Innovation is the story
Sushi lovers beware: you may be getting a raw deal
Canada doesn’t horse around with its beef, but is there something fishy about its seafood?
After the recent scandal in Europe surrounding the use of horsemeat in hamburger patties and frozen lasagnas, growing concern for proper food labelling in North America comes as no surprise.
The University of Guelph’s Biodiversity Institute of Ontario (BIO) has become the world’s go-to food ingredient authentication centre thanks to the DNA barcoding technique developed by Integrative Biology professor Paul Hebert.
The technique allows scientists to identify unknown specimens by matching their DNA barcodes to those in the reference sequence library derived from the analysis of expertly identified specimens.
Forensic specialists at BIO used DNA barcoding to test Canadian beef products and found no traces of other species. Canadians can rest easy knowing that their hamburger meat is pure.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for their seafood. A recent study commissioned by the advocacy group Oceana found a one-in-three chance that the fish on your plate is not the one you ordered off the menu. MORE...
Canadian Researcher Works to Make Paralympic Games Safer
August 23, 2012
Performance enhancement among disabled athletes carries high risks
Vancouver, BC – August 23, 2012 – In an effort to gain a competitive edge, some athletes at the Paralympic Games have taken to a risky and banned form of performance enhancement.
While not as widely publicized as during the Olympic Games, performance enhancement is an issue among disabled athletes who compete in the Paralympics. However, the practice of performance enhancement is often taken to extremes by disabled athletes who are trying to give themselves a competitive edge.
Many athletes who participate in the Paralympics have spinal cord injuries that limit their ability to regulate their heart rate and blood pressure. For top-level athletes, this can be a huge competitive disadvantage. An increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure gives athletes the energy and stamina they need to compete in strenuous sports. Some athletes go to extreme lengths to spike their blood pressure ahead of a competition – going so far as to break a toe or hold their urine. Known as “Paralympic boosting,” this is a dangerous practice that can lead to heart damage, stroke, even death. MORE...
Mapping the human brain sheds light on autism
January 25, 2012
Lecture series launches by delving into Canada’s world-leading expertise in brain research
Vancouver, January 25, 2012 — Canadian researchers are leading the way in the search for the cause of autism, a condition affecting about one in every 200 people in Canada. The Canada Foundation for Innovation, Dialogues at UBC Robson Square, will highlight Dr. Alan Evans, one Canadian researcher making a difference in brain research.
“Clinicians are typically unable to diagnose autism until the third year of life,” says researcher Alan Evans of McGill University’s McConnell Brain Imaging Centre. “However, the earlier we can identify any developmental abnormalities the more possible interventions we have in our arsenal.”
Evans and his colleagues are currently working with American researchers to map the brains of 500 younger siblings of autistic children. Statistically, about 15 to 20 percent of the younger siblings of autistic children will develop autism spectrum disorder themselves. MORE...
