We have some talented researchers that are involved in our funded research projects. They can manage a lab, talk about the science, and run the funding gauntlet, but they also know how to have fun every now and then. In 2017 we got a few of them to be part of our Christmas 'special'. In the re-run, here they are in a reading of Twas the Night Before Christmas with a little help from our…

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                         The new International Microbiome Centre (IMC) has already been the subject of six previous blogs here at GenomeAlberta.ca. I am going to add one more since I have been fortunate enough to take in two presentations by Dr. Kathy McCoy, director of the IMC. One of the things that most impressed me with Dr. McCoy’s presentations was how she demonstrated the skills of a scientist while clearly communicating the role of the scientific method.…

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A University of Lethbridge professor sees synthetic biology as a driver of the next generation of scientific researchers and a key to economic diversification and prosperity in southern Alberta and beyond. Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden, an Alberta Innovates Strategic Chair in Bioengineering in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and director of the Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute (ARRTI), says in a recently published article in the world-leading journal Nature Biotechnology that engaging students in…

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When scientists work with their counterparts in industry, they’re able to invent life-saving therapies and clean technologies that improve the lives of Canadians. That’s why the Government of Canada is committed to supporting collaborative research led by scientists across the country. Today, Parliamentary Secretary for Science, Kate Young, on behalf of the Minister of Science, the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, announced $8.1 million in federal funding for five new projects under Genome Canada’s Genomic Applications Partnership…

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A Genome Alberta-led project has received funding in the latest round of the Genomic Applications Partnership Program, or GAPP. This is the 8th round of GAPP which funds downstream research and development projects which address real world opportunities and challenges identified by industry, government, not-for-profits and other end-users of genomics knowledge and technologies. GAPP projects are collaborations between academic researchers and the end-users, and are co-funded by Genome Canada, the end-user, and other stakeholders. This…

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As anyone with an e-dating horror story will attest, relationships can be tricky. It’s not surprising, then, that estimating genetic correlations (relationships) among different traits in Canadian dairy selection is no small feat. For researchers on Genome Alberta’s Efficient Dairy Genome Project, it’s a tough task that’s well worth the trouble. “If you go on farm and look at how two traits work with each other, you can calculate the phenotypic [observable] correlation,” said Pauline…

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Genome Alberta was mentioned in the Alberta Legislature on November 29th. It was a Members' Statement from Craig Coolahan, the MLA for Calgary Klein and we were pleased to hear him focus on our Chronic Wasting Disease project.  MLAs are allotted certain opportunities to rise in the Legislature and read a prepared statement that usually is about the work of constituents, a nod to specific accomplishments by individuals, organizations or industry, or other topics that…

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What do beef cattle, mice and humans have in common? If you said they all have functional variants, you either peeked at the answer or you’re part of the Genome Alberta beef cattle project. As they seek to apply genomics in improving meat quality and feed efficiency, researchers know the importance of functional variants – variants that affect genetic traits – and the value of a multi-species approach in achieving success. “One challenge we face…

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                                   I just finished Reading the Rocks by Brenda Maddox. It is the story of how Victorian geologists worked to determine the age of the earth and the evolution of life. This is a book about the men and women who contributed to the development of the science now known as geology. The narrative begins in the very late 18th century and takes us past the publication of Darwin's book, On the Origin of Species,…

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Bringing 'omics technology to bear on Chronic Wasting disease is a new development and is the main focus of  our "Systems biology and molecular ecology of Chronic Wasting Disease". Deer, elk, moose, and caribou (known as cervids) suffer from this fatal prion disease which is similar to the more familiar mad cow disease. CWD has the potential to infect large numbers of cervids and affect those who rely on the animals for food, cultural practices,…

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