On DNA Day: Seeking a more complete genetic picture of the world

by Don Gibbons | May 4, 2023

For people like me working in the biological science sector, the annual DNA Day (every April 25th) is always a cause to raise a toast, but this year was special. It marked the 70th anniversary of the discovery of the double helix by Watson and Crick (and Franklin) and...

Counting iPSheep: Challenges keeping CGT leaders up at night

by Cal Strode | Apr 27, 2023

The first Science Huddle panel discussion of 2023, Cell & Gene Therapy: Maximizing Commercialization, delved into challenges keeping leaders in the cell and gene therapy (CGT) commercialization space up at night. Moderating the event was Dr. Christian K....

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...