Study reveals large differences at the molecular level between stem cells grown on different biomaterials

April 18, 2019 Various bloggers Biology and Life Sciences, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science

This article was first published here. It is reprinted with permission of the Donnelly Centre. Depending on the type of surface they adhere to in a lab dish, stem cells can exhibit vast differences at the molecular level with implications for research and therapy. The genes required for growth and survival of stem cells are influenced by the biomaterials they are cultured on, Donnelly Centre investigators have found. Different substrates, which are used to coat…

Online Game Advances Neuroscientific Research

April 17, 2019 Bruno Dubuc Biology and Life Sciences, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science

Five years ago, I wrote a post in this blog about a website called EyeWire, on which Dr. Sebastian Seung and his laboratory enlisted the help of the general public to colour the extensions (axons and dendrites) of neurons on various thin, sequential slices of nerve tissue. The lab then used the results to reconstruct each neuron in 3D on a computer. Today I want to tell you about the Mozak project, which has the…

Making Vet Visits Less Stressful is Essential, and Here’s What We Can Do to Help Dogs

April 17, 2019April 17, 2019 Zazie Todd Biology and Life Sciences, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science

Why we should monitor dogs for signs of stress at the vet, and the steps dog owners and veterinary professionals can take to help, according to a new review of the literature.Many people know their dog is afraid of going to the vet. It’s not surprising because a vet visit is very different from the dog’s usual daily experiences, and yet it’s essential for them to get good veterinary care. A new literature review by…

Stories worth sharing: Blood clotting factor or clot buster?

April 16, 2019 Jenny Ryan Biology and Life Sciences, General Science, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science

Stories worth sharing: Blood clotting factor or clot buster? Transfusion Blood Tuesday, April 16, 2019 Dr. Geraldine Walsh Brought to you in partnership with the Centre for Blood Research, this week's Stories worth sharing is focused on research into a new class of anticoagulants. Anticoagulants, or blood thinners, are medicines used to treat patients who experience unwanted or excess blood clotting. Between clotting and bleeding, there exists a delicate balance. If blood cannot clot effectively,…

Connell Lecture Series: Dr. Gerhard Wagner

April 16, 2019 Andrew Zhai Biology and Life Sciences, Communication, Education and Outreach, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science

written by Sungwon Hwang Dr. Gerhard Wagner is a professor with the Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School. He has been invited to give a talk on April 17th as a part of the George Connell […]

Des juges moins influencés qu’on ne le croyait par leur taux de glucose

April 16, 2019 Bruno Dubuc Biology and Life Sciences, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science

La science s’appuie sur des données recueillis ou les résultats d’une expérience, bref sur des faits empiriques. Mais elle s’appuie aussi sur l’interprétation de ces faits, ce qu’ils veulent dire, ce qui a bien pu les rendre possibles. Cela correspond à la section «Résultats» et la section «Discussion» des articles scientifiques. Il n’est donc pas étonnant que des membres d’un domaine scientifique particulier ne soient pas toujours d’accord avec l’interprétation que font leurs collègues de…

Right Turn: A letter to Joe Rogan about stem cells

April 12, 2019 Various bloggers Biology and Life Sciences, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science

Dear Joe, My worlds collided the other day when I stumbled upon your many, highly viewed stem cell videos on YouTube. You see, my husband is a huge fan of yours. He regularly watches UFC, he practices mixed martial arts and he boxes. He loves your podcast and watches your videos regularly (religiously?). He talks about your show often. I confess to not being a listener/viewer of yours, but I blog about stem cells. As…

Reasons to Be Positive About Being Positive in Dog Training

April 10, 2019April 18, 2019 Zazie Todd Biology and Life Sciences, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science

Why debunking out-dated ideas can backfire, the importance of spreading quality information, and the best ways to counteract the misleading duds.Many dog trainers who rely on using reward-based methods feel passionately about the importance of using humane methods that don’t cause dogs to experience fear or pain. Thus, they feel it strongly when people use or share articles about methods that involve shock collars, dominance, pack ‘theory’, or any form of positive punishment, because they…

Des réseaux… à tous les niveaux !

April 9, 2019 Bruno Dubuc Biology and Life Sciences, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science

On dit qu’une image vaut mille mots. Celle qui m’a inspiré ce billet vaut plutôt pour moi mille niveaux. En tant qu’auteur d’un site qui s’appelle le Cerveau à tous les niveaux, je n’échappe pas à mon « karma » ! Cette image provient des travaux d’Ezequiel Di Paolo, un neurobiologiste dont j’ai déjà parlé ici et qui s’inscrit dans la grande mouvance de la cognition incarnée initiée entre autres par Francisco Varela au début…

048 – Heart Attacks and the Devil’s Eggs

April 9, 2019 The Body of Evidence Biology and Life Sciences, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science, Multimedia

An ill-timed surprise spells heart trouble for our favourite cardiologist. But what exactly is a heart attack, and how does it relate to strokes and angina? Do you need a stress test? What are the warning signs of a heart attack? Is stress a trigger? And what do you do if your friend complains of chest pain, short of filming it for the 'gram? Also: eggs are no longer sunny side up in the…

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