Nanoparticles transfer RNA to immune cells to activate an immune response for vaccination applications. (Image: Dr. Tara Fernandez) RNA-based vaccines have been heralded as a new molecular weapon in the arsenal against cancer and infections. Five years ago, they were thrust into the spotlight following a $52 million investment by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to CureVac, a biopharmaceutical company advancing RNA vaccines to the global health care stage. Today, over two dozen clinical…

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Attendance at dog training classes is associated with reduced levels of canine anxiety in response to storms and fireworks, study shows.Photo: Ondre83/ShutterstockBy Zazie Todd, PhDSensitivity to loud noises such as thunder, fireworks, and gunshots is a problem that affects up to 49% of pet dogs (Blackwell et al 2013). The signs of fear in response to a loud noise can include trembling and shaking, barking, hiding, and seeking out people. A new study from Japan…

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C’est ce mercredi 16 octobre à 19h au café Les Oubliettes que commence le cours «Notre cerveau à tous les niveaux» que j’aurai le plaisir de donner en collaboration avec l’UPop Montréal. Comme je l’expliquais il y a deux semaines dans ce billet présentant la démarche générale du cours, je vous présente aujourd’hui quelques questions plus précises que nous nous poserons mercredi lors de cette première séance intitulée « Le « connais-toi toi-même de Socrate…

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Monday is Thanksgiving in Canada.Photo: K Hanley CHDPhoto/ShutterstockI am thankful to have so many readers like you who are dedicated to good welfare for dogs and cats, and to helping people with their pets. I am grateful for your readership and all the messages of support and encouragement throughout the year, as well as the interesting questions and articles you send my way.This year I am especially thankful to the veterinarians and vet techs for…

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Dr. Chih Wei Teng is Chief Operating Officer for CCRM Australia and wrote this blog with colleagues Alex Barrington and Dr. Emma Gallaher. CCRM Australia is an Australian not-for-profit organization supporting the development of foundational technologies to accelerate the commercialization of regenerative medicine products and therapies. CCRM Australia’s focus is to bridge the commercialization gap through a network of scientists, entrepreneurs, academic institutions and industry partners and address bottlenecks in the industry. CCRM Australia is…

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But small dogs are more likely to be fully house trained if they have attended training, study shows.Photo: Jakkrit Orrasri/ShutterstockBy Zazie Todd, PhDIt has often been suggested that small dogs are more likely to have accidents in the house than large dogs. New research in press in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior finds that small dogs are significantly more likely than big dogs to have house-training mistakes. The research was conducted by Dr. Amy Learn…

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C’est cette semaine que je commence à écrire sur certains aspects du cours gratuits que je donnerai cette année souligner les dix ans de l’UPop Montréal. Comme je l’expliquais la semaine dernière, le cours intitulé «Notre cerveau à tous les niveaux» comptera cinq séances à la session d’automne et cinq à la session d’hiver-printemps. Et les deux lundis avant chaque séance, je préparerai le terrain en écrivant d’abord un billet sur l’étendue du domaine que…

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