News
This year's National Biotechnology Week proved that New Brunswick is home to more than just a strong biosector – it's a community.
*Article published by BioNB on October 10th 2014
2013-2014 has seen more companies, more industry-research partnerships, more government investment, and more cross-sectoral events and meetings that are shaping the future of our province. Click here to see our timeline of highlights from the previous two years.
National Biotechnology Week is the nation-wide awareness week for the biosciences industry. The New Brunswick events hosted by BioNB were met with a level of participation and enthusiasm that was a welcome surprise. BioNB takes this as a sign that the sector is united, passionate, and gaining recognition as the sector to watch in the province of New Brunswick.
Between September 29th and 30th BioNB hosted the second annual NB Bioscience Twitter Scavenger Hunt. LuminUltra Technologies sponsored the two amazing prizes that were awarded to two very dedicated tweeters. Over two days, dozens of Twitter users religiously followed @BioScienceNB for clues and tasks related to bioscience in our province. Some of the tasks had participants finding creative uses for test tubes, doing some serious online detective work, and even filming their own sales pitches! In the end it was the sector that won. There were over 400 total #nbw2014 tweets, a 10% increase in our Twitter followers, and exposure for over 30 researchers, companies, and individuals. Click here to read our full recap of the Twitter Scavenger hunt.
Dr. Gilles A. Robichaud, Researcher at the ACRI, and La Vie en Rose Champlain Place store employees.
LA VIE EN ROSE DONATES $2,500 TO THE ATLANTIC CANCER RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR BREAST CANCER RESEARCH
Montreal, October 6th, 2014 – Today, La Vie en Rose, through its Roses of Hope Foundation, donated $2,500 to the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute for breast cancer research. The donation took place at the La Vie en Rose Champlain Place store in Dieppe, in the presence of the retailer's store employees and the beneficiary organization's representatives.
*Article published by BioNB on October 2nd 2014
During National Biotechnology Week 2014 we toured the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute in the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre in Moncton, New Brunswick. Our tour guide, Ian Chute, who has been ACRI's Laboratory Manager for 7 years, led a group of curious visitors through ACRI's state of the art molecular biology labs.
ACRI has grown from a team of one into a 50+ member organisation of talented researchers and staff. After developing and commercializing a revolutionary method that will improve cancer detection, they continue to innovate. The centre is focused on three main areas of cancer research: early detection of disease, enhanced diagnosis, and targeted treatment.
The Atlantic Cancer Research Institute Open House: Discover the lab and meet the staff!
Cancer isn't invincible. There are solutions. Research remains our greatest ally in the fight against cancer.
ACRI has grown from a team of one into a 50+ member organisation of talented researchers and staff. After developing and commercialising a revolutionary method that will improve cancer detection, we continue to innovate.
Come see our state-of-the-art cancer research lab and meet our researchers and staff! We will be offering guided tours to guests as well as the opportunity to engage with our scientists to learn about their innovative research such as our Vn96 technology and our next generation sequencing.
What: Guided tours, refreshments and networking
Where: The Atlantic Cancer Research Institute
35 Providence, Hôtel-Dieu Pavilion, 4th Floor. Moncton, NB E1C 8X3
When: September 30th between 1PM and 4PM
* There will be visits starting approximately every 30 minutes.
Who: Anyone interested in learning more about ACRI's cutting edge research. All are welcome!
Click here to RSVP
www.atlanticcancer.ca
CancerResearchSavesLives.ca
The Vitalité Health Network, in collaboration with the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute (ACRI), is pleased to announce that the Molecular Diagnostic and Sequencing Laboratory at Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre is now equipped with a new, enhanced sequencing panel for the diagnosis of numerous cancers. The new panel, called the Cancer Hotspot v2, is being used alongside the panel in operation at the laboratory since March 2014 in the diagnosis of patients with lung and colon cancers.
Unlike the lung and colon cancer panel, which supports the sequencing of regions of 22 genes specific to these two types of cancers, the Cancer Hotspot Panel v2 offers more comprehensive functionality, supporting screening for mutations in 50 genes that typically mutate in a range of cancers, including melanoma, leukemia and breast cancer.
Dr. Sandra Turcotte receives funding of close to a half-million dollars from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for kidney cancer research
(Moncton, N.B.)—July 10, 2014— Dr. Sandra Turcotte, Canadian Cancer Society Research Chair, biochemistry professor at the Université de Moncton and research scientist at the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute (ACRI), has been awarded an operating grant by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). With this funding, valued at close to $500,000 over the next five years, she will be able to continue her research aimed at developing new strategies for the treatment of kidney cancer. In advanced stages, renal tumours are resistant to conventional chemotherapy treatments. Dr. Turcotte's approach involves the discovery of small molecules that target a common mutation specifically found within the cancerous kidney cells. Her team's work in this area is promising and their approach is innovative.
Atlantic Cancer Research Institute and Prostate Cancer Canada announce Local Moncton Hero
Prostate Cancer Canada Atlantic Region and the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute announced that they are once again teaming up for Prostate Cancer Canada's annual Wake Up Call Breakfast. Chris Bacich, General Manager, BMW Moncton and Kevin Darling, VP Commercial Financial Services, Eastern NB & PEI, RBC are Co-Chairs of the 2014 Moncton Wake Up Call. Today they announced that His Worship, Mayor George LeBlanc will be the recipient of the 2014 Local Hero Award at the breakfast event on September 9th at Delta Beausejour.
Over its first fifteen years the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute has had some significant accomplishments and now with the launch of a $10 million fundraising campaign the Institute is looking toward an even brighter future.
The focus of the campaign entitled "Cancer Research Saves Lives" is to increase awareness and attract support for cancer research in Atlantic Canada which is important for several reasons. "Atlantic Canada has the highest cancer rates in the country," according to ACRI President Dr. Rodney Ouellette. "In fact one in three Atlantic Canadians will be touched by cancer, something that is very concerning to us as a cancer research institute based in our region. Who better to focus on this issue than Atlantic Canadians?"
"In addition to the alarming cancer statistics in the region, we are the most underfunded area of the country when it comes to research dollars," Dr. Ouellette continued. "This campaign is about finding a cure and improving patient outcomes through research. We are conducting cutting edge research that will contribute to the global efforts on this disease and it is important for Atlantic Canadians to be part of the solutions in the field of cancer. It also allows us to keep our brightest minds in the region."
