Finding the perfect match: breaking down the science of organ and stem cell transplant matching

by Sara M. Nolte | Apr 18, 2023

One of the major limitations of using stem cell donors is the challenge of finding an adequate match, which is why I always get excited about therapies that use a patient’s own tissue. But why is the issue of a “match” such a big deal? You may have come across terms...

Exploring the potential of fish skin for wound healing and regeneration

by Guest | Apr 14, 2023

Peace Chukwu is a medical writer and fourth-year medical student at the University of Nigeria. She also serves as the national Editor-in-Chief for SCORA, a magazine published by the Nigerian Medical Students Association. She tweets @Makuopeace. As a medical student,...

Current state of affairs: An overview of seven Canadian cell therapy companies

by Guest | Apr 6, 2023

Stephie Leung is currently an Associate Scientist at Artisan Biotechnologies. Stephie started her career in cell and gene therapy with GE Healthcare Lifesciences, working at the Centre for Advanced Therapeutic Cell Technologies, a collaboration between CCRM and GE...

A new kind of influencer: Dr. Peter Zandstra on engineering cell fate decisions

by Cal Strode | Mar 29, 2023

Few people have made bigger contributions to the Canadian regenerative medicine ecosystem than Dr. Peter Zandstra. He is co-founder of two companies advancing cutting-edge biotechnologies for therapeutic use (Notch Therapeutics and ExCellThera, both of which are...

Using ChatGPT for science communications

by Laine Bodnar | Mar 23, 2023

OpenAI’s recent release of GPT-4 has made headlines in the last week. It is the latest version of the large language model that powers its popular artificial intelligence (AI) chat bot: ChatGPT. Passing the U.S. bar exam is one of its notable accomplishments. Plus,...

Right Turn: The awe-inspiring Tak Mak

by Stacey Johnson | Mar 17, 2023

Toronto, Canada’s Tak Mak, OC, OOnt, FRS, FRSC, has won the prestigious Pezcoller Foundation-AACR International Award for Extraordinary Achievement in Cancer Research, valued at US$100,000. Dr. Mak, who has his lab at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PMCC), is...

Right Turn: Inspiring Toronto family fundraises treatment for rare disease

by Stacey Johnson | Mar 10, 2023

If you’ve watched the 1992 movie Lorenzo’s Oil, based on the true story of parents searching for a treatment for their son’s rare neurological disease, adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), then the real-life story of the Pirovolakis family might feel familiar. The Pirovolakis...

Right Turn: Keeping the conversation going following Black History Month

by Stacey Johnson | Mar 3, 2023

Can you name 10 Black Canadians who have made significant contributions to life in Canada? That was a question posed by Vicki Olatundon, a motivational speaker, during a Black History Month presentation. (More on this later.) Here’s another question: what does Black...

The value of mentorship in Canada’s biotech industry

by Tannen Horber | Feb 23, 2023

Mentorships should be transformational relationships, mutually beneficial for both the mentor and the mentee, and in Canada’s biotech industry they are essential. As the industry continues to grow, the need for qualified, skilled workers has increased. There is a...

Right Turn: My “interview” with Joe Rogan

by Stacey Johnson | Feb 17, 2023

In 2019 I wrote an open letter to Joe Rogan, asking him to be more judicious in how he discusses stem cells on his popular – 12.8 million subscribers – podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. Much to my surprise, I didn’t hear back from Joe or his people although I tagged...