Podcasts about Kirsty Duncan

Kirsty Duncan is a children's picture book author that lives in Cheshire, UK.  Her latest picture book, "When We're Ready" celebrates longer-term breastfeeding and co-sleeping and has been endorsed by Emma Pickett and Lucy Webber, both of which are highly respected IBCLC Lactation Consultants in their field. To purchase When We're Ready, head over to ⁠www.kirstyduncanwrites.com⁠ and enter promo code WEANINGIT at checkout for 10% off your total purchase! The book follows Kirsty and her daughters breastfeeding journey, with relatable milestones throughout and is the first I have encountered to truly be a celebration of the toddler nursing journey without a push to wean, or weaning being the end result. In episode 12 of Weaning It: A podcast for toddler nursing moms, Erin sits down with Kirsty to learn more about her breastfeeding journey and how it led to the creation of her new book. Kirsty shares her journey of becoming a mom and her unexpected extended nursing experience. She discusses her fertility journey, including IVF, and how it influenced her decision to breastfeed. Kirsty also talks about the positive birth experience she had and the healing aspect of breastfeeding. She emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries and listening to your gut when it comes to breastfeeding and co-sleeping. Kirsty highlights the need for support and understanding from friends and the importance of considering the well-being of both mom and baby in the breastfeeding journey. The conversation explores the anxieties and emotions that come with the weaning process, as well as the challenges of parenting and navigating toddlerhood. It highlights the importance of validating children's feelings and allowing them to express their emotions. The book 'When We're Ready' is discussed as a tool to introduce the topic of weaning and celebrate the joys of breastfeeding. The conversation also touches on the privilege of being a toddler nursing mom and the special bond that develops through breastfeeding. Take the Extended Breastfeeding Quiz HERE Show Notes: HERE Website: www.kirstyduncanwrites.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirstyduncanwrites Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kirstyduncanwrites Emma Pickett (IBCLC Lactation Consultant) Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/emmapickettibclc/ Illustrator of the book instagram (Sungsu Heaven):  https://www.instagram.com/sungsuillustration/ Link to the Illustrators Fertility Instagram page:  https://www.instagram.com/fertilit_arty/

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Amateur athletes in Canada are calling for a national inquiry into abuse in sports. Matt Galloway speaks with former national soccer player Ciara McCormack and former fencer Emily Mason about their experiences. We also hear from former federal minister of sport, Kirsty Duncan, about what she wants to see happen.

In this episode, guests Tom Raine and Kirsty Duncan talk about the joy of listening, extreme expeditions, the Portuguese concept of longing and more.Tom is a fourth-year Spanish and Portuguese student and Head of Music at FreshAir student radio. Putting his language skills to good use, he presented El Norte Inglés, a radio show focused on the best Indie bands, while on exchange in Salamanca, Spain, last year. At the start of 2020, Covid-19 cut short his time studying in São Paulo, Brazil, but during self-isolation, he launched Saudade, a radio show exploring all aspects of Brazilian music, spanning years, genres and cultural scenes. Kirsty is Member of Parliament for Etobicoke-North and Deputy House Leader of the Government of Canada. She previously served as Minister of Science and Sport and is committed to strengthening science and evidence-based decision making and fostering a culture of curiosity in Canada. Before entering politics in 2008, Kirsty worked at three universities in Canada over 16 years. A medical geographer, she spent a decade leading an expedition to remote Svalbard, Norway, to search for the cause of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, which killed upwards of 50 million people worldwide. Each episode of Sharing things is a conversation between two members of our university community. It could be a student, a member of staff or a graduate, the only thing they have in common at the beginning is Edinburgh. We start with an object. A special, treasured or significant item that we have asked each guest to bring to the conversation. What happens next is sometimes funny, sometimes moving and always unexpected. Find out more at www.ed.ac.uk/sharing-things-podcast

In London 1918, Spanish Flu seemed a minor threat, especially compared to the pressing matter of the First World War. Living in the leafy suburb of Richmond, Virginia Woolf mocked The Times for an article comparing the flu with the Black Death. But the analogy was accurate, and later that year Woolf herself would be bedbound as a result of the disease. Written and presented by Lucinda Smyth; composed and edited by Tom Chapman; logo by Alice Konstam. (Refs: Laura Spinney, Pale Rider; Elizabeth Outka, Viral Modernism; Hunting the 1918 Flu, Kirsty Duncan; Robert Hume, Far Too Little Too Late, History Extra (2020); Joanna Bourke, ‘Another Battle Front’, Guardian (2008); Louis Menand, Practical Cat, New Yorker; (2011))

Thousands of women may lose out on their chance to have a baby because of COVID-19. Fertility clinics across Britain shut their doors in mid-April, pausing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment for many women midcycle. The decision has left thousands in limbo. No one knows when the clinics will open up again and for those who have spent years trying to conceive — the closure is a cruel blow.As lockdowns began, jokes were made about the baby boom in nine months' time. But it’s hard for some to see the funny side if they've been trying for a baby for years. Anita Brien in Hull, in northeast England, has tried to conceive for five years; Sian Brindlow in southern England has tried to conceive for 12 years. For these women, the quips can wear them down. Brien who’s 34, blocked some social media accounts because it was too upsetting to read the jokes. Comments by parents on Facebook about the trials of home-schooling have left her feeling empty, too. Related: Mourning in the midst of a pandemic“I'd love to be getting annoyed with my children right now. I'd love to be not understanding the work that the school has sent home, but I can't because I don't have those children,“ she said.    Brien was only three days into her first IVF treatment when she received a text last month telling her to stop taking her medication. Her fertility clinic was closing down because of the coronavirus. Even though she was in the early stage of the cycle, Brien was heartbroken. After so many negative pregnancy tests, the IVF treatment had been the first positive step in her hope of having a baby.  “This was really positive, something really practical was going to happen. So, I was completely devastated,” she said.But Brien, an events fundraiser, is practical, too. Her partner Matt is a paramedic and he’s seen the close-up impact of the virus.As women across Britain began to receive the news that their treatments were being canceled, the Fertility Network, a national charity for people dealing with fertility issues, was inundated with calls. The organization's chief executive, Gwenda Burns, said women were distressed not just because their IVF was stopped, but because nobody could offer any guidance on what the next stage would be. But she thinks the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the British regulatory body, made the right call to order the clinics’ closure.“I think for the safety of patients, the safety of embryos and of NHS [National Health Service] staff, there was no other actual way this could be done,” Burns said.“We don't know how many months we’re going to have to wait now and, you know, we hear all these miracle stories of people conceiving well into their 40s. But that's what they are. They are miracles. They don't happen to everybody."Sian Brindlow,  teacher, West Sussex, EnglandIn Britain, women are entitled to a number of free fertility treatments under the NHS but it varies depending on age and where they live. Sian Brindlow, a teacher in West Sussex, was on her third IVF cycle when she got the call saying her treatment needed to be postponed.Like Brien, Brindlow understands the need to pause treatment, but worries about the time passing.  “We don't know how many months we’re going to have to wait now and, you know, we hear all these miracle stories of people conceiving well into their 40s. But that's what they are. They are miracles. They don't happen to everybody,” she said. Related: Many people aren’t putting love on hold during COVID-19 Sian Brindlow and her husband Nick have struggled with fertility.  Credit: Courtesy of Sian Brindlow  Brindlow says trying to have a baby has dominated her life and that of her husband Nick for over a decade. She says they naively thought it would just happen. Undergoing IVF treatment, she said, also gradually takes over your life.“You know, your evenings are injections, your hormones are not your own. You can't plan any weekend breaks, you can’t plan any holidays." Kirsty Duncan, 32, who lives in Cheshire, understands how all-consuming the experience can be. She says she is at the stage where many of her friends are getting pregnant, and she can’t help wondering when her time will come.“It's an incredibly lonely place to be as a couple because, you know, you've got friends that are announcing pregnancies left, right and center. And you think why is it so easy for them? And it's not for us?”Duncan, an early career manager and her husband, Adam, are open about their difficulties trying to conceive. Duncan posts updates on her Instagram account of their journey so far and says the community is hugely supportive. But she says some couples are very reluctant to discuss their fertility issues and wonders if it might come down to being British.“I think there's this kind of British uneasiness about talking about something to do with sex, especially if your sex organs don't work. It’s like well, if they're talking about IVF, that means they must have had sex at some point in their life. And that's just that's too distasteful for us to talk about."Kristy Duncan, early career manager, Cheshire, England “I think there's this kind of British uneasiness about talking about something to do with sex, especially if your sex organs don't work. It’s like, well, if they're talking about IVF, that means they must have had sex at some point in their life. And that's just that's too distasteful for us to talk about,” she laughed.     It might also have to do with the advice people seem determined to dish out. Duncan says she’s heard countless suggestions about how she just needs to calm down and everything will work out fine.“There's so many people that I know will just say, 'You just need to go on holiday. Get a dog, get drunk.' I would say the worst thing is when people say just relax.”Related: Countries herald lifting of coronavirus lockdowns, but UK says not yet Anita Brien and her partner Matt's fertility plans got interrupted by COVID-19.  Credit: Courtesy of Anita Brien  Trying to remain calm while dealing with fertility issues during a pandemic is a challenge. But it’s not the biggest issue on Brien’s mind right now. She has another slightly unexpected concern. Chocolate.“My biggest worry is how much chocolate I'm going to eat over the next few months,” she said. It might sound frivolous, but there is a good reason for this. The NHS in Britain only funds your IVF treatment if your body mass index is under a certain number, and Brien, like most people right now, is trying not to comfort eat her way through the lockdown.For many women, the pandemic is a reminder of just how little control they have over their lives. Brindlow says she is now leaving it up to fate to decide whether she’ll be a mother someday. If it's not meant to be, that’s OK, too, she said.“We've had a lot of time just us two. You know, I only want kids with him, I don't want them with anyone else. And I know it sounds twee, but, you know, I'm really lucky I do have the love of my life. ... Not everyone has that.”

Thousands of women may lose out on their chance to have a baby because of COVID-19. Fertility clinics across Britain shut their doors in mid-April, pausing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment for many women midcycle. The decision has left thousands in limbo. No one knows when the clinics will open up again and for those who have spent years trying to conceive — the closure is a cruel blow.As lockdowns began, jokes were made about the baby boom in nine months' time. But it’s hard for some to see the funny side if they've been trying for a baby for years. Anita Brien in Hull, in northeast England, has tried to conceive for five years; Sian Brindlow in southern England has tried to conceive for 12 years. For these women, the quips can wear them down. Brien who’s 34, blocked some social media accounts because it was too upsetting to read the jokes. Comments by parents on Facebook about the trials of home-schooling have left her feeling empty, too. Related: Mourning in the midst of a pandemic“I'd love to be getting annoyed with my children right now. I'd love to be not understanding the work that the school has sent home, but I can't because I don't have those children,“ she said.    Brien was only three days into her first IVF treatment when she received a text last month telling her to stop taking her medication. Her fertility clinic was closing down because of the coronavirus. Even though she was in the early stage of the cycle, Brien was heartbroken. After so many negative pregnancy tests, the IVF treatment had been the first positive step in her hope of having a baby.  “This was really positive, something really practical was going to happen. So, I was completely devastated,” she said.But Brien, an events fundraiser, is practical, too. Her partner Matt is a paramedic and he’s seen the close-up impact of the virus.As women across Britain began to receive the news that their treatments were being canceled, the Fertility Network, a national charity for people dealing with fertility issues, was inundated with calls. The organization's chief executive, Gwenda Burns, said women were distressed not just because their IVF was stopped, but because nobody could offer any guidance on what the next stage would be. But she thinks the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the British regulatory body, made the right call to order the clinics’ closure.“I think for the safety of patients, the safety of embryos and of NHS [National Health Service] staff, there was no other actual way this could be done,” Burns said.“We don't know how many months we’re going to have to wait now and, you know, we hear all these miracle stories of people conceiving well into their 40s. But that's what they are. They are miracles. They don't happen to everybody."Sian Brindlow,  teacher, West Sussex, EnglandIn Britain, women are entitled to a number of free fertility treatments under the NHS but it varies depending on age and where they live. Sian Brindlow, a teacher in West Sussex, was on her third IVF cycle when she got the call saying her treatment needed to be postponed.Like Brien, Brindlow understands the need to pause treatment, but worries about the time passing.  “We don't know how many months we’re going to have to wait now and, you know, we hear all these miracle stories of people conceiving well into their 40s. But that's what they are. They are miracles. They don't happen to everybody,” she said. Related: Many people aren’t putting love on hold during COVID-19 Sian Brindlow and her husband Nick have struggled with fertility.  Credit: Courtesy of Sian Brindlow  Brindlow says trying to have a baby has dominated her life and that of her husband Nick for over a decade. She says they naively thought it would just happen. Undergoing IVF treatment, she said, also gradually takes over your life.“You know, your evenings are injections, your hormones are not your own. You can't plan any weekend breaks, you can’t plan any holidays." Kirsty Duncan, 32, who lives in Cheshire, understands how all-consuming the experience can be. She says she is at the stage where many of her friends are getting pregnant, and she can’t help wondering when her time will come.“It's an incredibly lonely place to be as a couple because, you know, you've got friends that are announcing pregnancies left, right and center. And you think why is it so easy for them? And it's not for us?”Duncan, an early career manager and her husband, Adam, are open about their difficulties trying to conceive. Duncan posts updates on her Instagram account of their journey so far and says the community is hugely supportive. But she says some couples are very reluctant to discuss their fertility issues and wonders if it might come down to being British.“I think there's this kind of British uneasiness about talking about something to do with sex, especially if your sex organs don't work. It’s like well, if they're talking about IVF, that means they must have had sex at some point in their life. And that's just that's too distasteful for us to talk about."Kristy Duncan, early career manager, Cheshire, England “I think there's this kind of British uneasiness about talking about something to do with sex, especially if your sex organs don't work. It’s like, well, if they're talking about IVF, that means they must have had sex at some point in their life. And that's just that's too distasteful for us to talk about,” she laughed.     It might also have to do with the advice people seem determined to dish out. Duncan says she’s heard countless suggestions about how she just needs to calm down and everything will work out fine.“There's so many people that I know will just say, 'You just need to go on holiday. Get a dog, get drunk.' I would say the worst thing is when people say just relax.”Related: Countries herald lifting of coronavirus lockdowns, but UK says not yet Anita Brien and her partner Matt's fertility plans got interrupted by COVID-19.  Credit: Courtesy of Anita Brien  Trying to remain calm while dealing with fertility issues during a pandemic is a challenge. But it’s not the biggest issue on Brien’s mind right now. She has another slightly unexpected concern. Chocolate.“My biggest worry is how much chocolate I'm going to eat over the next few months,” she said. It might sound frivolous, but there is a good reason for this. The NHS in Britain only funds your IVF treatment if your body mass index is under a certain number, and Brien, like most people right now, is trying not to comfort eat her way through the lockdown.For many women, the pandemic is a reminder of just how little control they have over their lives. Brindlow says she is now leaving it up to fate to decide whether she’ll be a mother someday. If it's not meant to be, that’s OK, too, she said.“We've had a lot of time just us two. You know, I only want kids with him, I don't want them with anyone else. And I know it sounds twee, but, you know, I'm really lucky I do have the love of my life. ... Not everyone has that.”

Thousands of women may lose out on their chance to have a baby because of COVID-19. Fertility clinics across Britain shut their doors in mid-April, pausing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment for many women midcycle. The decision has left thousands in limbo. No one knows when the clinics will open up again and for those who have spent years trying to conceive — the closure is a cruel blow.As lockdowns began, jokes were made about the baby boom in nine months' time. But it's hard for some to see the funny side if they've been trying for a baby for years. Anita Brien in Hull, in northeast England, has tried to conceive for five years; Sian Brindlow in southern England has tried to conceive for 12 years. For these women, the quips can wear them down. Brien who's 34, blocked some social media accounts because it was too upsetting to read the jokes. Comments by parents on Facebook about the trials of home-schooling have left her feeling empty, too. Related: Mourning in the midst of a pandemic“I'd love to be getting annoyed with my children right now. I'd love to be not understanding the work that the school has sent home, but I can't because I don't have those children,“ she said.    Brien was only three days into her first IVF treatment when she received a text last month telling her to stop taking her medication. Her fertility clinic was closing down because of the coronavirus. Even though she was in the early stage of the cycle, Brien was heartbroken. After so many negative pregnancy tests, the IVF treatment had been the first positive step in her hope of having a baby.  “This was really positive, something really practical was going to happen. So, I was completely devastated,” she said.But Brien, an events fundraiser, is practical, too. Her partner Matt is a paramedic and he's seen the close-up impact of the virus.As women across Britain began to receive the news that their treatments were being canceled, the Fertility Network, a national charity for people dealing with fertility issues, was inundated with calls. The organization's chief executive, Gwenda Burns, said women were distressed not just because their IVF was stopped, but because nobody could offer any guidance on what the next stage would be. But she thinks the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the British regulatory body, made the right call to order the clinics' closure.“I think for the safety of patients, the safety of embryos and of NHS [National Health Service] staff, there was no other actual way this could be done,” Burns said.“We don't know how many months we're going to have to wait now and, you know, we hear all these miracle stories of people conceiving well into their 40s. But that's what they are. They are miracles. They don't happen to everybody."Sian Brindlow,  teacher, West Sussex, EnglandIn Britain, women are entitled to a number of free fertility treatments under the NHS but it varies depending on age and where they live. Sian Brindlow, a teacher in West Sussex, was on her third IVF cycle when she got the call saying her treatment needed to be postponed.Like Brien, Brindlow understands the need to pause treatment, but worries about the time passing.  “We don't know how many months we're going to have to wait now and, you know, we hear all these miracle stories of people conceiving well into their 40s. But that's what they are. They are miracles. They don't happen to everybody,” she said. Related: Many people aren't putting love on hold during COVID-19 Sian Brindlow and her husband Nick have struggled with fertility.  Credit: Courtesy of Sian Brindlow  Brindlow says trying to have a baby has dominated her life and that of her husband Nick for over a decade. She says they naively thought it would just happen. Undergoing IVF treatment, she said, also gradually takes over your life.“You know, your evenings are injections, your hormones are not your own. You can't plan any weekend breaks, you can't plan any holidays." Kirsty Duncan, 32, who lives in Cheshire, understands how all-consuming the experience can be. She says she is at the stage where many of her friends are getting pregnant, and she can't help wondering when her time will come.“It's an incredibly lonely place to be as a couple because, you know, you've got friends that are announcing pregnancies left, right and center. And you think why is it so easy for them? And it's not for us?”Duncan, an early career manager and her husband, Adam, are open about their difficulties trying to conceive. Duncan posts updates on her Instagram account of their journey so far and says the community is hugely supportive. But she says some couples are very reluctant to discuss their fertility issues and wonders if it might come down to being British.“I think there's this kind of British uneasiness about talking about something to do with sex, especially if your sex organs don't work. It's like well, if they're talking about IVF, that means they must have had sex at some point in their life. And that's just that's too distasteful for us to talk about."Kristy Duncan, early career manager, Cheshire, England “I think there's this kind of British uneasiness about talking about something to do with sex, especially if your sex organs don't work. It's like, well, if they're talking about IVF, that means they must have had sex at some point in their life. And that's just that's too distasteful for us to talk about,” she laughed.     It might also have to do with the advice people seem determined to dish out. Duncan says she's heard countless suggestions about how she just needs to calm down and everything will work out fine.“There's so many people that I know will just say, 'You just need to go on holiday. Get a dog, get drunk.' I would say the worst thing is when people say just relax.”Related: Countries herald lifting of coronavirus lockdowns, but UK says not yet Anita Brien and her partner Matt's fertility plans got interrupted by COVID-19.  Credit: Courtesy of Anita Brien  Trying to remain calm while dealing with fertility issues during a pandemic is a challenge. But it's not the biggest issue on Brien's mind right now. She has another slightly unexpected concern. Chocolate.“My biggest worry is how much chocolate I'm going to eat over the next few months,” she said. It might sound frivolous, but there is a good reason for this. The NHS in Britain only funds your IVF treatment if your body mass index is under a certain number, and Brien, like most people right now, is trying not to comfort eat her way through the lockdown.For many women, the pandemic is a reminder of just how little control they have over their lives. Brindlow says she is now leaving it up to fate to decide whether she'll be a mother someday. If it's not meant to be, that's OK, too, she said.“We've had a lot of time just us two. You know, I only want kids with him, I don't want them with anyone else. And I know it sounds twee, but, you know, I'm really lucky I do have the love of my life. ... Not everyone has that.”

We know that Qatar Charity is funding the Muslim Brotherhood in Canada. We know that Canadian politicians are supporting these projects by giving them glowing letters of recommendation. The question has to be asked when will Canadian politicians quit doing this? When will Canadian politicians decide that now is a good time to cut off the flow of foreign money that is supporting Islamist extremism in Canada? https://drive.google.com/file/d/13Yp1rMI02PlchyiAPj4ukZMVp58Sgu_W/view Help Support Operation: Kill Switch www.OperationKillSwitch.com Stop Funding Terrorism Petition http://www.StopFundingTerrorism.online https://pointdebasculecanada.ca/while-two-organizations-associated-with-hussein-hamdani-contributing-irfan-minister-he-advising-being-sued-by-irfan-having-said-it-was-funding-hamas/ Apple Podcasts http://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/quiggin-report/id1361779100?mt=2 SoundCloud http://www.soundcloud.com/quigginreport Stitcher Radio www.stitcher.com/podcast/quigginreport Google Play https://play.google.com/music/m/Ijozso2tqcinynbnixt5zm6nwga?t=Quiggin_Report Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2qNLS66w5JutxTAyknjQcV?si=qvbEe1GBSKanLne8_8ettQ Bitchute https://www.bitchute.com/quigginreport/ Connect With us. Twitter: @QuigginReport Gab.ai: @QuigginReport Facebook: www.facebook.com/quigginreport Help Us Fight Back www.gofundme.com/operationkillswitch Theme music: Decisions Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Madison Keys and Daniil Medvedev captured big singles titles at the Western and Southern Open, qualifying is underway at the U.S. Open, and Felix Auger-Aliassime is now the top ranked Canadian male on the ATP tour! Match Point Canada returns with a jam packed episode as we recap CIncinnati, discuss Felix's rise, speak with respected chair umpire Julie Kjendlie, and also interview our Minister of Science and Sport, Kirsty Duncan. All of that and more on our latest edition of Match Point Canada! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The West Block we take a look at the Trans Mountain expansion project with an insider from TMX.  Then what does Ukraine need/want from Canada and the international community when it comes to Russia?  And another in our occasional Hill Hobbies....this time we throw on a pair of ghillies and take a turn. Guests: Ian Anderson, President & CEO Trans Mountain Corp.; Ambassador Andriy Shevchenko, Ukraine Ambassador to Canada; Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport

A preview of the Manitoba 4A boys high school basketball final four. Jamie Bettens, President of the MJBL, discusses rules changes in Major League Baseball. And men and women aren't earning an equal share....in curling. Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport, talks to Christian about equity in sports. 

Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport and the MP for Etobicoke North joins the Sport Market to discuss concussion research and protocol, questions around technique and equipment for safety, and Calgary voting against an Olympic bid.

Photo: (THE CANADIAN PRESS IMAGES/Lars Hagberg) An announcement is being made this morning in regards to getting research and innovation together to build healthier communities. Scott chatted with Minister Kirsty Duncan. Guest: Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport.

Photo: (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, file) Would the idea of privatizing cannabis help benefit the criminal element? OPSEU has expressed outrage over the reports that the Premier will allow cannabis sales in private stores. Guest: Warren “Smokey” Thomas, President of OPSEU. Why is it that politicians only attend public services for major tragedies? The funeral for one of the victims of the Danforth shooting is today and Prime Minister Trudeau is expected to be in attendance. Guest: Michael Taube, Troy Media syndicated, columnist, and Washington Times contributor. An announcement is being made this morning in regards to getting research and innovation together to build healthier communities. Scott chatted with Minister Kirsty Duncan. Guest: Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport.

"You do not mess with something so fundamental, so precious, as science," says Kirsty Duncan, Canada's first Minister of Science. In a heartfelt, inspiring talk about pushing boundaries, she makes the case that researchers must be free to present uncomfortable truths and challenge the thinking of the day -- and that we all have a duty to speak up when we see science being stifled or suppressed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

« On ne plaisante pas avec quelque chose d'aussi fondamental et d'aussi précieux que la science », affirme Kirsty Duncan, première ministre des Sciences du Canada. Dans un discours sincère et inspirant sur la mission de la science de repousser les limites, elle affirme que les chercheurs doivent être libres de présenter des vérités dérangeantes et de remettre en question la pensée unique - et que nous devons tous réagir quand la science est muselée, étouffée ou attaquée.

"You do not mess with something so fundamental, so precious, as science," says Kirsty Duncan, Canada's first Minister of Science. In a heartfelt, inspiring talk about pushing boundaries, she makes the case that researchers must be free to present uncomfortable truths and challenge the thinking of the day -- and that we all have a duty to speak up when we see science being stifled or suppressed.

Kirsty Duncan fala no TED2018

"과학처럼 아주 기본적인, 아주 소중한 것을 엉망으로 망쳐서는 안됩니다." 라고 캐나다 첫 과학부 장관인 커스티 던킨이 말합니다. 경계를 허물어야 하는 과학의 임무에 대한 진심어리고 영감을 주는 발표에서, 그녀는 연구자들이 불편한 진실과 오늘날 사고 방식에 자유롭게 도전할 수 있어야 한다는 것을 사례를 통해 알려주고, 우리 모두 과학이 저지되거나 억압당하는 것을 볼 때 목소리를 내야할 의무가 있다고 말합니다.

"No te metas con algo tan fundamental, tan precioso, como la ciencia", dice Kirsty Duncan, la primera Ministra de Ciencia de Canadá. En una charla sincera e inspiradora sobre la misión de la ciencia de superar los límites, defiende que los investigadores deben ser libres de presentar verdades incómodas y desafiar el pensamiento corriente, y que todos tenemos el deber de hablar cuando vemos que la ciencia es sofocada o reprimida.

  At a recent Mississauga Board of Trade event, we caught up with Canada’s Science Minister, the Hon. Kirsty Duncan. Fresh from her trip to Washington, where she spoke with American scientists and championed the need for greater cross-border collaborative research between Canadian and American scientist, the minister took the time to learn about Mississauga’s new Life Science’s focused development strategy. Ms. Duncan also discussed with Biotechnology Focus why she believes the sector should be in the forefront of Canada’s innovation strategy, her ongoing review of Canada’s science and innovation strategy, and the creation of new science research chair positions. --- That was the Hon. Kirsty Duncan, science minister of Canada, discussing the important roles that the biotechnology and life sciences sectors play in the country’s development, and The review of canada’s science strategy. I hope you enjoyed this week’s show. This is you host, Nestor Arellano, Inviting you to tune in again next week, on the Biotechnology Focus Radio.

Two new biotech companies launched, TO Health! launches a new online health hub, and Government flexes its financial muscle backing science initiatives across the nation. We have this and more on this week’s show! Welcome to Biotechnology Focus Podcast. I’m your host Shawn Lawrence. Story 1 We kick things of this week in Toronto, where TO Health!, an industry led cluster organization has launched a new online networking site, the Toronto Health Hub (engage.tohealth.ca).  According to the organization, the new Hub will showcase news and events in the burgeoning Human Health & Sciences (HHS) cluster in Toronto, as well as provide a centralized place for government, business and academia to engage around critical topics pertaining to the region.  The new platform coincides with organization’s mandate to make Toronto a Top 5 global health science cluster within the next 10 years. Toronto Health Hub is powered by the content sharing publishing platform Pressly, which was developed by a Toronto based start-up Pressly Inc..  The platform has helped companies like Deloitte and The Economist to foster more meaningful conversations and content sharing amongst a broad community of stakeholders and innovators. The Toronto region’s Human Health Science cluster is home to the largest geographic concentration of health sciences assets in Canada, with more than 38,000 jobs and includes private and public sector organizations and ventures including biopharma, medical and digital health companies, universities, hospitals, research institutes, innovation organizations, service providers and government agencies.  All parties are invited and encouraged to engage on this new community building site. For more information about the Toronto Health Hub and to join the community, visit http://engage.tohealth.ca. Story 2 Heading to the prairies, The University of Saskatchewan recently marked the official launch of its unique Plant Phenotyping and Imaging Research Centre (P2IRC) with an international symposium and demonstration of new drone technology to be used in novel crop development approaches. The creation of the P2IRC stems from a $37.2-million award over seven years from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) for the research program “Designing Crops for Global Food Security”—one of only five CFREF grants awarded across Canada last year in the inaugural competition. The new centre will not only enhance the U of S biosciences cluster—but also capitalize on one of the largest clusters of food-related researchers in the world.” The P2IRC is led by Maurice Moloney, executive-director of the university’s Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS), who has been building a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from across the U of S campus and from other Canadian universities and centres. He hopes to create by the year 2022 a unique global resource for plant breeders seeking to develop new crop varieties at unprecedented speed and scale at the centre. At the same time, hopes are the centre will sustain Canada’s positon global powerhouse in agricultural research and lead to commercial spin-offs involving field and aerial sensors, satellite imaging, robotics, and big data analytics. Moloney noted the P2IRC is unique in that it combines plant genomics with crop phenotyping (the identification of useful traits), high-performance computing, and digital imaging technology, as well as undertakes research to address societal and developing world impacts. Research projects in four theme areas have already undergone rigorous international peer review involving an eight-member International Scientific Advisory Committee that included experts from Australia, Germany, France, and the U.K., several of whom participated in the symposium signaling the launch of the centre. The new centre also involves partnerships with four Canadian universities, three international institutes, and more than 15 private and public organizations, including the National Research Council and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Story 3 In funding news, The National Research Council’s-Industry Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) has awarded Vancouver Aspect Biosystems Ltd. $450,000 in grant funding to help the company further advance the development of its Lab-on- a-Printer™ platform technology and associated 3D bioprinted tissue applications. According to Tamer Mohamed, president and CEO of Aspect, the Canadian government-sponsored program has been very supportive of the company’s ongoing research and development efforts and the new funding will assist Aspect Biosystem in strategically deploying its unique platform to world-class research labs. Founded in 2013 as a collaboration between two research groups based in the departments of Engineering and Medicine at UBC, Aspect Biosystems’ platform enables advances in fundamental biological research, drug development through novel pre-clinical models, and regenerative medicine through the use of its 3D bioprinting and tissue engineering technology. The project funding arrives as the company prepares to launch its Early Platform Access Program and expand its partnerships. Story 4 A few months ago we mentioned on this show that AmorChem, an early-stage life sciences fund managed by Montréal-based venture capital firm GeneChem, was planning on launching a new company. Well, this past week the fund made good on its promise spinning out Mperia Therapeutics, focused on the development a novel immunotherapy approach based on CD36 cell receptor drug-ligands. As part of the company launch, AmorChem has transferred all rights to a CD36 technology to Mperia, and backed the company with a Series A investment of $1M. The capital will allow Mperia to pursue the early-stage development of lead candidates for the treatment of dry Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). The technology itself is the result of almost 20 years of research conducted by Dr. Huy Ong and his collaborators at the Université de Montréal, where the CD36 scavenger receptor has been shown to play a key role in the clearance of oxidized lipids, and more recently, in chronic inflammation. Promising CD36 drug-ligands have been tested in several dry AMD animal models and demonstrated significant efficacy to preserve and restore cell layers at both the retinal and subretinal levels. Dry AMD represents almost 90 per cent of all AMD cases, with five million patients affected by the disease in North America and Europe. It remains an unmet medical need with no approved treatments or cure for this disease indication. With the spinning off of this technology into Mperia and a first seed financing, AmorChem believes the company is poised to raise more capital and bring the first CD36 drug-ligand to the clinic in a near future. Additionally, ipon creation of Mperia Therapeutics, AmorChem appointed Dr. Maxime Ranger as the company’s new president and CEO, and Dr. Huy Ong as its chief scientific officer. A serial entrepreneur, Dr. Ranger has been entrepreneur-in- residence at Univalor for several months, in addition to ensuring the supervision of Dr Ong’s CD36 research project. In such context, Dr Ranger will thus lead Mperia in steps towards clinical proof-of- concept of its first product and its next fundraising. Likewise As CSO of the company, Dr Ong adds significant scientific value as a prominent investigator in the field of CD36 receptor biology. Story 5 Across the country, in British Columbia, to mark World Sepsis Day on September 13, the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) also has launched a new spin-off company, called Sepset Biosciences Inc. The choice to do it on World Sepsis day was no accident, as the new company is developing a novel rapid diagnostic test that will aid healthcare professionals in providing earlier and more targeted treatment of sepsis – a global healthcare problem that is more common than heart attack and claims more lives than any cancer. Sepset’s technology, which is based on extensive  work led by renowned University of British Columbia (UBC) researcher Dr. Robert Hancock, hopes to meet this dire clinical need as current methods to diagnose sepsis take more than 24 hours after a patient enters the emergency ward – by which time, the patient may already be well on their way towards tissue damage, organ failure, and death. For every three-hour delay in diagnosis, the rate of mortality and morbidity grows by almost 25 per cent. Dr. Hancock, a professor of Microbiology and Immunology and the director of the Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research at UBC, explains, the new company hopes to change the way scientists and health care professionals look at sepsis. Sepset’s blood-based test works by detecting, at the time a patient enters the hospital, a unique biomarker signature based on the body’s immune response rather than the presence of a pathogen. Dr. Hancock adds that the results of initial clinical studies show it to be a very promising approach and he and his team are now in the process of advancing to larger multi-centre, multi-country trials. Story 6 In a major funding commitment, Kirsty Duncan, Canada’s Science Minister announced that the federal government will invest $900 million towards research efforts at 13 postsecondary institutions across Canada through the Canada First Research Excellence Fund. Among the biggest recipients are the Université de Montréal, McGill University, Polytechnique Montréal, and HEC Montréal who together received $213 million to be split between three projects related to research in artificial intelligence, brain health, and medical technologies. According to a release, Polytechnique Montréal will use its hospital’s infrastructure to shape future medical technologies for complex diseases, while McGill’s Healthy Brains for Healthy Lives project will establish a central hub to work on projects to improve brain health in Canada. Two of the other more larger grant recipients included Dalhousie University, which is getting $93 million for its Safe and Sustainable Development of the Ocean Frontier to develop Canada’s oceans, and the University of Waterloo which is receiving $72 million for Transform Quantum Technologies, an initiative for advancing its work in developing quantum technologies. Additionally, the University of Saskatchewen is receiving $77.84 million for World Water Futures: Solutions to Water Threats in an Era of Global Change, while the University of Guelph is receiving approximately $76.6 million for Food from Thought: Agricultural Systems for a Healthy Planet. Rounding out the list is the University of Alberta, getting $75 million for the Future Energy Systems Research Institute, the University of Calgary getting $75 million for the Global Research Initiative in Sustainable Low Carbon Unconventional Resources, Western University getting $66 million for BrainsCAN: Brain health for life, $63.744 million to Queen’s University for the Canadian Particle Astrophysics Research Centre, $49.2 million going to Laurentian Universtiy for Metal Earth and York University receiving $33.3 million for Vision: Science to Applications (VISTA). An interesting side note, the Canada First Research Excellence Fund was actually established by the Harper Conservatives in the 2014 budget to help support research on big ideas and big themes. The funding is allocated on a competitive basis with researchers applying to an arms-length selection board. Story 7 Our final story of the week is also a funding announcement. Backed by the Federal Government, Genome Canada says it is investing $4 million in 16 new bioinformatics and computational biology (B/CB) research projects to be conducted at academic institutions across Canada. The investments are being made through Genome Canada’s 2015 Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Competition, a partnership with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Parliamentary secretary to the Minister of International Development, Karina Gould  made the funding announcement on behalf of Science Minister Kristy Duncan at McMaster University. At the press conference, Gould highlighted the work of McMaster University’s Dr. Andrew McArthur, who is a co-leader on two B/CB projects looking to develop new software and database tools that will empower public health agencies and the agri-food sector to more rapidly respond to threats posed by infectious disease outbreaks such as, food-borne illnesses or the growing crisis of microbes resistant to antimicrobials. Additionally Marc LePage, president and CEO of Genome Canada highlighted the importance of the 16 projects and harnessing the power of genomics and the big data it provides researchers across multiple sectors. He cited Bioinformatics and computation biology as a priority area for Genome Canada given the growing need for enhanced tools and methodologies to make sense of the huge and growing influx of data stemming from genomics research. Some of the other projects in this funding round will enhance diagnosis and treatment for patients, improve crops of importance to Canada and strengthen environmental monitoring. Each project will receive approximately $250,000.  A full backgrounder of the 16 projects is available at www.genomecanada.ca/sites/genomecanada/files/2015_bcb-backgrounder- en.pdf. With that we’ve come to the end of this week’s program. We hope you enjoyed it. A big thanks to our production manager Laskey Hart and the rest of the Biotechnology Focus team. You can find past episodes online at www.biotechnologyfocus.ca and we’re always looking for your feedback, story ideas and suggestions so we’d love to hear from you. Simply reach out to us on twitter: @BiotechFocus or by email biotechnology_focus@promotive.net. For all of us here at Biotechnology Focus, thank you for listening.

On today’s show, we go one-on- one with Borden ladner Gervais’ Jeff Graham to discuss his article in our latest issue of Biotechnology Focus Magazine, Genetic Discrimination: Creating a New Canadian Law, plus we look at the week that was and the top stories on the Canadian biotech scene. Hello this is Shawn Lawrence, senior writer for Biotechnology Focus, and your host for Biotechnology Focus Podcast. We start today’s show with our weekly rundown of the top stories in Canadian biotech this week, and our first story takes us to Vancouver, BC, with AbCellera Biologics Inc., a biotechnology company specializing in the rapid discovery of monoclonal antibodies from natural immune cells, successfully completing its antibody discovery partnership with Kodiak Sciences. Through this collaboration, AbCellera applied its antibody discovery platform to perform ultra-deep screening of immunized animals and identified hundreds of antibodies against an undisclosed target. Multiplexed single cell binding assays were used to enrich for antibodies with high affinity and desired properties, resulting in the generation of multiple lead antibody families with picomolar affinity and potent blocking activity. Dr. Victor Perlroth, chairman and CEO of Kodiak Sciences said that AbCellera has outperformed Kodiaks expectations while adding that AbCellera’s technology platform leverages the many benefits of in vivo selection and maturation while avoiding the inefficiency of traditional hybridoma approaches. In all, AbCellera screened over one million antibody-producing single cells with its platform and delivered relevant antibody sequences covering a diverse functional and sequence space. Under the terms of the agreement, Kodiak has now executed its option to advance selected candidates for clinical development with AbCellera eligible to receive downstream payments. Other financial terms were not disclosed. Retaining and growing talent is a challenge for many Canadian biotech and life science companies, and there is a real need for new programs that are able help train and develop Canadian talent and help them become qualified workers with industry experience. In response to this need, Toronto-based Clinical immuno-oncology company Trillium Therapeutics says it is launching an industry postdoctoral fellowship program that will help young research scientists make the transition from their academic training to rewarding careers in the biopharma industry. In a press release Dr. Niclas Stiernholm, president and CEO of Trillium Therapeutics stated that as part of Trillium’s commitment to help grow the Canadian biotechnology industry, Trillium wants to provide an environment in which bright scientific minds will be challenged and nurtured.   “We believe this will help drive the development of tomorrow’s innovative cancer therapies,” he said. “We take great pride in establishing an official industry-sponsored postdoctoral fellowship program here in Canada, enabling outstanding Ph.D. graduates to prepare for a career in the biopharmaceutical industry,” he added. Under the program, Trillium will annually accept up to four postdoctoral fellows for an initial one-year term, with the possibility of an extension for an additional one or two years based on project needs. Through the program,pPostdoctoral fellows will be paired with mentors in a state-of- the-art laboratory environment, conducting independent research that is commercial and translational in nature. The postdoctoral projects will be focused on cutting-edge research in immunology or oncology research, with the goal of elucidating disease biology or the mechanism of action of a novel drug candidate or target. Individuals will work independently but as part of cross-functional teams made up of scientists and research associates. Additional information on the program can be found at: http://trilliumtherapeutics.com/Contact/Careers/IndustryPostdoc The University of Saskatchewan marked the official launch of its unique Plant Phenotyping and Imaging Research Centre (P2IRC) with an international symposium and demonstration of new drone technology to be used in novel crop development approaches. The creation of the P2IRC stems from a $37.2-million award over seven years from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) for the research program “Designing Crops for Global Food Security”—one of only five CFREF grants awarded across Canada last year in the inaugural competition. The new centre will not only enhance the U of S biosciences cluster—but also capitalize on one of the largest clusters of food-related researchers in the world.” The P2IRC is led by Maurice Moloney, executive-director of the university’s Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS), who has been building a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from across the U of S campus and from other Canadian universities and centres. “By 2022, we hope to create a unique global resource for plant breeders seeking to develop new crop varieties at unprecedented speed and scale,” Moloney said. “The new science we are developing at the P2IRC will elevate Canada’s position as a global powerhouse in agricultural research and lead to commercial spin-offs involving field and aerial sensors, satellite imaging, robotics, and big data analytics.” He noted the P2IRC is unique in that it combines plant genomics with crop phenotyping (the identification of useful traits), high-performance computing, and digital imaging technology, as well as undertakes research to address societal and developing world impacts. Research projects in four theme areas have undergone rigorous international peer review involving an eight-member International Scientific Advisory Committee that includes experts from Australia, Germany, France, and the U.K., several of whom are participating in the symposium. The new centre also involves partnerships with four Canadian universities, three international institutes, and more than 15 private and public organizations, including the National Research Council and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The P2IRC is currently recruiting graduate students, technicians, software developers, and researchers. Over the seven years, 60 graduate students and 35 post-doctoral fellows will be trained at P2IRC, and four or five new faculty positions will be created. It was a banner week at 13 postsecondary institutions across Canada , as Kirsty Duncan, Canada’s announced that the federal government will invest $900 million towards their research efforts through the Canada First Research Excellence Fund. Among the biggest recipients are the Université de Montréal, McGill University, Polytechnique Montréal, and HEC Montréal who together received $213 million to be split between three projects related to research in artificial intelligence, brain health, and medical technologies. According to a release, Polytechnique Montréal will use its hospital’s infrastructure to shape future medical technologies for complex diseases, while McGill’s Healthy Brains for Healthy Lives project will establish a central hub to work on projects to improve brain health in Canada. Two of the other more larger grant recipients included Dalhousie University, which is getting $93 million for its Safe and Sustainable Development of the Ocean Frontier to develop Canada’s oceans, and the University of Waterloo which is receiving $72 million for Transform Quantum Technologies, an initiative for advancing its work in developing quantum technologies. Additionly, the University of Saskatchewen is receiving $77.84 million for World Water Futures: Solutions to Water Threats in an Era of Global Change, while the University of Guelph is receiving approximately $76.6 million for Food from Thought: Agricultural Systems for a Healthy Planet. Rounding out the list is the University of Alberta, getting $75 million for the Future Energy Systems Research Institute, the University of Calgary getting $75 million for the Global Research Initiative in Sustainable Low Carbon Unconventional Resources, Western University getting $66 million for BrainsCAN: Brain health for life, $63.744 million to Queen’s University for the Canadian Particle Astrophysics Research Centre, $49.2 million going to Laurentian Universtiy for Metal Earth and York University receiving $33.3 million for Vision: Science to Applications (VISTA). An interesting side note, the Canada First Research Excellence Fund was actually established by the Harper Conservatives in the 2014 budget to help support research on big ideas and big themes. The funding is allocated on a competitive basis with researchers applying to an arms-length selection board. Borden Ladner Gervais (Canada’s largest law firm) released their annual Life Signs report earlier this year, which looks at legal trends in the Canadian Life Sciences sector.  The report includes contributed articles from multi-disciplinary BLG  professionals  and as well from Canada's national  and regional life sciences associations. Jeff Graham, BLG’s National Life Sciences Group Leader, is here with us today to discuss genetic discrimination and Canadian law, just one of areas explored in this report

In episode 17 of Concussion Talk Podcast I talk to Sandhya and Swapna Mylabathula. They are sisters from Toronto who have done a lot of research on concussions and concussion awareness, with the aim of ultimately bridging the gap between what those who've had a concussion need, and what is available. By working with their Member of Parliament, Dr. Kirsty Duncan (currently the Minister of Science), they helped to draft a Private Member's Bill into Parliament, A Comprehensive Strategy to Address Concussions Across Canada. The Bill has had its first reading in Parliament and is in the process of becoming legislation. We discuss; the Bill and what it entails, their research, and their resulting speaking engagements in Canada and internationally. We also discuss the Brain Injury Canada conference in Toronto in September 2016, at which they will speak and where I hope to do a podcast with presenters/speakers.

Our first story takes us to Southwestern Ontario, where the government of Ontario and Bioindustrial Innovation Canada have partnered to launch a new commercialization hub in Sarnia-Lambton As part of the partnership, the Government of Ontario says it will invest $3 million over four years through the Business Growth Initiative to help build the Centre of Excellence for the Commercialization of Sustainable Chemistry Innovations at the Western Sarnia-Lambton Research Park, Canada’s largest clean-tech incubator. The new centre will focus on bridging critical gaps and addressing commercialization challenges facing the industrial biotechnology and manufacturing sectors, including developing expertise, forging commercial partnerships, and accessing risk-capital to help bring discoveries and technologies from the lab to the marketplace. The good news goes further as its expected that 400 high-value jobs will be created at the new site. The region is known for its Biomanufacturing prowess, turning sustainable feedstock — renewable resources such as agricultural and forestry by-products and wastes — into energy, value-added chemicals and materials for use in a variety of everyday products such as plastics, personal care products, automotive parts and food additives. The use of plant-derived chemicals and bio-manufacturing processes can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions when compared to conventional petroleum based production methods. One example of a successful company in this space is BioAmber, a sustainable chemical company in Sarnia that produces plant-derived succinic acid and is able to achieve a 100 per cent reduction in GHGs over conventional methods. Similarly, EcoSynthetix, a Burlington-based renewable chemicals company produces paper coatings while cutting GHG emissions by 63 per cent compared to the norm. The funding for the new centre was previously announced as part of this year’s provincial budget. In regulatory news coming out of Quebec, the Government there, through its Ministry of Health has denied Theratechnologies bid to have EGRIFTA®, an injectable prescription medicine to reduce the excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy, added to a list of reimbursed medications. Company CEO and president Luc Tanguay called the decision by the province, which also happens to be the province where EGRIFTA® was discovered, regretful. “The government is sending a message that supporting research is not a priority,” he said via a release adding that it is quite paradoxical that, after supporting the development of EGRIFTA® through tax credits, the Quebec government will not accept to reimburse it.” The decision, made by the Quebec Minister of Health, Gaétan Barrette, was based on a recommendation by the Institut National d’Excellence en Santé et Services Sociaux(INESSS). Theratechnologies submitted to INESSS a comprehensive dossier which included data that led to public and private reimbursement by a large number of governmental agencies and insurers in Canada and in the United States. INESSS concluded that the decrease of visceral adipose tissue in HIV patients does not constitute a therapeutic advantage. Nevertheless, INESSS did recognize the efficacy EGRIFTA® and the quality of its clinical studies. In response, Theratechnologies did say that despite the decision, they will continue to work with the Ministry and INESSS, and that they will submit to INESSS, within the prescribed timelines, a request for a revision of their decision. In Cancer Research News, the Movember Foundation, the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) and Prostate Cancer Canada are providing $3 million in funding for a new Phase 3 clinical trial to evaluate if magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can replace the current standard of care to diagnose prostate cancer. The trial, called PRECISE, will be led by Dr. Laurence Klotz of the Sunnybrook Research Institute in Toronto, a world leader in the field of prostate cancer research and in the global adoption of active surveillance, a standard practice to monitor patients with low risk prostate cancer. The primary objective of the multi-centre trial is to determine whether MRI imaging can spare some men from undergoing a biopsy and avoid the possible associated side effects. Dr. Klotz discusses the PRECISE TRIAL in the following audio... Data management and analysis for the trial will be conducted by the Ontario Clinical Oncology Group (OCOG) in the Escarpment Cancer Research Institute, a Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster University institute. Earlier this month, five contenders of the third AmorChem KNOCK OUT™ competition climbed into the ring at a special Lumira-AmorChem hosted event to duke it out against a panel of Heavyweight Champions, or judges for a chance to win a coveted $500,000 financing from AmorChem. All the contenders displayed remarkable courage and agility in the ring, yet only one could stand victorious. In the end, Dr. Anne-Marie Mes-Masson, CRCHUM scientific director at the Institut du cancer de Montréal, for her project focused on the development of small molecule inhibitors of the Ran GTPase, was named the champion. The panel of “champion” judges included: Richard Lesniewski, a pharmaceutical industry veteran formerly from Abbott (AbbVie), GlaxoSmithKline and Madison Vaccines; John Gillard, science entrepreneur formerly from Merck Canada, BioChem Pharma and Aegera Therapeutics; John Bell, scientist-entrepreneur from the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and the University of Ottawa; and Lloyd Segal, best known as a serial biotech entrepreneur and investor at Persistence Capital Partners and Trimera Capital. Christopher Hall, a renowned radio and newspaper columnist and comedian, was the master of ceremony. Both Elizabeth Douvile and Ines Holzbaur,, general partners at AmorChem which we’ve highlighted in past podacast shows called the competition a success, achieving its goal of increasing the Quebec and Canadian research communities’ awareness of AmorChem and in reaching out to researchers who may not have been aware of the possibility of commercializing aspects of their work. Among the other competitors were: Dr. John Coles, University of Toronto & Dr. Jason Maynes, The Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto; Dr. Julie Forman Kay, The Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto & Dr. Nahum Sonenberg, McGill University; Dr. Réjean Lapointe, Université de Montréal and CRCHUM & Dr. Sophie Lerouge, École de technologie supérieure and CRCHUM; and Dr. Moutih Rafei, Université de Montréal. The Lumira-AmorChem conference also highlighted the respective roles of the two venture capital groups in the financing of the life sciences sector, and included presentations from Lumira Capital portfolio companies and from AmorChem’s first spin-off company, Mperia. Our final stories this week come out of Ottawa where the Government of Canada had two announcements related to supporting Canada’s science community. The first saw Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, launch an independent review of federal funding for fundamental science, to assess the program machinery that is currently in place to support science and scientists in Canada. The scope of the review includes the three granting councils along with certain federally funded organizations such as the Canada Foundation for Innovation. The review will be led by an independent panel of distinguished research leaders and innovators including Dr. David Naylor, former president of the University of Toronto and chair of the panel. Other panelists include: Dr. Robert Birgeneau, former chancellor, University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Martha Crago, Vice-President, Research, Dalhousie University, Mike Lazaridis, co-founder, Quantum Valley Investments, Dr. Claudia Malacrida, Associate Vice-President, Research, University of Lethbridge, Dr. Art McDonald, former director of the Sudbury Neutrino Laboratory, Nobel Laureate, Dr. Martha Piper, interim president, University of British Columbia, Dr. Rémi Quirion, Chief Scientist, Quebec, Dr. Anne Wilson, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Successful Societies Fellow and professor of psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University The panel will spend the next six months seeking input from the research community and Canadians on how to optimize support for fundamental science in Canada. The panel will also survey international best practices for funding science and examine whether emerging researchers face barriers that prevent them from achieving career goals. In addition to collecting input from the research community, the panel will also invite Canadians to participate in the review through an online consultation. In further Canadian Science Policy news Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, has put forward a new Innovation Agenda . Jointly with Minister of Science Kirsty Duncan, and, Minister of Small Business and Tourism Bardish Chagger, the initiative or Agenda will aim at building an inclusive and innovative Canada focused on six areas for action: including promoting an entrepreneurial and creative society, supporting global science excellence, building world-leading clusters and partnerships, growing companies and accelerating clean growth, competing in a digital world and improving ease of doing business. These six action areas, which form the Innovation Agenda, will be the focus of a summer-longperiod of public engagement that will result in an action plan. Central to this plan will be a call to action to all sectors of society. Minister Bains invited all Canadians to share their ideas on the Agenda, and should watch for the launch of an interactive website that will allow them to offer their suggestions on positioning Canada as a global leader in innovation. In addition, round-table discussions will take place across the country. That wraps up this weeks show, be sure to You can find us online at www.biotechnologyfocus.ca and follow us on twitter @BiotechFocus check out our latest issue on our website!

La dépollution des sols par les plantes ! On discute avec le Dr. Mohamed Hijri, professeur agrégé au département de sciences biologiques de l’UdeM et chercheur à l’institut de recherche en biologie végétale (IRBV). Il raconte l’association des champignons avec les racines des plantes : les mycorhizes. Qu'attendons-nous de la COP21 ? Élyse Caron-Beaudoin nous relate le point de vue Canadien avec le rôle de Catherine McKenna, la ministre fédéral de l'environnement ET du changement climatique. Marianne Desautels se joint à l'équipe avec sa première chronique dédiée aux femmes scientifiques avec le portrait de Kirsty Duncan, la ministre en titre de la Science. On termine par l'agenda scientifique avec Myriam Verzat et le spectacle ReCONNECT, du 30 novembre au 2 décembre, au théâtre Mainline. photo : pleurotes.