowned researcher in generative AI and CEO/co-founder of WaveAI. A pioneer in the space, Ackerman has been researching generative AI models for text, music and art since 2014. Dr. Ackerman was an early advocate for human-centered generative AI, bringing awareness to the power of AI to profoundly elevate human creativity. Ackerman has over 50 peer reviewed research publications and her research has been cited in over 1200 publications.   Named “Woman of Influence” by the Silicon Valley Business Journal, interviews with Dr. Ackerman appear on NBC News, New Scientist, NPR, Grammy.com, SiriusXM and international television stations across the globe. Dr. Ackerman is a member of the Steering Committee of the Association on Computational Creativity and has been on the program and reviewing committees of twenty different AI journals and conferences. A sought-after speaker, she appeared on many top stages, including the United Nations, IBM Research, Microsoft and Stanford University.   Dr. Ackerman is the recipient of awards from the Association of Computational Creativity, Office of Naval Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and more. She earned her PhD from the University of Waterloo, held postdoctoral fellowships at Caltech and UC San Diego and is on the faculty of the Computer Science and Engineering Department at Santa Clara University.   Personal website: http://www.maya-ackerman.com   We talk about What is generative Artificial Intelligence? How are Chat GPT and Open AI changing the world? Is Chat GPT the Google search killer such as what is being mentioned in the new? What are the next steps for this technology?   And much more…   Connect with Maya Acherman   https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackerma/ Websites wave-ai.net (Company) maya-ackerman.com (Personal) Email ackermanmaya@gmail.com

With the Super Bowl having just finished and the playoff runs for the NHL and NBA just around the corner, injuries related to our favourite players … and how fast they can recover … start to count more than ever for sports fans around the world. Specifically, has one of our favourite athletes torn their ACL? Rotator Cuff? Meniscus? How about someone you know … or even yourself? We wouldn't blame you if you thought the care and repair of these kinds of injuries is standard and highly successful …. but you would be wrong. There is a MASSIVE problem with surgery failure rates for each of these as follows: • ACL 30% • Rotator Cuff 40-50% Failure Rate • Meniscus 20-40% • Cartilage 15-35% Chitogenx uses its proprietary RESTORE technology platform to dramatically improve the success rate of orthopedic and sports medicine surgeries. In layman's terms the company has developed a platform that delivers biologics – drugs made from biological processes – to repair soft tissues in the human body. $3.5 MILLION GRANT TO $CHGX IS THE LARGEST EVER AND GREAT 3RD PARTY VALIDATION $CHGX is well into clinical trials and, as a result, is considered to be “in the regulatory lead for regenerative products” . To this end, the Company just announced $3.5 million grant to advance commercial development of its solution, the highlights of which are as follows: • ChitogenX has obtained a $3,472,000 grant from The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Prima Québec • Will collaborate with Polytechnique Montréal throughout the four-year grant period to advance the scientific development, expand the scope of indications, develop new biomaterials for regenerative medicine and accelerate the commercial readiness of its flagship ORTHO-R technology platform. CEO Philippe Deschamps stated: "We are honored to receive funds from such prestigious organisations to accelerate the development of our proprietary technology platform. Regenerative medicine is a fast-growing sector, and these funds will help us position ChitogenX at the forefront of this dynamic sector." We look forward to our continued strong collaboration with Polytechnique Montréal and advancing scientific innovations for the greater good" JUST HOW BIG ARE THESE MARKETS? Rotator Cuff TEAR – $600M • 4m patients + 600,000 annual surgeries in the U.S. alone Meniscus Tear Repair – $1B • There are 700k surgeries annually in U.S. alone Cartilage Lesions Repair - $1B • 120,000 surgeries and a lack of options There's more… VERY POSITIVE RESULTS IN MENISCUS STUDY DEMONSTRATE PLATFORM ADVANTAGES $CHGX received positive results from a study that looked at the effectiveness of a type of implant made from $CHGX platform [for the medical science crowd … chitosan and platelet-rich plasma (PRP)] in treating injuries to the meniscus, which is a piece of cartilage in the knee joint. The study found that the implants remained in place for more than 24 hours after surgery and helped to recruit other cells to the area to aid in healing. This is a very promising development for using this type of implant to treat soft tissue injuries in orthopedic medicine. The research was funded through grants. CEO Deschamps added: "These results continue to support our contention that ORTHO-R, the Company's lead clinical candidate Chitosan/PRP drug combination, represents an ideal regenerative medicine delivery mechanism for biologic substances. We look forward to reporting the full results of this study over the coming months" Now sit back, relax and watch this powerful interview.

In this special edition of Policy Speaking, Edward Greenspon, PPF president and CEO, is joined by outgoing B.C. Premier John Horgan. On one of his last days as premier of British Columbia, Mr. Horgan gives a no-holds-barred interview on challenges in energy policy, healthcare and climate change, as well as his bubbling frustration with the federal-provincial relationship. This episode includes a #PPFproud shoutout to Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for offering more than $85 million in grants to support colleges and partner organizations through the College and Community Innovation program.

In this special edition of Policy Speaking, Edward Greenspon, PPF president and CEO, is joined by outgoing B.C. Premier John Horgan. On one of his last days as premier of British Columbia, Mr. Horgan gives a no-holds-barred interview on challenges in energy policy, healthcare and climate change, as well as his bubbling frustration with the federal-provincial relationship. This episode includes a #PPFproud shoutout to Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for offering more than $85 million in grants to support colleges and partner organizations through the College and Community Innovation program.

Your host: Kristina Spaulding, PhD, CAAB with Science Matters Academy of Animal Behavior, LLCIn this episode, I speak with Dr. Sasha Protopopova. She is an Assistant Professor and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Chair holder in Animal Welfare at The University of British Columbia (UBC). If that sounds familiar, that's because my last guest, Dr. von Keyserlingk is at the same University, in the same department. They are doing a lot of great work there! Dr. Protopopova is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and has a PhD in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Florida. Her research interests are in improving animal shelter practices, improving companion animal welfare through the development of behavioral interventions in shelters as well as pet homes, and assessing and improving the well-being of dogs working in assistance roles. In this episode, we discuss increasing the adoptability of shelter dogs, the human side of animal sheltering and rescue, and ethical issues related to domestic animals.This is a shortened version of the podcast. The full version of the podcast is available to Research Bites members. You can get more information on Research Bites and other educational opportunities at www.sciencemattersllc.com

Dr. Mita Dasog is an Associate Professor and the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Research Chair in the Department of Chemistry at Dalhousie University in Canada. Mita's lab conducts basic research to examine how different nanomaterials form, what dictates their size and shape, and how these features influence their properties. They also do applied research developing nanomaterials to address major global challenges such as energy production, fuel production, and desalination to help with the water crisis. When she's not doing science, you can often find Mita listening to CoComelon with her kid, reading a great mystery novel, painting, or cooking delicious Indian, Thai, Chinese, or Mexican cuisine. Mita received her BSc in chemistry from the University of Saskatchewan and her PhD in chemistry from the University of Alberta. Next, she worked at the Technical University of Munich in Germany for about half a year as a Green Talents Visiting Scholar. Afterwards, Mita was awarded a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada postdoctoral fellowship to conduct research at California Institute of Technology. Mita has been recognized with numerous awards and honors including the Nova Scotia Discovery Centre Emerging Professional Award and the President's Emerging Investigator Research Excellence Award. She is also an elected Member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada and a Member of the Global Young Academy. In our interview, Mita shares more about her life and science.

Your host: Kristina Spaulding, PhD, CAAB with Science Matters Academy of Animal Behavior, LLCEvery once in a while I like to bring in voices from other disciplines to round out our knowledge of behavior. For this episode, I am speaking with a well-respected farm animal welfare researcher. Dr. Marina (Nina) von Keyserlingk is a Professor and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Chair holder in Animal Welfare at The University of British Columbia (UBC) where she has co-directed the Animal Welfare Program since 2002. Together with her colleagues and students their research focuses on assessing animal welfare and developing practical methods of improving the welfare of animals. She has published in excess of 300 peer reviewed scientific papers, contributed to the training of over 100 highly qualified individuals and is a frequent and enthusiastic speaker for academic and professional audiences. She was the 2018 recipient of the prestigious Hans Sigrist Research Prize (Bern, Switzerland) for her outstanding contributions to the sustainability of food animal systems. She is considered one of the world leading experts in farm animal welfare. Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. von Keyserlingk as we discuss issues related to the welfare and ethics of farm and companion animals.This is a shortened version of the podcast. The full version of the podcast is available to Research Bites members. You can get more information on Research Bites and other educational opportunities at www.sciencemattersllc.com

… and more on today’s CrossPolitic Daily News Brief. This is Toby Sumpter. Today is Tuesday, April 26, 2022. French President Emmanuel Macron won re-election to a second term on Sunday, beating far-right challenger Marine Le Pen. https://twitter.com/SBSNews/status/1518436382946914304?s=20&t=JmyST1xPkVhXKkXGViCwCA Play: 0:00-0:26 The election runoff was a rematch of their 2017 race, when the center-right Macron ran as a fresh face and trounced Le Pen 66.1 percent to 33.9 percent. Sunday's vote was closer but still decisive, with Macron, now running with a clear record, winning 58.5 percent to 41.5 percent. Biden said he felt good about the election, and was looking forward to talking to Macron Monday. https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1518611872139857921?s=20&t=9oZvYhXWZjIpSuf9IksCvw Play Audio Macron said his re-election was a win for "a more independent France and a stronger Europe," although he called it his duty to "respond effectively" to "the anger that has been expressed" in the campaign. Le Pen conceded defeat but said French voters showed they wanted a "strong counter power" to Macron. Is DeSantis Really Fighting or Just Shadow Boxing? Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill last Friday that revokes a special tax district which essentially gave Disney governing powers on its theme park land at Orlando. The new law was apparently an act of retribution for Disney's belated opposition to the controversial "Don't Say Gay" law approved just a few weeks earlier by the state's GOP-led legislature. "You're a corporation based in Burbank, California, and you're gonna marshal your economic might to attack the parents of my state," DeSantis said before signing the anti-Disney law. "We view that as a provocation, and we're going to fight back against that." The question is whether this commitment to "fighting back" probably means hurting Florida taxpayers. It's a complicated story, but the gist appears to be that revoking Disney's tax district essentially puts area residents on the hook for more than $1 billion in bonds the company used to pay for things like water service and new roads on its land. Local homeowners could see their taxes jump by 20 percent as a result – to the tune of 163 million per year. Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph, a Democrat and the former ranking member of the Florida House finance and tax committee, claims that if Reedy Creek ceases to exist, the residents of his county and neighboring Osceola will have to take on its tens of millions in bond payments and operational expenses currently paid by Disney, but will be left without the ability to collect revenue because the taxing authority will no longer exist. Randolph told FOX Business that could mean an increase in property taxes of 25% if Orange County has to absorb all of it. Florida state Rep. Randy Fine, the Republican who sponsored the legislation, told FOX Business that that argument is "just a scare tactic used by woke politicians." Fine acknowledges that the local entities where Reedy Creek lies will pick up the Reedy Creek's debt once the district is dissolved, but says those local governments can create Municipal Service Taxing Units (MSTU) that would also "pick up the revenue that would be going to pay for the debt." He insists that "There's no impact to taxpayers." Randolph argues that according to Florida statute, the local governments cannot impose MSTUs on Reedy Creek because it is an independent tax district. Therefore, he says, when that incorporated municipality dissolves, Disneywould have no obligation to pay the $163 million each year. Fine says that's why the service taxing units are municipal, and therefore not something handled by the state. "Scott Randolph's job is to open envelopes and to take out checks," the lawmaker told FOX Business. "He probably should stick to that. He doesn't set tax policy." In reply, Randolph said, "Randy Fine doesn't understand basic math." Raldolph says the bill against Disney was rushed through in 48 hours without legislators working out the details, but acknowledges that there is over a year for local municipalities to work out how they will manage the transition. After signing the legislation into law, DeSantis' office issued a statement clarifying that "it is not the understanding or expectation for SB 4-C, abolishing independent special districts, to cause any tax increases for the residents of any area of Florida." The new law undoing Disney's tax district doesn't actually take effect until June 2023, and observers think the company and the state might work out some kind of accommodation by then. The whole incident might end up as little more than a showy, performative in-kind contribution from the Florida Legislature to DeSantis' incipient 2024 presidential campaign. So the question is what is actually going on here? If DeSantis revoking some privileges from Disney, that seems reasonable, since Disney has publicly signaled that they are planning to do more grooming of Florida’s kids. At the same time, dropping a huge tax bill on that region could be detrimental, although maybe not as detrimental as Disney continuing to brainwash the children and families of Florida. At the same time, some transparency on taxes and funding would be nice. And the people of Florida who care about real freedom and virtue should want to see those numbers include indications of putting money and therefore freedom back in the pockets of the people of Florida, not government programs or temporary dispensations from the government. Not so long ago, the American dream was alive and well. Employees who worked hard were rewarded, and employers looked for people who could do the job, not for people who had the right political views. RedBalloon.work is a job site designed to get us back to what made American businesses successful: free speech, hard work, and having fun. If you are a free speech employer who wants to hire employees who focus on their work and not identity politics, then post a job on RedBalloon. If you are an employee who is being censored at work or is being forced to comply with the current zeitgeist, post your resume on RedBalloon and look for a new job. www.redballoon.work, the job site where free speech is still alive! www.redballoon.work Toronto Zoo is Administering COVID-19 Shots to Animals https://globalnews.ca/news/8776124/toronto-zoo-covid-19-vaccines-zoetis/amp/?fbclid=IwAR3DJMOiEPtAlKgmRfGnawJioi1YOANHRKt_BSJi8vF5FYm8RQjs_ly6D0A The Toronto Zoo says it has begun administering COVID-19 vaccines to its most susceptible animals. In a press release issued Thursday, the zoo said it has received COVID-19 vaccines for animals developed and donated by Zoetis. According to the zoo, it has received 320 doses of the vaccine. Each animal will need two doses, administered two-to-three weeks apart. The zoo said it has 120 animals that have already or will soon receive a vaccine, “based on the COVID-19 sensitivity list that has been developed through on-going research and reports of positive cases in other zoos.” The release said zoos in the U.S. have been vaccinating their animals since 2021, adding that “to date there have been no significant adverse effects reported.” According to Dolf DeJong, CEO, Toronto Zoo, the zoo has not seen any positive cases of the virus within it’s animals during the pandemic. “Being able to add this extra layer of protection allows us to continue doing everything we can to provide them with the highest level of protection and medical care,” DeJong said. According to the zoo, animals are given the choice if they want a vaccine or not. Wait. What?! The zoo said animals undergo “positive reinforcement training” adding that many animals “willingly present an area of the body (such as an arm or tail) as part of their training exercises with their trusted keepers, with desirable treats often used as a reward for their participation.” The zoo said the training sessions are voluntary. The zoo said the training allows the animals to participate in other things like X-rays, blood draws, hoof trimming, which “allow the keepers and veterinary team to monitor their health regularly” without “causing the animals any undue stress.” You know this is hilarious. But it’s also full of propaganda. To call what these folks are doing to zoo animals “voluntary” and a “choice” is wicked. Now I don’t think animals need to be given any choices. They need to be cared for as creatures made by God, but man is responsible to take dominion over the creatures, to rule over them in wisdom. But in an evolutionary worldview, human beings are just animals, and so we can be locked in our homes, or in cages, and what is forced upon us can be called voluntary and our free choices, with just enough positive reinforcement training. Lies, Propaganda, Story Telling, and the Serrated Edge DNB: This year our national conference is in Knoxville, TN October 6th-8th. The theme of this year’s conference is Lies, Propaganda, Storytelling and the Serrated Edge. Satan is the father of lies, and the mother of those lies is a government who has rejected God. We have especially been lied to these last two years, and the COVIDpanic has been one of the central mechanisms that our government has used to lie to us and to grab more power. Because Christians have not been reading their bibles, we are susceptible to lies and weak in our ability to fight these lies. God has given us His word to fight Satan and his lies, and we need to recover all of God’s word, its serrated edge and all. Mark your calendars for October 6th-8th, as we fight, laugh and feast with fellowship, beer and Psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, hanging with our awesome vendors, meeting new friends, and more. Early bird tickets are available to the end of May. Remember: FightLaughFeast Club members get $100 dollars off. https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-offers-tenure-track-only-for-women-non-binary-or-two-spirit-persons University of Waterloo is Trying to Keep Up with the Toronto ZooTheDailyWire Reports: The University of Waterloo is advertising a researcher position exclusively for “qualified individuals who self-identify as women, transgender, non-binary, or two-spirit.” The position at the Canadian university is for a researcher in the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council. While “exceptional” candidates may be considered for an assistant professor position, the advertisement makes it clear that you cannot be one of these candidates if you are a male. “This call is open only to qualified individuals who self-identify as women, transgender, non-binary, or two-spirit.” The term “two-spirit” referring to an Indigenous person who identifies as more than one gender. The university did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Daily Wire. Applicants are required to “self identify” through a university survey, which first asks applicants to select whether they identify as a woman, a man, transgender, “gender-fluid and/or non-binary,” two-spirit, or “prefer not to answer.” The applicant is then asked to select the option they identify with: asexual, bisexual, gay, lesbian, pansexual, straight or heterosexual, other, or “prefer not to answer.” “Select all that apply,” the survey notes. The University of Waterloo emphasizes that it seeks to attract “outstanding and diverse faculty members with the goal of being recognized as one of the top innovative universities in the world,” noting that “embedding equity, diversity and inclusivity across the research enterprise enhances research excellence.” “As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as Indigenous peoples (e.g., First Nations, Métis, Inuit/Inuk), Black, racialized, people with disabilities, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+,” the advertisement says. In the university’s advertisement it notes that the candidate “will propose an innovative program of high-quality research that will attract external funding and excellent, well qualified and diverse graduate students.” “Evidence of an active research program with emphasis on climate and/or climate change science, water science and sustainability, or future cities and a successful record of Tri-Agency research funding, or equivalent, is required,” the advertisement says. “Ability and desire to partner with faculty in closely related fields is required.” Psalm of the Day: Psalm 148 https://www.christkirk.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/18-Psalm-148-From-Heavn-O-Praise.mp3 Play: 0:00-0:41 Amen. This is Toby Sumpter with CrossPolitic News. Remember you can always find the links to our news stories and these psalms at crosspolitic dot com – just click on the daily news brief and follow the links. Or find them on our App: just search “Fight Laugh Feast” in your favorite app store and never miss a show. If this content is helpful to you, would you please consider becoming a Fight Laugh Feast Club Member? We are building a cancel-proof Christian media platform, and we can’t do it without your help. Join today and get a $100 discount at the Fight Laugh Feast conference in Knoxville, TN Oct. 6-8, and have a great day.

… and more on today’s CrossPolitic Daily News Brief. This is Toby Sumpter. Today is Tuesday, April 26, 2022. French President Emmanuel Macron won re-election to a second term on Sunday, beating far-right challenger Marine Le Pen. https://twitter.com/SBSNews/status/1518436382946914304?s=20&t=JmyST1xPkVhXKkXGViCwCA Play: 0:00-0:26 The election runoff was a rematch of their 2017 race, when the center-right Macron ran as a fresh face and trounced Le Pen 66.1 percent to 33.9 percent. Sunday's vote was closer but still decisive, with Macron, now running with a clear record, winning 58.5 percent to 41.5 percent. Biden said he felt good about the election, and was looking forward to talking to Macron Monday. https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1518611872139857921?s=20&t=9oZvYhXWZjIpSuf9IksCvw Play Audio Macron said his re-election was a win for "a more independent France and a stronger Europe," although he called it his duty to "respond effectively" to "the anger that has been expressed" in the campaign. Le Pen conceded defeat but said French voters showed they wanted a "strong counter power" to Macron. Is DeSantis Really Fighting or Just Shadow Boxing? Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill last Friday that revokes a special tax district which essentially gave Disney governing powers on its theme park land at Orlando. The new law was apparently an act of retribution for Disney's belated opposition to the controversial "Don't Say Gay" law approved just a few weeks earlier by the state's GOP-led legislature. "You're a corporation based in Burbank, California, and you're gonna marshal your economic might to attack the parents of my state," DeSantis said before signing the anti-Disney law. "We view that as a provocation, and we're going to fight back against that." The question is whether this commitment to "fighting back" probably means hurting Florida taxpayers. It's a complicated story, but the gist appears to be that revoking Disney's tax district essentially puts area residents on the hook for more than $1 billion in bonds the company used to pay for things like water service and new roads on its land. Local homeowners could see their taxes jump by 20 percent as a result – to the tune of 163 million per year. Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph, a Democrat and the former ranking member of the Florida House finance and tax committee, claims that if Reedy Creek ceases to exist, the residents of his county and neighboring Osceola will have to take on its tens of millions in bond payments and operational expenses currently paid by Disney, but will be left without the ability to collect revenue because the taxing authority will no longer exist. Randolph told FOX Business that could mean an increase in property taxes of 25% if Orange County has to absorb all of it. Florida state Rep. Randy Fine, the Republican who sponsored the legislation, told FOX Business that that argument is "just a scare tactic used by woke politicians." Fine acknowledges that the local entities where Reedy Creek lies will pick up the Reedy Creek's debt once the district is dissolved, but says those local governments can create Municipal Service Taxing Units (MSTU) that would also "pick up the revenue that would be going to pay for the debt." He insists that "There's no impact to taxpayers." Randolph argues that according to Florida statute, the local governments cannot impose MSTUs on Reedy Creek because it is an independent tax district. Therefore, he says, when that incorporated municipality dissolves, Disneywould have no obligation to pay the $163 million each year. Fine says that's why the service taxing units are municipal, and therefore not something handled by the state. "Scott Randolph's job is to open envelopes and to take out checks," the lawmaker told FOX Business. "He probably should stick to that. He doesn't set tax policy." In reply, Randolph said, "Randy Fine doesn't understand basic math." Raldolph says the bill against Disney was rushed through in 48 hours without legislators working out the details, but acknowledges that there is over a year for local municipalities to work out how they will manage the transition. After signing the legislation into law, DeSantis' office issued a statement clarifying that "it is not the understanding or expectation for SB 4-C, abolishing independent special districts, to cause any tax increases for the residents of any area of Florida." The new law undoing Disney's tax district doesn't actually take effect until June 2023, and observers think the company and the state might work out some kind of accommodation by then. The whole incident might end up as little more than a showy, performative in-kind contribution from the Florida Legislature to DeSantis' incipient 2024 presidential campaign. So the question is what is actually going on here? If DeSantis revoking some privileges from Disney, that seems reasonable, since Disney has publicly signaled that they are planning to do more grooming of Florida’s kids. At the same time, dropping a huge tax bill on that region could be detrimental, although maybe not as detrimental as Disney continuing to brainwash the children and families of Florida. At the same time, some transparency on taxes and funding would be nice. And the people of Florida who care about real freedom and virtue should want to see those numbers include indications of putting money and therefore freedom back in the pockets of the people of Florida, not government programs or temporary dispensations from the government. Not so long ago, the American dream was alive and well. Employees who worked hard were rewarded, and employers looked for people who could do the job, not for people who had the right political views. RedBalloon.work is a job site designed to get us back to what made American businesses successful: free speech, hard work, and having fun. If you are a free speech employer who wants to hire employees who focus on their work and not identity politics, then post a job on RedBalloon. If you are an employee who is being censored at work or is being forced to comply with the current zeitgeist, post your resume on RedBalloon and look for a new job. www.redballoon.work, the job site where free speech is still alive! www.redballoon.work Toronto Zoo is Administering COVID-19 Shots to Animals https://globalnews.ca/news/8776124/toronto-zoo-covid-19-vaccines-zoetis/amp/?fbclid=IwAR3DJMOiEPtAlKgmRfGnawJioi1YOANHRKt_BSJi8vF5FYm8RQjs_ly6D0A The Toronto Zoo says it has begun administering COVID-19 vaccines to its most susceptible animals. In a press release issued Thursday, the zoo said it has received COVID-19 vaccines for animals developed and donated by Zoetis. According to the zoo, it has received 320 doses of the vaccine. Each animal will need two doses, administered two-to-three weeks apart. The zoo said it has 120 animals that have already or will soon receive a vaccine, “based on the COVID-19 sensitivity list that has been developed through on-going research and reports of positive cases in other zoos.” The release said zoos in the U.S. have been vaccinating their animals since 2021, adding that “to date there have been no significant adverse effects reported.” According to Dolf DeJong, CEO, Toronto Zoo, the zoo has not seen any positive cases of the virus within it’s animals during the pandemic. “Being able to add this extra layer of protection allows us to continue doing everything we can to provide them with the highest level of protection and medical care,” DeJong said. According to the zoo, animals are given the choice if they want a vaccine or not. Wait. What?! The zoo said animals undergo “positive reinforcement training” adding that many animals “willingly present an area of the body (such as an arm or tail) as part of their training exercises with their trusted keepers, with desirable treats often used as a reward for their participation.” The zoo said the training sessions are voluntary. The zoo said the training allows the animals to participate in other things like X-rays, blood draws, hoof trimming, which “allow the keepers and veterinary team to monitor their health regularly” without “causing the animals any undue stress.” You know this is hilarious. But it’s also full of propaganda. To call what these folks are doing to zoo animals “voluntary” and a “choice” is wicked. Now I don’t think animals need to be given any choices. They need to be cared for as creatures made by God, but man is responsible to take dominion over the creatures, to rule over them in wisdom. But in an evolutionary worldview, human beings are just animals, and so we can be locked in our homes, or in cages, and what is forced upon us can be called voluntary and our free choices, with just enough positive reinforcement training. Lies, Propaganda, Story Telling, and the Serrated Edge DNB: This year our national conference is in Knoxville, TN October 6th-8th. The theme of this year’s conference is Lies, Propaganda, Storytelling and the Serrated Edge. Satan is the father of lies, and the mother of those lies is a government who has rejected God. We have especially been lied to these last two years, and the COVIDpanic has been one of the central mechanisms that our government has used to lie to us and to grab more power. Because Christians have not been reading their bibles, we are susceptible to lies and weak in our ability to fight these lies. God has given us His word to fight Satan and his lies, and we need to recover all of God’s word, its serrated edge and all. Mark your calendars for October 6th-8th, as we fight, laugh and feast with fellowship, beer and Psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, hanging with our awesome vendors, meeting new friends, and more. Early bird tickets are available to the end of May. Remember: FightLaughFeast Club members get $100 dollars off. https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-offers-tenure-track-only-for-women-non-binary-or-two-spirit-persons University of Waterloo is Trying to Keep Up with the Toronto ZooTheDailyWire Reports: The University of Waterloo is advertising a researcher position exclusively for “qualified individuals who self-identify as women, transgender, non-binary, or two-spirit.” The position at the Canadian university is for a researcher in the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council. While “exceptional” candidates may be considered for an assistant professor position, the advertisement makes it clear that you cannot be one of these candidates if you are a male. “This call is open only to qualified individuals who self-identify as women, transgender, non-binary, or two-spirit.” The term “two-spirit” referring to an Indigenous person who identifies as more than one gender. The university did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Daily Wire. Applicants are required to “self identify” through a university survey, which first asks applicants to select whether they identify as a woman, a man, transgender, “gender-fluid and/or non-binary,” two-spirit, or “prefer not to answer.” The applicant is then asked to select the option they identify with: asexual, bisexual, gay, lesbian, pansexual, straight or heterosexual, other, or “prefer not to answer.” “Select all that apply,” the survey notes. The University of Waterloo emphasizes that it seeks to attract “outstanding and diverse faculty members with the goal of being recognized as one of the top innovative universities in the world,” noting that “embedding equity, diversity and inclusivity across the research enterprise enhances research excellence.” “As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as Indigenous peoples (e.g., First Nations, Métis, Inuit/Inuk), Black, racialized, people with disabilities, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+,” the advertisement says. In the university’s advertisement it notes that the candidate “will propose an innovative program of high-quality research that will attract external funding and excellent, well qualified and diverse graduate students.” “Evidence of an active research program with emphasis on climate and/or climate change science, water science and sustainability, or future cities and a successful record of Tri-Agency research funding, or equivalent, is required,” the advertisement says. “Ability and desire to partner with faculty in closely related fields is required.” Psalm of the Day: Psalm 148 https://www.christkirk.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/18-Psalm-148-From-Heavn-O-Praise.mp3 Play: 0:00-0:41 Amen. This is Toby Sumpter with CrossPolitic News. Remember you can always find the links to our news stories and these psalms at crosspolitic dot com – just click on the daily news brief and follow the links. Or find them on our App: just search “Fight Laugh Feast” in your favorite app store and never miss a show. If this content is helpful to you, would you please consider becoming a Fight Laugh Feast Club Member? We are building a cancel-proof Christian media platform, and we can’t do it without your help. Join today and get a $100 discount at the Fight Laugh Feast conference in Knoxville, TN Oct. 6-8, and have a great day.

Flea beetles, bertha armyworms, diamondback moths, cabbage seedpod weevils, crucifer root-feeding maggots, grasshoppers and the canola flower midge are among the biggest threats to a canola crop.Flagstaff County Agricultural Fieldman Harry Brook discusses these insect pests with bug expert Dr. Boyd Mori, University of Alberta assistant professor and NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada) Industrial Research Chair.

Tune in to episode 64 of 17 Minutes of Science as we talk with Dr. Deborah Kurrasch about her recent paper and why she enjoys working with zebrafish so much! Dr Deborah Kurrasch is a Professor in the Department of Medical Genetics at the University of Calgary and a Scientist in the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute. Dr Kurrasch's research is focused on characterizing the genetic programs that govern hypothalamic development, and how exposure to environmental chemicals changes these programs, using zebrafish, mice and human brain organoids as model organisms. Her lab has also developed a novel drug screening platform to uncover therapies for children with refractory epilepsy. Her work is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and Canadian Foundation for Innovation, among other Foundations. Dr Kurrasch received her PhD in Molecular Pharmacology from Purdue University and conducted two postdoctoral fellowships, one at the University of Texas – Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and one at the University of California – San Francisco. Dr Kurrasch has received various awards for her scholarly work and supervision of graduate students, most recently receiving the ASTech Women in Innovation award, 2021.

Sibel Alumur Alev is a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Management Sciences at the University of Waterloo. She received her Ph.D. degree in Industrial Engineering from Bilkent University in 2009. She then worked as a Post-Doctoral Researcher in the Institute of Operations Research at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany. Prior to joining the University of Waterloo in 2014, she worked as an Assistant Professor at TOBB University of Economics and Technology in Ankara. In 2017, she received the Chuck ReVelle Rising Star Award from the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) as a recognition of her research accomplishments in Location Analysis. She guest-edited two special issues in the journal Computers & Operations Research, one on “Recent Advances in Location Analysis”, and another on “Recent Advances in Hub Location”. She served as a Board Member for the EURO Working Group on Locational Analysis (EWGLA) and as the President of the INFORMS Section on Location Analysis (SOLA). She currently serves as the Senior Associate Editor for the journal Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, an Editorial Board Editor for Transportation Research Part B, and an Editorial Board Member for Computers & Operations Research. Her research was funded by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), including a “National Young Researchers Career Development Grant” given in 2012, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems (MITACS). She organized clusters, streams, and sessions at several international conferences. Her research interests lie in optimizing facility locations and logistics operations, in particular, hub location, hub network design, supply chain and reverse logistics network design.

Conversations around the conceptualization, development & implementation of diagnostic frameworks around mental illness often generate more questions than answers, but are endlessly fascinating in their ability to pull on a number of diverse & interesting threads of inquiry.  Clinical psychologist, professor & former president of the Canadian Association for Cognitive & Behavioural Therapies (CACBT), Dr. Andrea Ashbaugh, C.Psych returns to Thoughts on Record for a discussion of diagnostic frameworks for mental illness.  In this conversation we cover:thoughts on the conceptualization of mental illnessthe functional utility/evolutionary significance of mental health "symptoms" - even when frequent and/or intensecultural expectations around the experience of psychological pain advantages and challenges of current diagnostic symptoms (e.g., DSM 5, ICD-11)mental health consumer expecations around receiving a diagnosispotential benefits and harm that can come with a diagnosisthe emergence of potential dimensional models of diagnosis (e.g., The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP))  transdiagnostic treatment of psychopathology, with a special focus on managing comorbidityconsideration of some common diagnostic conundrums e.g., severe symptoms in high functioning clientsAndrea Ashbaugh is an associate professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa, Director of the Centre for Psychological Services and Research, and is a licensed clinical psychologist in the province of Ontario, Canada. She obtained her master's and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University and the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.She is director of the Cognition and Anxiety Studies Laboratory (CASL) and the Sex and Anxiety Research Group (SAX-RG). Her research interests as part of CASL centre around understanding the causes and developing treatments for anxiety and fear-related problems. She has recently started a program of research to understand the causes and psychological effects of experiencing traumatic and non-traumatic events that transgress one's moral beliefs (Moral Injury) in military personnel and veterans. Her research in the context of the SAX-RG centres around the impact of beliefs about arousal sensations and context on the interpretation of arousal, and its impact on sexual interest and functioning. She has received funding for her research broadly including from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.Dr. Ashbaugh regularly supervises CBT training and teaches courses on psychopathology and clinical psychology at both the graduate and undergraduate level. She has served on the Editorial Boards of Psychological Assessment. She is currently an Associate Editor for the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry and editorial board member for Behaviour Research and Therapy. She is a former president of the Canadian Association for Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies (CACBT) and was seminal in the development of national CBT training guidelines that were released by CACBT in May 2019.

On this episode we chat about a whole host of issues relating to Canada / China relations. We discuss how China bullies Canadian companies operating in China, the case of the two Michael's, China's AI race, China's movement towards totalitarianism, and the need for Canada to stand up for itself in the face of Chinese hostility. We also chat about China's surveillance state, their social credit system, and what Canadian strategy towards China should look like going forward. Margaret McCuaig-Johnston is Senior Fellow at the Institute for Science, Society and Policy and the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa where she has been lecturing and writing on China's science and technology policies since 2013.Over a 37-year career in the public service, Margaret held senior management positions in the Governments of Canada and Ontario.  Most recently she was Executive Vice-President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; prior to that she was Assistant Deputy Minister Energy Technology and Programs at Natural Resources Canada; and her first Assistant Deputy Minister appointment was at the federal Department of Finance. She has also had management positions at Industry Canada, the Prime Minister's National Advisory Board on Science and Technology, the Ministry of State for S&T, and the Privy Council Office (the Prime Minister's department).

In this episode of The Global Exchange, you will hear Red Lipman, Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, and Scott Simon discuss how to include Taiwan in international organizations This episode is an extract from CGAI's webinar on Canada-Taiwan relations, made possible thanks to the support of our strategic sponsors Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics, and thanks to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office. Read our Taiwan series: www.cgai.ca/2021_taiwan_series Participants Bio: Over a 37-year government career, Margaret McCuaig-Johnston served at the assistant deputy minister level at Canada's Department of Finance, Natural Resources Canada, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and has had senior management positions at Industry Canada, the Prime Minister's National Advisory Board on Science and Technology, the Ministry of State for Science and Technology, and the Privy Council Office. For the last seven years of her government career, Margaret was a member of the Canada-China Joint Committee on Science and Technology. She has had close relations over the years with China on other matters such as energy technology, manufacturing, industrial development, industry associations, and think-tanks. She has visited China more than a dozen times since 1979. https://www.asiapacific.ca/about-us/distinguished-fellows/margaret-mccuaig-johnston Scott Simon (Ph.D., McGill University, 1998), Co-holder of the Chair of Taiwan Studies at the University of Ottawa, has lived in Taiwan for ten years and returns annually for field research. His research interests include Indigenous rights, development, the contribution of Taiwan to the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan's international status, and Canada-Taiwan relations. He has written three books and numerous articles about Taiwan. He does policy-oriented research as member of the Centre for International Policy Studies and the Human Rights Research and Education Centre at the University of Ottawa, and as Senior Fellow at Ottawa's Macdonald-Laurier Institute. https://uniweb.uottawa.ca/members/1024 Ted Lipman's career has spanned over 40 years as an Asianist; in diplomacy, philanthropy, academia and culture. One of a handful of Canadian students in China during the Cultural Revolution, after completing studies at Peking University in 1976, Ted embarked on a 35 year diplomatic career. Highlights include appointments as Canadian Consul General in Shanghai, Minister/DCM in Beijing, Director/HOM of Canada's trade office in Taipei, Director General for North Asia at Global Affairs HQ and Ted's last diplomatic assignment, Canadian ambassador to both North and South Korea. Ted was also a visiting diplomatic fellow at the UBC Institute of Asian Research (Korean Studies). https://www.cgai.ca/ted_lipman Colin Robertson is a former diplomat, and Vice President of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, www.cgai.ca/colin_robertson Recording Date: 17 August 2021. Give 'The Global Exchange' a review on Apple Podcast! Follow the Canadian Global Affairs Institute on Facebook, Twitter (@CAGlobalAffairs), or on Linkedin. Head over to our website www.cgai.ca for more commentary. Produced by Charlotte Duval-Lantoine. Music credits to Drew Phillips.

The beliefs held around emotions can lead individuals to resist and deny their internal experience.  This can have many potential downstream implications for being able to cope effectively, being properly attuned to one's needs, and remaining effective in the face of difficult interpersonal situations.  Former president of the Canadian Association for Cognitive Behavioural Therapies,  Dr. Andrea Ashbaugh, C.Psych joins us for a discussion around assessing, conceptualizing and working with client's beliefs around emotions.  In this discussion we cover:     the kinds of clinical experiences or observations which have led Dr. Ashbaugh to become  interested in addressing the beliefs clients hold about emotions  the factors (e.g., early life experiences, temperament) that can shape one's stance towards emotionsprototypically "western" vs "eastern"  views about psychological & physical paincues for the clinician that it is time to start to work on beliefs about emotionscommon types of beliefs about emotions that can cause challengesclinical presentations where clients may be more likely to experience challenging beliefs around emotionshow perceptions around certainty influences the capacity to tolerate emotionsthe impact of our emotional state on perceptionsthe cognitive & behavioural strategies that can be used for beliefs about the dangers of expressing negative emotions to others the cognitive & behavioural strategies that can be used for beliefs about feeling negative emotions caveats around the role of medication in the context of psychotherapy focused on helping clients negotiate their relationship with emotionsthe potential utility of a transdiagnostic approach to working with emotions the role of values & curiosity in helping clients to explore unpleasant emotions Dr. Andrea Ashbaugh, C.Psych is an associate professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa and is a licensed clinical psychologist in the province of Ontario, Canada. She obtained her master's and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University and the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.She is director of the Cognition and Anxiety Studies Laboratory (CASL) and the Sex and Anxiety Research Group (SAX-RG). Her research interests as part of CASL centre around understanding the causes and developing treatments for anxiety and fear-related problems. She has recently started a program of research to understand the causes and psychological effects of experiencing traumatic and non-traumatic events that transgress one's moral beliefs in military personnel and veterans. Her research in the context of the SAX-RG centres around the impact of beliefs about arousal sensations and context on the interpretation of arousal, and its impact on sexual interest and functioning. She has received funding for her research broadly including from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.Dr. Ashbaugh regularly supervises CBT training and teaches courses on psychopathology and clinical psychology at both the graduate and undergraduate level. She has served on the Editorial Boards of Psychological Assessment. She is currently an Associate Editor for the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry and editorial board member for Behaviour Research and Therapy. She is a former president of the Canadian Association for Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies (CACBT) and was seminal in the development of national CBT training guidelines that were released by CACBT in May 2019.

While "body and mind" have at times been regarded as separate entities, it is now abundantly clear that the brain & body are continuous elements of a massively interconnected system.  Preeminent professor, researcher & lecturer in the field of behavioural neuroscience, Dr. Hymie Anisman, joins Dr. Pete Kelly, C.Psych for a wide-ranging and discussion of:   how stress can impact upon almost any aspect of healththe mechanisms by which adverse early life events can sensitize emotional, behavioural, cognitive & physiological coping to later stressors, creating vulnerability to mental and physiological illnessa brief overview of epigenetics and how trauma can be transmitted across generations the relationship between the brain and the immune system including discussion of the microbiomethe hunt for biomarkers of mental illness perspectives on current diagnostic systems for mental illness vs. plausible alternatives (e.g., Research Domain Criteria - RDoC)consideration of the necessity of the appreciation of genetic diversity and genetic polymorphisms to the study of biological determinants of human behaviour, precision medicine etc.factors influencing reactivity to stressors at the individual levelcaveats around examining the biological basis of the efficacy of psychotherapya brief consideration of the process of allostasis in the face of chronic stress (and why the "crash" might come after the major stressor has passed)the role of social support seeking & providing as well as prosocial behaviour with respect to coping with stressorsa brief meditation on the utility of tolerating uncertainty in life, research (and other domains)Hymie's perspective on the biggest questions left unanswered in behavioural neuroscience right nowHymie Anisman received his PhD in 1972 (University of Waterloo), where he was also on faculty for two years, and has been a Professor at Carleton University, Ottawa, since 1994. He has also held an adjunct appointment with the Institute of Mental Health Research (Royal Ottawa Hospital) since 1993. Professor Anisman was a Senior Ontario Mental Health Research Fellow , is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and held a Canada Research Chair in Neuroscience from 2001-2015, and has since held the position of Canada Research Professor. The principle theme of his research has concerned the influence of stressors on neurochemical, neuroendocrine and immune systems, and how these influence psychological (anxiety, depression) and physical illnesses including neurodegenerative, heart disease, and cancer progression. His work has spanned studies using animal models to assess stress-related pathology as well as studies in humans to assess stress, coping and appraisal processes.  In addition to sitting on the editorial boards of several journals and on numerous grant panels,  Professor Anisman has published more than 400 peer reviewed journal papers, 40 book chapters, and several review papers within neuroscience, immunity, and psychology journals, as well as publishing 3 textbooks, 1 lay book, and 2 edited books. His research has been funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Ontario Mental Health Foundation (OMHF), the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the Canada Research chairs program (CRC). https://twitter.com/Hymie_Anisman

“Everything for a seamless, healthier and greener life is on the horizon if we can unleash the true power of these technologies.” - Dr.Mihaela Ulieru Our host Salma had an amazing time during this episode talking with our special guest Dr.Mihaela Ulieru, a technology alchemist and an innovator at the edge of the impossible. Salma and Mihaela had a great discussion about how character building and her support system led her to thrive in the Tech industry and her deliberate decision to work on Tech for Good and to truly make an impact. During this precious hour and being able to talk to a top expert from the field, we of course did not leave out some of the exciting trends with regards to AI, IoT and Blockchain. Dr. Mihaela Ulieru At the peak of her academic career she founded the IMPACT Institute for the Digital Economy aiming at policy reforms for the adoption of latest digital technologies in all areas of society and sectors of the economy. She has held two prestigious research chairs and founded two research labs leading numerous international research consortia while holding appointments to a plethora of advisory boards and councils, among which: the Science, Technology and Innovation Council of Canada (appointed by the Minister of Industry), the Science and Engineering Research Council of Singapore (appointed by the PM), Expert to the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Data-Driven Development where as part of her work she proposed Blockchain to be added to the Top 10 Future and Emerging Technologies. To get your weekly dose of inspiration, be sure to listen to this episode! More information & sources: Publications, Poetry and more from Dr. Mihaela Ulieru theimpactinstitute.org Emerging Technologies Trends https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-319-42448-4_15 Roadblocks Open Innovation https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274566666_Organic_Governance Dr. Mihaela Ulieru's Mission https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/blockchain-enhances-privacy-security-and-conveyance-of-data/ Drivers of the Readiness & Adoption levels of Emerging Technologies in certain industries https://www.amazon.com/Revolution-Palensky-Doursat-Mihaela-Ulieru/dp/3642040071

The latest headlines & happenings in Edmonton's tech community. This week: the co-founder and CEO of Clio, Jack Newton, is joining the advisory board for dealcloser; Paper Leaf has been acquired by ZGM Modern Marketing Partners; Jobber sees an opportunity to transform the tech landscape in the Edmonton region; Alberta Innovates has partnered with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC); and Yaletown Partners has added a new investment analyst to its team.

Barbara Sherwood Lollar is the Professor in Earth Sciences at the University of Toronto. She is also the Dr. Norman Keevil Chair in Ore Deposits Geology. In 2019, she was awarded the Herzberg Gold Medal by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) for her contributions to science. This year, she won the Killam Prize for Natural Sciences, awarded by the Canada Council for the Arts.  

Professor and entrepreneur Dr. Maya Ackerman is an award-winning Artificial Intelligence expert, named “Woman of influence” by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Ackerman is an Assistant Professor at the Computer Science and Engineering department at Santa Clara University, and CEO/Co-founder of WaveAI, today’s most advanced musical AI startup. Interviews with Dr. Ackerman appear on NBC News, New Scientist, Grammy.com, and international television stations across the globe. A sought-after speaker, Dr. Ackerman has been an invited speaker at the United Nations, Google, IBM Research, and Stanford University, amongst other prestigious venues. Her research has earned awards from the Association for Computational Creativity, US Office of Naval Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and many more. Ackerman has published forty peer-reviewed research publications, and has been on the program and reviewing committees of twenty different AI journals and conferences. She earned her PhD from the University of Waterloo, held postdoctoral fellowships at Caltech and UC San Diego and is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Computational Creativity. In this episode, Brigit and Don invite Dr. Maya Ackerman to discuss her inspiration to start WaveAI and its creative applications, the societal fear of using AI as an aid for artistry, and her experience as an entrepreneur bridging the gap between the music industry and STEM. Also discussed are the challenge for women and minority entrepreneurs to obtain funding from investors, gender disparities in the workforce, and the necessary steps to combat implicit bias.

We'll have a potato harvest update from Manitoba Agriculture's Vikram Bisht. Grain Growers of Canada chairperson, Jeff Nielsen, outlines the organization's speech from the combine released yesterday ahead of the Federal government's throne speech Wednesday. And part two of Cory Knutt's conversation with the U of M's Mario Tenuta, who's been named the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Industrial Research Chair (IRC) in 4R Nutrient Stewardship.

Dr. J Kiley Hamlin is an Associate Professor of Psychology and the Canadian Research Chair at the University of British Columbia. There she directs the Centre for Infant Cognition, where she examines the developmental origins of moral judgments in preverbal babies and young toddlers. She is the recipient of numerous awards and grants from the Association for Psychological Science, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the John Templeton Foundation, among others. In this episode, we discuss her research which illuminates when and how babies express the earliest forms of a moral sense. Paper referenced in this episode: Hamlin, J. K., & Van de Vondervoort, J. W. (2018). Infants’ and young children’s preferences for prosocial over antisocial others. Human Development, 61(4-5), 214-231. https://doi.org/10.1159/000492800 Transcript available at: https://www.ambercazzell.com/post/msp-ep38-KileyHamlin APA citation: Cazzell, A. R. (Host). (2020, August 25). Babies are Judging You with Kiley Hamlin [Audio Podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.ambercazzell.com/post/msp-ep38-KileyHamlin

Parkland College has been awarded a $200,000 research grant by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

COVID et Tracking Préambule Shameless plug COVID-19 L'asile au travail Weekly social/physical distancing meeting avec la communauté du Hackfest, mercredi 20h30 Communauté Hackfest sur Slack avec channel pour coronavirus et santé mentale si vous voulez parler! invitation Lavez-vous les mains et #staythefuckhome Shownotes and Links Je viendrais me coller aux informations. J'ai écrit une grosse étude sur les applications de part le monde. Si j'ai une réponse j'interviendrai. Si je ne sais pas, bha je sais pas :) MILA Quebec COVI App! Recherche sur la COVID-19 : le Canada enquête sur des brèches informatiques A beer app is the latest privacy thorn in the U.S. military's side TELUS Data for Good program to provide de-identified network mobility data and insights to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada in support of COVID-19 research Coronavirus: Security flaws found in NHS contact-tracing app Officials: Israel linked to a disruptive cyberattack on Iranian port facility Smartphones, laptops, IoT devices vulnerable to new BIAS Bluetooth attack New ‘Spectra' attack breaks the separation between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth [Cisco: Critical Java flaw strikes ‘call center in a box', patch urgently]https://www.zdnet.com/article/cisco-critical-java-flaw-strikes-call-center-in-a-box-patch-urgently/ ZLoader Loads Again: New ZLoader Variant Returns BONNE NOUVELLE DU JOUR (SORT OF) - Plus de 150 M$ pour accélérer l'accès à Internet en région Crew Nicolas-Loïc Fortin Damien Bancal Patrick R. Mathieu Vincent Groleau Richer Dinelle Steve Waterhouse Crédits Montage audio par Intrasecure inc Music Final Fantasy VI “Land of the Eidolons” par RebeccaETripp, Nabeel Ansari via OverClocked ReMix Locaux virtuels par 8x8

Today on the Take on Board podcast, Helga's speaking with Dr. Emily Moore about being an effective board member and the role of a board in a crisis.Emily is on the boards of Metrolinx, which is a provincial crown corporation providing regional commuter rail and bus services for Toronto and Chemtrade logistics, a Toronto Stock Exchange listed industrial chemical organization.She's also finishing up on HalTech Regional innovation and she's formerly been a director of St. Mildred's-Lightbourn School, the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Committee for Research Partnerships.Emily is a professional engineer, professor and board member working at the intersection of technology and business and education. After more than 20 years in industry, she is now director of the Troost Institute for leadership education in engineering at the University of Toronto.Contact Emily or find out more about her:https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-moore-7483311/Boards Emily is on:Metrolinx - www.metrolinx.comChemtrade - http://www.chemtradelogistics.com/main/Resources mentioned in this episode:Rebecca Southerns - https://rebeccasutherns.com/ orhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccasutherns/FOR MORE INFORMATION:Join the Take on Board community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TakeOnBoard/Follow along on Twitter: @TakeOnBoardHelga’s Board Kickstarter and Board Accelerator programs: https://www.helgasvendsen.com.au/eventsDetails about the 2020 Board KickStarter program: https://www.trybooking.com/BGYYLDetails about the 2020 Board Accelerator program: https://www.helgasvendsen.com.au/single-post/2018/02/07/Board-Accelerator-group-coaching-program-for-womenFor more information about Helga Svendsen: https://www.helgasvendsen.com.au/Interested in working with Helga? https://www.helgasvendsen.com.au/workwithmeTo contact Helga: helga@helgasvendsen.com.au

Today we have the honour of having Dr. Yingfu Li, a McMaster Infectious Disease Researcher, join us and discuss his perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic. We'll also be talking about his amazing fundraising efforts, his research, and how you can help. New live streams every day at 6pm EST. Throughout this series, I want to hear from all of you! If you have been impacted by this global pandemic and want to share your story, please fill out this form and I'll try and have you on the show! Link to form: https://forms.gle/KhbgJq6rMfZo34Rc9 Email: darius@dariusmed.com Darius Med Clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Y39yc0_HvnDaa5pjjdhEQ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/dariusmed Donations: https://streamlabs.com/dariusmed   Be sure to find me on: Web: Dariusmed.com Instagram @DariusMed Twitter @DariusMed_ Facebook: Darius Med   Dr. Li's Credentials Abbreviated: Dr. Yingfu Li received a BSc in chemistry from Anhui University in 1983, an MSc in applied chemistry at Beijing Agriculture University in 1989, and a PhD in chemistry and biochemistry at Simon Fraser University in 1997. His doctoral study led to the discovery of one of the earliest DNA molecules with catalytic ability. He achieved this feat through a powerful test-tube evolution technique known as in vitro selection. This work won him Governor General of Canada Gold Medal (1998) and a Doctoral Prize from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (1998). He received a Medical Research Council of Canada postdoctoral fellow in 1997 and spent the next two years in the laboratory of Ronald Breaker at Yale University to study artificial evolution using DNA as the model system. Through test-tube evolution he derived a series of nucleic acid enzymes that are capable of modifying DNA using chemical reactions that are carried out in cells by protein enzymes. Enjoy!

Dr. Patterson is a physiotherapist, an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and a Scientist at the KITE Research Institute (University Health Network). She practiced clinically as a physiotherapist in the neurological field in Canada and the US before completing her PhD at the University of Toronto and postdoctoral training at McGill University. Dr. Patterson leads the RELEARN lab (http://www.relearnlab.ca/)  which strives to advance neurorehabilitation practice in order to improve mobility outcomes for people living with neurological conditions and in particular stroke. Her research interests include understanding how balance and gait are altered after stroke and the development of novel rehabilitation strategies including rhythm-based interventions and dance. Dr. Patterson holds a Heart and Stroke Foundation Clinician Scientist award and her work is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/didyoumovetodayco/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/didyoumovetodayco/support

Surgical implants are widely used in modern medicine but their effectiveness is often compromised by how our bodies react to them. In this podcast episode, Marni will be speaking with Dr Donna Lee Marcal, the founder of Dermatonics. Dr Marcal is a specialist in human Biochemistry with a doctorate from The University of Ottawa. She has worked in the area of inflammation and how the body reacts to foreign materials as well as macrophage biology related to Atherosclerosis. Dr Marcal has been awarded several international research fellowships for her work, including an Endeavour Research Fellowship awarded to her by Julie Bishop in 2006. Upon her Sydney research visit, she investigated the human biochemistry pathways involved in inflammation using advanced proteomics. And the Australian story begins! Her work on specific human proteins and their functions on human inflammation enabled her with a Young Investigators Award from the World Human Proteomics Organization. She then moved to Australia to continue her advanced work at the Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (Brisbane, QLD). She was then further awarded a research fellowship from the Canadian National Science & Engineering Research Council to work in Australia on her research. Dr Donna Lee Marcal is now the driving force of Dermatonics and its advanced Nutridermaceutical skincare. Join us as we will learn more from Dr Marcal the why's and how's of our body's reaction to foreign materials. Learn more about Dr Donna Lee Marcal here: Website: www.dermatonics.com.au Instagram: @dermatonics_skincare Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dermatonics/ Relievamed www.relievamed.com www.sentryca.com.au Research Mentioned by Dr Marcal: http://bit.ly/35cCYvP Be sure to subscribe to the podcast! And follow us on instagram @dermhealth.co or visit us online at https://www.dermhealth.co/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/dermhealthco/message

On this episode, first Dr. Gladden and Mark discuss the health benefits of getting out into nature. Then, they’re joined by Professor Stuart Phillips to discuss his work with aging adults at McMaster Physical Activity Centre of Excellence. He talks about people in their 90s and older who are still participating in exercise programs and the youthful benefits they’re seeing. They talk about setting ourselves up for successful physical fitness that lasts well into advanced age, with both physical activity and mindset.    About the guest: Stuart Phillips obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Waterloo in Human Physiology in 1995. He joined McMaster University in 1999 and is currently a full Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and School of Medicine at McMaster University. He is Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Skeletal Muscle Health. He is also the Director of the McMaster Centre for Nutrition, Exercise, and Health Research and the Physical Activity Centre of Excellence. His research is focused on the impact of nutrition and exercise on human protein turnover, specifically in skeletal muscle. He is also dedicated to understanding how exercise and dietary protein impact body composition, strength, and function in aging.   Dr. Phillips has authored more than 190 original research papers and 75 reviews. He has mentored 7 Postdoctoral, 13 Ph.D. and 17 M.Sc. students and more than 100 undergraduate thesis students. He is a 5-time nominee, and a 3-time recipient, of McMaster Student Union’s Outstanding Teaching Award. He was also the first recipient of the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology’s Mentorship award in 2017. In 2018, he was named to Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers list as a being in the top 1% of all cited researchers in nutrition research.   His research is funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Diabetes Association, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the US Department of Agriculture, and a variety of industry sources. Dr. Phillips is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, the American College of Nutrition, and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. Follow him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SMPPh.D/ Find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/professor-stuart-phillips-ph-d/  

Dr. Karl Heilbron is a Scientist I in Statistical Genetics at 23andMe. He focuses on identifying genetic variants that are associated with diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. Once variants are identified, he conducts more targeted analyses to better understand the genetic basis of disease. When he’s not working, Karl enjoys staying active by playing soccer and other sports. In addition, he has been having fun staying in touch with old friends by playing Dungeons and Dragons together online. Karl received his Bachelor's degree in Evolutionary Science from Western University where he was awarded the Western Gold medal for highest course average. He next attended The University of Oxford where he earned his Ph.D. degree in evolutionary genomics. Karl was awarded a Julie Payette Research Scholarship from The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for his graduate work. Afterwards, Karl conducted postdoctoral research in computational biology at 23andMe before accepting his current position there. In our interview Karl will tell us more about his life and science.

Bob McDonald is one of Canada's most recognizable voices. An author, science journalist and chief science correspondent for the CBC, Bob has been hosting Quirks & Quarks (a weekly radio show about science) since 1992. He's interviewed thousands of scientists over the years, and this week he joins Ben for a conversation about science and technology, the power of curiosity and storytelling in communicating science, and the urgent need for us to see the long game in order to face today's big challenges. About the Guest Bob McDonald is one of Canada’s best known science journalists, bringing science to the public for more than 40 years. In addition to hosting Quirks & Quarks, the award-winning science program that is heard by 800,000 people each week, McDonald is also science correspondent for CBC TV’s The National and host and writer of the children’s series Head’s Up. The host and writer of numerous television documentaries and more than 100 educational videos in Canada and the United States, Bob has also authored four bestselling science books, and contributed to numerous textbooks, magazines, and newspapers, including The Globe and Mail. His latest book is Canadian Space Walkers: Hadfield, MacLean and Williams Remember the Ultimate High Adventure. An Officer of the Order of Canada and a recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, Bob has been honoured for his outstanding contribution to the promotion of science with the Michael Smith Award from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; the “Sir Sanford Fleming Medal” from the Royal Canadian Institute; and the “McNeil Medal” from The Royal Society of Canada. He also won a 2008 Gemini Award for Best Host in a Pre-School, Children’s or Youth Program or Series. In 2015, asteroid 332324 was officially named “Bobmcdonald” in his honour by the International Astronomical Union. He holds eleven honorary doctorates from Canadian universities. Learn more about Bob or follow Quirks & Quarks on Twitter. The Quote of the Week "Science is an organized way of being curious." - Bob McDonald (from today's podcast)

The annual SME Day event is the largest public sector event targeted at SMEs. This year’s event programme includes bringing together technology and solution providers from the public and private sectors, so that SMEs can learn how to better harness technology and R&D solutions to achieve business growth and sustainability. Joining us from the SME sector is May Yap, CEO and Managing Director, LHT Holdings Limited and from A*Star is Professor Tan Sze Wee, Executive Director, Science & Engineering Research Council.

Feature Guest: Darren Grant A one hundred year old astronomical mystery may finally have been solved. Scientists have long wondered just what caused high energy particles called cosmic rays, which arrive on Earth from the far unknown reaches of the universe. But now we have a discovery by the South Pole Neutrino Observatory, appropriately named IceCube, which points the finger at a peculiar phenomena known as blazars. The IceCube Collaboration’s Professor Darren Grant joins us today here at The Star Spot. Current in Space Dave reports on the arrival of the Osiris-Rex mission at the asteroid Bennu. Then, when it comes to climate change, desperate times call for desperate measures, such as the plan we hear from Simon to spray chemicals into the atmosphere to reflect the sun’s heat back into space. And Tony explains the possible outcome of an astronomical event so energetic we detected its gravitational waves back in August 2017. Finally Amelia tells us we may have finally come a step closer to understanding what fuels the least-understood type of supernova. About Our Guest Darren Grant is Assistant Professor of Physics at the University of Alberta. He is the Spokesperson for the IceCube Collaboration, referring to the South Pole Neutrino Observatory. Grant is Canada Research Chair in Astroparticle Physics and received an E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.  

  This week brings around new research from an international study that claims an average sodium intake does not harm your health; NSERC grants 1.65 million for a new biomedical technology program; Prometic Life Sciences elucidates the mechanism of action of their proprietary drug; and Milestone Pharmaceuticals randomises their first patient in their phase 3 clinical trial.   Keep on listening to hear all the juicy details!   +++++  No need to fret when you ask someone to pass you the salt at the dinner table anymore. New research by scientists of the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) of McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences as well as researchers from 21 countries suggests sodium intake does not increase health risks except for those who eat more than five grams a day – an equivalent of 2.5 teaspoons.  This large-scale international study expresses for most individuals that this is good news. Any health risk of sodium consumption is virtually eliminated if people improve their diet quality by adding fruits, vegetables, dairy foods, potatoes, and other potassium rich foods.  The study followed 94,000 people, aged 35 to 70, for an average of eight years in communities from 18 countries around the world and found there an associated risk of cardiovascular disease and strokes only where the average intake is greater than five grams of sodium a day.  China is the only country in their study where 80 per cent of communities have a sodium intake of more than five grams a day. In the other countries, most communities had an average sodium consumption of 3 to 5 grams a day.  The World Health Organization recommends consumption of less than two grams of sodium — that’s one teaspoon of salt — a day as a preventative measure against cardiovascular disease, but there is little evidence in terms of improved health outcomes that individuals ever achieve at such a low level.  The American Heart Association recommends even less — 1.5 grams of sodium a day for individuals at risk of heart disease.  Andrew Mente, first author of the study and a PHRI researcher says, “Only in the communities with the most sodium intake — those over five grams a day of sodium – which is mainly in China, did we find a direct link between sodium intake and major cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke. In communities that consumed less than five grams of sodium a day, the opposite was the case. Sodium consumption was inversely associated with myocardial infarction or heart attacks and total mortality, and no increase in stroke.”  Researchers found that all major cardiovascular problems – including death – decreased in communities and countries where there is an increased consumption of potassium which is found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy foods, potatoes and nuts, and beans.  Martin O’Donnell, co-author of the report, an associate clinical professor of medicine at McMaster says that most previous studies relating sodium intake to heart disease and stroke were based on individual-level information, and that public health strategies should be based on best evidence.   Their findings demonstrate that community-level interventions to reduce sodium intake should target communities with high sodium consumption and should be embedded within approaches to improve overall dietary quality. There is no convincing evidence that people with moderate or average sodium intake need to reduce their sodium intake for prevention of heart disease and stroke.  This study lends a hand to simmer down those creeping thoughts of sodium consumption and health issues. Of course, it is still best to use in moderation; but next time someone asks you to pass the salt, you can now more comfortably allow your worry to subside.  +++++  Medical innovations improve and save lives. It for this reason that Canada invests so heavily into the health and life sciences. But when it comes to health technology, innovative designs like prosthetic limbs or pacemakers must be designed by a special type of engineer – one who solve engineering problems and can identify medical technology needs.    Catherine Burns, professor of systems design engineering and executive director of the Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, has been awarded a Collaborative Research and Training Experience Program (CREATE) grant to establish a biomedical engineering graduate program that will help produce this type of engineer. The $1.65 million grant awarded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) will help fund a new program in global biomedical technology research and innovation at Waterloo starting in the fall of 2018, the only one of its kind in Canada.  Burns says that most students come out of biomedical engineering graduate programs as great researchers, but not necessarily with a good understanding of how the industry works. That this program will produce students who know both the research side and the business side of the industry.  To understand the needs of medical technology users, students will get out into the field to work alongside clinicians and patients to better understand real-life scenarios before developing solutions.  Grand River Hospital is one of the partners to the program, as well as Starfish Medical and Synaptive Medical – both of which are very successful Canadian medical device companies.  The curriculum at Waterloo will include clinic and industry internships, commercialization courses, international exchanges, and professional skills workshops. Students will graduate knowing how to work with patients and clinicians with understanding of medical device regulation. They will also have the skills and industry contacts in place to help secure jobs in the biomedical industry or commercialize their own inventions.  Charmaine Dean, the vice president of university research  says that the technical expertise, professional skills, and interdisciplinary experience students gain in this program will produce biomedical engineers capable of transforming the Canadian health technology landscape and is another step in growing Waterloo’s role in the biotechnology and research ecosystem.  There is a proposed initiative for the program at Toronto Western Hospital, where a Critical Care physician manages a large amount of data on brain injuries. The goal would be to integrate the data with data from laboratory and patient records, which will provide new insights into the complex physiological relationships in brain injury patients. Students in the program will work with the physician to acquire an understanding of brain injuries, and then develop a data integration solution.  Each student will be part of a team that includes a research supervisor, a clinician, and the manager of a biomedical engineering company. Before commencing their research, students will need to prove that they’ve spent time with clinicians and patients in settings relevant to their area of research. This will help ensure that the solutions they develop are viable and easier to commercialise.  Overall, this one-of-a-kind program will continue to make Canada an economic powerhouse and punch above its weight in health and life sciences.  +++++  Prometic Life Sciences Inc. announces the publication of a paper that further elucidates the mechanism of action of its lead drug candidate, PBI-4050, on liver fibrosis in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.   The drug’s clinical activity has already been shown to significantly reduce liver and cardiac fibrosis in patients in the ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with Alström syndrome.  Dr. Lyne Gagnon, senior author of the paper and Prometic’s vice president of R&D says that studying the mechanism of action of PBI-4050 in liver diseases, including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), has clearly demonstrated that PBI-4050 acts through a major signaling AMPK pathway, thus linking metabolism to fibrosis. The data shows the potential therapeutic effects of PBI-4050 in liver fibrosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.  There are several stages of liver fibrosis, and if left untreated or without changing significant lifestyle choices, may lead to liver cirrhosis.  Pierre Laurin, chief executive officer of Prometic adds that they have seen the benefits of PBI-4050 in reducing liver fibrosis in Alström syndrome patients. With this further validation that the signaling pathway targeted by PBI-4050 is indeed at the core of the genesis of fibrosis in the liver, they are very confident about its potential to address fibrosis-related conditions such as Alström syndrome, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. We look forward to initiating our Phase 3 pivotal clinical trial for PBI-4050 in IPF and expanding the program in Alström syndrome.”  +++++  Milestone Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage cardiovascular company, randomises their first patient in its Phase 3 clinical study of etripamil. Etripamil is a new investigational, rapid-onset, short-acting calcium channel blocker administered intranasally by the patient designed to terminate paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) episodes wherever they occur.  paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia is a recurring and sporadic heart arrhythmia caused by abnormalities in the cardiac conduction system. The current standard of care to terminate these episodes is intravenous medication delivered in the emergency department.  The Phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, event-driven study is planned to be conducted in more than 50 cardiology centers in the United States and Canada and will enroll up to 500 patients. Following an in-office test dose of etripamil, patients will take home either 70 mg of etripamil or placebo for when a paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia episode occurs. Upon onset of an episode, patients will apply a wireless cardiac monitor to their chest to record their heart rhythm, perform a vagal maneuver, and if symptoms persist, administer study drug.  Bruce Stambler, MD, FHRS, Piedmont Heart Institute says that the design of the NODE-301 study of etripamil will allow them to obtain more clinical evidence of the benefits of this potential treatment for paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in an outpatient, real-world setting. paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia is an unpredictable disorder and the potential for a fast-acting therapy to resolve the symptoms of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia wherever the episodes occur could significantly reduce the burden this condition puts on patients and the health care system.  The primary endpoint of the study is time to conversion of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia to sinus rhythm after the administration of study drug as confirmed by a central independent adjudication committee. Secondary study endpoints include relief of symptoms commonly associated with an episode of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia such as heart palpitations, chest pain, anxiety, shortness of breath, dizziness, and fainting.  Francis Plat, MD, Milestone’s Chief Medical Officer  says that the initiation of the NODE-301 study is an example of our ongoing commitment to improve the lives of patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. Etripamil, if approved by regulatory authorities, could empower patients to take control of this anxiety-producing arrhythmia without being reliant on chronic medications or trips to an acute-care facility for treatment.  The study will enroll patients at least 18 years of age with a documented history of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. Patients receiving study treatment in NODE-301 will be eligible to participate in an open-label extension study (NODE-302) where etripamil will be provided for subsequent paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia episodes.  There are well over a million people in the US living with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, resulting in hundreds of thousands of emergency department and doctor’s office visits each year. There are countless other patients who exist and don’t seek care, suffering through their episodes in silence as the current approved treatment options are unpleasant, inconvenient, and/or costly.  Providing a way to self-manage paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia episodes could offer immediate relief for those living with this arrhythmia.  +++++  Well that’s it for this week! If you have a story idea, please feel free to reach out to me at press@promotivemedia.ca and be sure to check out the stories in full at our website biotechnologyfocus.ca. Until next time, from my desk to yours – this is Michelle Currie.

A*STAR’s Science and Engineering institutes have many collaborations and partnerships with SMEs in Singapore. Professor Tan Sze Wee, Executive Director, Science & Engineering Research Council (SERC), A*STAR tells Howie Lim why it’s important to A*Star to nurture the SME sector and give it a leg up in R&D and innovation.

Show description/summary:1) Multiparametric MRI changes persist beyond recovery in concussed adolescent hockey players 2) Neurology Today® paper on the increase in gabapentinoid prescriptionThis podcast begins and closes with Dr. Robert Gross, Editor-in-Chief, briefly discussing highlighted articles from the November 21, 2017 issue of Neurology. In the first segment, Dr. Ted Burns talks with Dr. Kathryn Manning and Dr. Ravi Menon about their paper regarding the effects of concussion on adolescent hockey players. In the second part of the podcast, Dr. Burns focuses his interview with Dr. Christopher Goodman about a recent Neurology Today article discussing the increase in gabapentinoid prescriptions. Disclosures can be found at Neurology.org.DISCLOSURES: Dr. Burns is the deputy section editor of the Neurology® podcast; has served on scientific advisory boards for Argenx, UCB, and CSL Behring; has received travel funding/speaker honoraria from Argenx and Alexion; and has received support for consulting activities from UCB Pharma and CSL Behring.Dr. Manning reports no disclosures.Dr. Menon has served on the scientific advisory board of International Initiative for Traumatic Brain Injury Research (NIH/EU/CIHR); has served on the editorial boards of NeuroImage, Journal of Neurophysiology, Scientific Reports, and Tomography; has received research support from Siemens Healthineers, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Canada First Research Excellence Fund, and Brain Canada Foundation; and has received royalty payments from Siemens Healthcare for US Patent 8,193,812.Dr. Goodman reports no disclosures.

This week, we bring you two stories of difficult professional relationships in science, whether in the field or in the lab. Part 1: As a young biology student, Margot Wohl is excited to spend a summer in the field, but her male colleague expects her to do all the work. Part 2: Physics major Stephanie Loeb travels to Singapore to study nanoparticles, but is intimidated by her enigmatic project leader. Margot Wohl hails from Bel Air, Maryland but found her spirit city is Philadelphia when she moved their to study biology at the University of Pennsylvania. Now she is pursuing a PhD in neuroscience at UC San Diego where she confirms daily that the sun sets in the West and then retreats to her science cave for the night. Her research centers on how brain cells and the molecules they exchange give rise to aggressive behaviors in fruit flies. She enjoys all experiences that make her feel as though she is not on the planet Earth. In her free time she can be found playing tennis, doting on her cat to which she has allergies and taking pictures of insects she finds [hashtag insectagrams]. Also, Margot produces a podcast called Salk Talk for which she weaves together character vignettes of up and coming scientists. Stephanie Loeb is a PhD candidate in Environmental Engineering at Yale University. She came to Yale with the support of a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Fellowship to study surface plasmon resonance and the photothermal properties of nanomaterials for solar water treatment. Prior to moving to the US, Stephanie completed an undergraduate degree in Physics and Nanoscience jointly with the University of Toronto and the National University of Singapore, as well as a Master's of Applied Science in Environmental Engineering at the University of Toronto. She is an avid story listener, and first-time story teller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Issac Julien and Dr. Diamond and Face2Face host David Peck talk about nurturing different artistic experiences, invisibility of issues and race and complex new media projects and porous institutions.   Issac’s latest RoM installation.   Global Experience Project   OCAD University (OCAD U) is launching a trailblazing international initiative, bent on elevating Canada’s prominence in the global communities of art and culture. The Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation Global Experience Project (GEP) will bring four leading international artists to Toronto for a significant residency at OCAD U over the next five years. The GEP will connect selected students with the visiting artists and notable scholars, on campus and abroad.   “We are thrilled beyond words to realize the launch of the Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation Global Experience Project,” said Dr. Sara Diamond, President and Vice-Chancellor, OCAD University. “The opportunity to interact closely with ground-breaking international artists will shape the learning experience for OCAD U students in a way that no classroom ever could, and heighten international awareness of Toronto as a vibrant contemporary art community.” For GEP’s inaugural year, OCAD U is hosting the renowned Isaac Julien as its artist-in-residence. A London-based filmmaker and video installation artist, Julien is working with five students who have access to the behind-the-scenes installation of his current show at the Royal Ontario Museum (Isaac Julien: Other Destinies, now on until April 23, 2017) and will participate in events involving the artist and his work, including the upcoming Images Festival, which will screen Who Killed Colin Roach? andTerritories.   As part of his residency, which extends until the end of March, Julien will engage with students and the arts community through lectures, screenings and discussions. In May, GEP students will travel to London, England to spend time with Julien in his studio and learn about his process. The students will continue to develop their own projects with Julien’s feedback and critical perspective on their work, while immersed in London’s arts community.   Biography Isaac Julien is a Turner prize nominated artist, photographer and filmmaker. He was born in London in 1960, where he currently lives and works. Earlier films and photographic works include “Young Soul Rebels” (1991), which was awarded the Semaine de la Critique Prize at the Cannes Film Festival; the acclaimed poetic film-essay and photographic series “Looking for Langston” (1989); and “Frantz Fanon: Black Skin, White Mask” (1996). Julien has pioneered a form of multi-screen installations, including light-boxes and photographic works with “Western Union: Small Boats” (2007), “Ten Thousand Waves” (2010) and “Playtime: Kapital” (2014). Julien participated in the 56th Biennale di Venezia and worked closely with its curator Okwui Enwezor (2015). He has exhibited his work in major museums and institutions across the world including “Ten Thousand Waves” at Museum of Modern Art, New York (2013-2014), which is currently exhibited at Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris (2016). In 2015, Julien had a retrospective at the Depont Museum (Tilburg, the Netherlands). In 2016, he showed “Playtime” and “Kapital” at El Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo in Mexico City and recently had a solo photographic exhibition titled "Vintage" (Jessica Silverman Gallery, San Francisco) displaying his photographic oeuvre from the 1980's and his seminal "Looking for Langston" series, which is also included in “Made You Look”, at The Photographers' Gallery. Julien’s work is included in the collections of institutions around the globe. In 2013 MoMA published RIOT, a monographic survey of his career to date, featuring his films, photographic and installation works over the period. Julien is currently producing a new work that is a poetic meditation on aspects of the life and architecture of Lina Bo Bardi. The first chapter of this work, “Stones Against Diamonds”, was shown during 2015's La Biennale di Venezia, Art Basel and Art Basel Miami Beach. Amongst forthcoming exhibitions, “Western Union: Small Boats” will be part of “Protest” exhibition at Victoria Miro Gallery (fall 2016). After teaching at Harvard University (1998-2002), Julien was Professor of Media Art at the Staatliche Hochschule für Gestaltung in Karlsruhe (2009-2015) and Chair of Global Art at University of Arts London (2014-2016). ---------- Dr. Sara Diamond is the President of OCAD University, Canada's university of the imagination. She holds a PhD in Computing, Information Technology and Engineering from the University of East London, a Master’s in Digital Media theory from the University of the Arts London and an Honour’s Bachelor of Arts in History and Communications from Simon Fraser University. She is an appointee of the Order of Ontario and the Royal Canadian Society of Artists, and a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Digital Pioneer Award from the GRAND Networks of Centres of Excellence. She is also a Senior Fellow at Massey College, University of Toronto. In 2014, Toronto Life described her as one of “Toronto’s 50 Most Influential People.”   While retaining OCAD University's traditional strengths in art and design, Diamond has guided the university in becoming a leader in digital media, design research and curriculum through the Digital Futures Initiative, new research in inclusive design, health and design, and sustainable technologies and design. She also played a leading role in OCAD University's establishment of the unique Indigenous Visual Culture program. These initiatives have built strong partnerships for OCAD University with science, business and communities in Ontario and abroad. Currently, Diamond serves on the boards of Baycrest, ORION (Ontario's high-speed network), Women in Communications and Technology; and i-Canada; and is Chair of the Scotiabank Nuit Blanche Toronto Advisory Committee. She has served the larger university community through: her membership on the Standing Advisory Committee on University Research (SACUR); as a current member of the Standing Advisory Committee on International Relations (SACIR) of Universities Canada; as Chair of the Standing Committee on Relationships with other Postsecondary Institutions for the Council of Ontario Universities (COU); and as a member of the Council of Ontario Universities executive. She was also a member of the 2011-2012 Council of the Canadian Academies' expert panel on the State of Science & Technology in Canada.   Diamond founded the Banff New media Institute in 1995-2005. Diamond is a data visualization, wearable technology and mobile media researcher, artist, designer and scientist. She is founding Chair of the Mobile Experience Innovation Centre (2007-2014) and was co-Chair of Mobile HCI (ACM) in 2014. She is co-principal investigator in the Centre for Innovation in Information Visualization and Data-Driven Design, an OCAD U/York University initiative, and theme leader on the ORF-E funded iCity project as well as a member of the BRAIN alliance. She holds funding from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council and the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council.   Diamond continues to write and lecture on the subjects of digital media history and practice, visual analytics, mobility and design strategy for peer-reviewed journals, and acts as a reviewer and evaluator for IEEE and ACM conferences and journals; SSHRC, CFI and the Canada Research Chair programs. Her artwork is held by prestigious collections such as the Museum of Modern Art, NYC and the National Gallery of Canada. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Coming up on Biotechnology Focus Radio: The launch of a new Canadian Regenerative Medicine Alliance, Canada’s House of Commons passes the Genetic Discrimination Act Bill S-201, and a One-Two Punch that May Floor the Worst Infections by stopping antibiotic drug resistance. Welcome to another episode of Biotechnology Focus Radio. I’m your host Shawn Lawrence, here to give you a rundown of this week’s top stories on the Canadian biotech scene. Our first story this week takes us to Toronto, where Antibe Therapeutics Inc. reports it has signed an exclusive licensing and distribution agreement with a pharmaceutical company, Laboratories Acbel SA (Acbel), for its lead product ATB-346. ATB-346 is an anti-inflammatory drug, designed to spare the gastrointestinal tract of the ulcers and bleeding normally associated with NSAIDs. The agreement covers distribution in Greece, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Albania, Algeria and Jordan. Antibe will receive an upfront, non-dilutive payment of $1.1 million, and is entitled to receive a 5 per cent royalty on net sales of ATB-346 in these countries. The agreement has a 30-year term with contemplated renewals thereafter. Acbel, through its affiliates and partners, is the largest seller of naproxen in this region, which represents approximately one per cent of the global market for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The global market for NSAIDs is in excess of US$12 billion (Evaluate Pharma). In a recent Phase 2 clinical trial, ATB-346 was found to be highly effective in reducing the pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. Antibe says it will now initiate two larger Phase 2 double-blind trials: a placebo-controlled dose-ranging study to determine the go-to-market dose, and an active comparator trial to demonstrate superior GI safety. Antibe also has two other therapeutic candidates in development: ATB-352 and ATB-340. ATB-352 is a non-addictive analgesic for treating severe acute pain and ATB-340 is a GI-safe derivative of aspirin. Antibe intends to leverage data across its programs to secure licensing agreements whenever possible. In regulatory news Canada’s House of Commons has passed Bill S-201 (An Act to Prohibit and Prevent Genetic Discrimination in Canada), as it was presented, by the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights on Wednesday March 8, 2017. According to Bev Heim-Myers, chair of the Coalition for Genetic Fairness and CEO of the Huntington Society of Canada (HSC), while the Bill will still have to go to the Senate, all indications point to it being fully supported. Heim-Myers adds that Canada has finally caught up to other western jurisdictions in regards to protection of genetic information and Canadian legislation has caught up to science. Since the Genome Project was launched in the early 1990s, Canada had been the only G7 country that had not taken steps to prevent genetic discrimination. With this decision, this changes. Qu Biologics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing Site Specific Immunomodulators (SSIs) that aim to “reboot” the body’s innate immune system, has reported positive genetic analyses of their recently completed Phase 2 clinical studies in Crohn’s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC). These findings suggest that, for the first time in the field of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), personalized medicine and the application of genetic testing may identify patients highly likely to respond and go into remission with treatment. The analyses identified common IBD-related genotypes with a high likelihood of response to SSI, suggesting that genetic testing may identify a large subset of CD patients (representing approximately 60% of the CD population) with a greater than 80% likelihood of responding to QBECO treatment, the large majority of which achieved remission on SSI treatment. Dr. Hal Gunn, CEO of Qu Biologics, stated, “We are very excited about the possibility of identifying CD and UC patients highly likely to respond to SSI treatment, which would substantially de-risk future trials and be an important advance for patients who currently face the uncertainty of knowing whether current immunosuppressive IBD treatments, which can be associated with significant side effects, will work for them or not.” Dr. Shirin Kalyan, Qu’s Director of Scientific Innovation, added, “Unlike current IBD treatments that suppress immune function, we believe that SSIs, which restore innate immune function, treat the underlying cause of IBD. Consequently, unlike other treatments, we were able to identify IBD-related genotypes highly responsive to SSI therapy. It is exciting that the genotypes correlated with SSI response are highly relevant to SSIs’ mechanism of action.” Based on the promising results of Qu Biologics’ recently completed Phase 2 study in CD, a follow-on Phase 2 study in moderate to severe CD is planned to confirm these findings. Study initiation is anticipated in late 2017. If the genetic analysis results are confirmed in follow-on studies, Qu Biologics’ QBECO SSI has the potential to become first-line therapy for a majority of IBD patients. In funding news, the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) is providing TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario with up to $1.32 million to deliver on a new incubation program, called BURST, which will provide 30 innovative technology entrepreneurs in southwestern Ontario with mentoring and business guidance, seed funding, exposure to potential investors and access to a dedicated working space in Western University's Discovery Park. As entrepreneurs establish and grow their businesses with help from this program, it is expected that up to 45 new full-time jobs will be created. Building on London's history of innovation in health sciences, a unique partnership with the London Medical Network will also be established to help eligible medical technology companies receive funding. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario. In Hamilton, ON, McMaster University researchers say they have found a new way to treat the world’s worst infectious diseases, the superbugs that are resistant to all known antibiotics. The McMaster team published their findings in the journal Nature Microbiology last week. Eric Brown, senior author of the paper, a professor of biochemistry and biomedical science at McMaster’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine and a scientist of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for infectious Disease Research says his team looked for compounds that would mess with these antibiotic resistant bacteria, focusing on Gram-negative bacteria which are resistant to all antibiotics including last resort drugs, such as colistin, and lead to pneumonia, wound or surgical site and bloodstream infections, as well as meningitis in healthcare settings. Brown explains that Gram-negative bacteria have an intrinsically impenetrable outer shell that is a barrier to many otherwise effective antibiotics, and this makes these infections deadly, particularly in hospital settings. His team tested a collection of 1,440 off-patent drugs in search of one that might compromise that barrier in the superbugs. “These pathogens are really hard nuts to crack, but we found a molecule that shreds that shell and allows antibiotics to enter and be effective,” Brown said. The scientists discovered the antiprotozoal drug pentamidine disrupts the cell surface of Gram-negative bacteria, even the most resistant. The anti-fungal medication was particularly potent when used with antibiotics against multidrug resistant bacteria. Moreover, Pentamidine, when used with other antibiotics, was found to be particularly effective against two of the three pathogens which the WHO has identified as having the most critical priority for development of new antibiotics. Those were Acinetobacter baumannii and the enterobacteriaceae. The combo therapy also had some impact on the third most critical bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa according to Brown. Brown continued saying These discoveries were found to be effective in the lab and in mice, but more work is needed to offset potential side effects and ensure human safety. Brown adds that his lab is continuing to test more compounds as well. “One of the things we want to pursue further is why this is working so well,” he said. The study was supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council and Cystic Fibrosis Canada, among others. http://bit.ly/2m3hZq2   In our final story , a group of Canadian Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine Leaders have announced that they are Joining Forces to Advance Canada’s Position in the Field, with the launch late last week of a new national group called the Regenerative Medicine Alliance of Canada. The founding members include: CCRM; The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD); CellCan; Medicine by Design; Ontario Institute for Regenerative Medicine; ThéCell; Canadian Stem Cell Foundation, and Stem Cell Network. The goal of this new Regenerative Medicine Alliance of Canada or (RMAC) will be to advance Canada’s stem cell science and regenerative medicine sector by aligning national activity in the field. Its members say they plan to work collaboratively to share information and identify strategies that will benefit the growth of Canada’s regenerative medice expertise. The initial concept for this alliance was conceived by members of the regenerative medicine community during a workshop on the state of regenerative medicine in Canada. The workshop was held by the Council of Canadian Academies in 2016. Their newly released report notes the importance of strategic coordination amongst the stem cell and regenerative medicine community. Bolstering and aligning programs, training, policy and communication will also be central themes addressed by RMAC. According to the Alliance, With the global market for regenerative medicine iexpected to exceed US$49 billion by 2021, the need to keep Canada well positioned to compete by moving its innovative treatments and therapies out of the lab and into the clinic has never been greater. Countries around the world, including the U.S., Japan and the U.K., have already taken bold steps through investment and regulatory modernization to capture a significant piece of the market. RMAC will serve as a mechanism to support strategic activity across the regenerative medicine sector in Canada. The RMAC will act voluntary organization comprised of national, provincial and regional organizations. All members have mandates relevant to stem cell research and/or regenerative medicine. Well that wraps up another episode of the Biotechnology Focus Podcast. We hope you enjoyed it. Be sure to let us know what you think, and we’re also always looking for story ideas and suggestions for future shows, and of course we’d love to hear from you as well, simply reach out to us via twitter @biotechfocus, or by email at the following email address press@promotivemedia.ca. And

Dr. Brendan Frey is the President and CEO of Deep Genomics. He is also Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Banting and Best Department of Medical Research, and the Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto. In addition, Brendan is the Canada Research Chair in Information Processing and Machine Learning. Brendan received his PhD from the University of Toronto, both in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Afterwards, Brendan was was awarded a Beckman Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. He served on the faculty at the University of Waterloo before joining the faculty at the University of Toronto where he is today. Brendan has received many awards and honors during his career, including being named a Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and a recipient of the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada John C. Polanyi Award. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, American Association for the Advancement of Science, as well as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Brendan is here with us today to tell us all about his journey through life and science.

Dr Tim Lee discusses block vs. interweve practice, the 10 000 hour theory, and much more on the research behind developing the ideal practice plan. Tim Lee is a retired Professor of Kinesiology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario and is an Honorary Director with the PGA of Canada. He has published more than 80 papers on the topics of motor control and motor skill acquisition in peer-reviewed journals. He is the author of Motor Control in Everyday Actions, and is the co-author with Richard Schmidt of Motor Control and Learning: A Behavioral Emphasis, which is now in its 5th edition. Tim has served as an editor for the Journal of Motor Behavior and the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, and as an editorial board member for the Psychological Review and the Journal of Motor Learning and Development. His research has been supported by numerous grants, including continuous funding (since 1984) by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Tim is a past president and Fellow of the Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology, and an International Fellow in the National Academy of Kinesiology.

In this podcast, Dr Tim Lee discusses the principles of focus of attention in golfers and how to structure your golf lesson to have the highest level of attention possible. Tim Lee is a retired Professor of Kinesiology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario and is an Honorary Director with the PGA of Canada. He has published more than 80 papers on the topics of motor control and motor skill acquisition in peer-reviewed journals. He is the author of Motor Control in Everyday Actions, and is the co-author with Richard Schmidt of Motor Control and Learning: A Behavioral Emphasis, which is now in its 5th edition. Tim has served as an editor for the Journal of Motor Behavior and the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, and as an editorial board member for the Psychological Review and the Journal of Motor Learning and Development. His research has been supported by numerous grants, including continuous funding (since 1984) by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Tim is a past president and Fellow of the Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology, and an International Fellow in the National Academy of Kinesiology.

Dr. Amro Zayed is an Associate Professor in Biology at York University. He received his PhD in Biology from York University and then held a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada's Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Illinois' Department of Entomology. Afterwards, Amro served as a Fellow for the Institute for Genomic Biology at the University of Illinois before accepting a faculty position at York University. Amro has received the Governor General's prestigious Gold Medal for his research on bee conservation genetics as well as the Ontario Government of Research and Innovation's Early Researcher Award in 2010. Amro is here with us today to tell us about his journey through life and science.