At present, multiple tools are available to assemble draft genomes using long reads and, separately, to correct errors. In a recent innovative development from the GSC’s Dr. Inanç Birol Lab, researchers have created LongStitch, a scalable pipeline that contains multiple tools (including Tigmint-long, ntLink, and ARKS-long) customized specifically for long read sequences to correct and scaffold draft genome assemblies. Genomes from…
Dr. Calum MacAulay is a distinguished scientist at the BC Cancer Research Institute. With a background in physics and engineering, his work on lung cancer is predominantly focused on new and innovative ways of early cancer detection methods. A prime example of this is Dr. MacAulay’s work on tissue sections, which includes identifying various biomarkers and cell composition. Cell composition…
The interplay between growth factors, signaling pathways and transcription factors during placental development is key to controlling trophoblast differentiation. Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) has been implicated in trophoblast invasion and spiral artery remodeling during early placental development. However, the molecular mechanisms by which these are accomplished have not been fully elucidated, particularly for transcriptional regulation of key transcription factors.…
The company garnered lots of attention for a COVID-19 treatment that has been administered to hundreds of thousands of patients and led to a huge IPO. But AbCellera is no one-hit wonder. Hansen has proven its drug discovery process works—fast—and now he wants to build a giant right here in Canada. Here are three facts about Carl Hansen that reveal…
The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) is launching a new project called the Healthy Brains, Health Aging Initiative, which will shed light on the many factors that influence brain health as we age, including lifestyle and the human microbiome. Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose, Canada Research Chair at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at University of British…
Barely a year ago, Anna Blakney was working in a relatively inconspicuous, niche field of science in a lab in London. Few people outside of her scientific circles had heard of mRNA vaccines. Because none yet existed. Attendees at an annual conference talk she gave in 2019 could be counted in the tens, not hundreds. Today, she’s in hot demand:…
People are a step closer to a new clinical support and research centre at St. Paul’s Hospital as the Province shortlists three proponents to participate in the request for proposal (RFP) to design and build the new centre. “The past 20 months of this pandemic have amplified the importance of turning research and innovation into clinical practice that help save people’s…
Working with the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and using new palaeogenetic analytical techniques developed in SFU Archaeology’s ancient DNA lab, directed by professor Dongya Yang, the results of a new collaborative study featured in Scientific Reports provides strong evidence that prior to European colonization, Coast Salish people were managing chum salmon by selectively harvesting males. Selectively harvesting male salmon increases the overall size of the harvest,…
In 2021, an estimated 3,600 British Columbians will battle lung cancer. Lung cancer is still the most commonly diagnosed cancer and leading cause of cancer death in Canada, according to a 2021 report by the Canadian Cancer Society. For Lung Cancer Awareness Month, BC Cancer will spotlight the innovative research being done in B.C. This will be the first in a…
– Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. (TSXV: RKV) (“the Company”), a biopharmaceutical company committed to advancing new cancer therapies based on novel DNA-damage response technologies, today announced that the Company has been selected to join a three year US$975,000 (CDN1,297,000) research program funded by the St. Baldrick’s Foundation Martha’s BEST Grant for All, which is aimed at developing new treatments for Ewing…