It has finally arrived. The 2016-2017 Annual Report is now available for download or you can get a printed copy by sending us an e-mail. Thank you to all our stakeholders, funders, and researchers for your support over the last year.

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Theoretically, all research creates value through greater knowledge and understanding. Yet those who stand to gain from a certain Genome Alberta project – using genomics to develop multi-trait value indices for improving carcass quality and feed efficiency in beef cattle – have a more “concrete” goal in mind: Show them the money. And when money talks in this project, it uses terms like “economic value”, “economic weight” and “genetic correlation”. Special delivery “One of the…

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The NIH is an agency of the American government dedicated to biomedical and public health research, annually investing billions of dollars in medical research. Vasey is among a handful of U of L researchers who have received funding from the agency. “Much of my work focuses on testing evolutionary-level questions about how genes that are associated with male same-sex sexuality don’t go extinct. How do they persist over evolutionary time?” says Vasey. For evolution to…

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The NIH is an agency of the American government dedicated to biomedical and public health research, annually investing billions of dollars in medical research. Vasey is among a handful of U of L researchers who have received funding from the agency. “Much of my work focuses on testing evolutionary-level questions about how genes that are associated with male same-sex sexuality don’t go extinct. How do they persist over evolutionary time?” says Vasey. For evolution to…

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With the start of a new academic year, all the grad students are in place, and the collection of data for our Chronic Wasting Disease project is running smoothly. The project led by Debbie McKenzie at the University of Alberta was officially announced in December of  2016. She and her team are working to identify CWD strains, model risk, predict the spread of the disease, and to eventually sequence the genome of the mule deer.…

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As the new documentary Food Evolution observes "the three most terrifying  letters in the English language are GMO". On September 12 the University of Alberta Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences sponsored a screening of the documentary about the science of, and the societal reaction to, genetically modified foods. As a Faculty, AELS has a strong focus on the safety and sustainability of the food supply and how that can be achieved while taking…

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University of Lethbridge researchers in biology, chemistry and biochemistry, geography, mathematics and computer science, physics and psychology will be able to pursue diverse areas of inquiry thanks to $2.64 million in funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). Canada’s Minister of Science, Kirsty Duncan, announced today $515 million in support for fundamental research through the NSERC 2017 competition for the Discovery Grants program, scholarships and fellowships. “The Government of Canada is committed…

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                          Recently I read in the Atlantic a statement that represents perhaps the greatest conundrum for educators: “While test scores can predict academic success, self-management and relationship skills may better prepare students to thrive and graduate.” Perhaps taking the time to involve your students in a science fair may provide you with a way to reconcile both sides. A lot can be said about standardized tests, but the key in any plus/minus analysis comes down…

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While the layperson thinks of gel as something for their hair, GE3LS research gathers data for scientists to comb through in assessing their work. An acronym for “Genomics and its Ethical, Environmental, Economic, Legal and Social aspects”, it examines questions at the intersection of genomics and society to anticipate pitfalls, cultivate success and anticipate the impact of scientific advances. As part of the Genome Alberta project using genomics to raise feed efficiency and lower methane…

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While the layperson thinks of gel as something for their hair, GE3LS research gathers data for scientists to comb through in assessing their work. An acronym for “Genomics and its Ethical, Environmental, Economic, Legal and Social aspects”, it examines questions at the intersection of genomics and society to anticipate pitfalls, cultivate success and anticipate the impact of scientific advances. As part of the Genome Alberta project using genomics to raise feed efficiency and lower methane…

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