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Chronic pain and healthcare education in Canada: Bridging the divide

Hansel Lui from the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care discusses inadequacies in healthcare education regarding chronic pain management in Canada and opportunities to close these gaps.
Figure 1. Proposed method for creating a holobiont from engineered minimal genome endosymbionts (derived from JCVI-Syn3B) that regenerate progenitor cells in liver tissue. Fluorescently labeled endosymbiont chassis bacteria with a cationic lipid coating (1) pick up protein coronas comprised of blood peptides as they traffic to the liver (2). The labeled bacteria can be visualized in the tissue (3). Once inside the host cells, the engineered endosymbionts secrete transcription factors that affect the genetic circuits of the cell (4), with limited replication with the host cytoplasm (5). After sustained reprogramming by the secreted transcription factors, the function of the holobiont is redirected (6) toward progenitor cells that can regenerate damaged liver tissue (7). Figure created using Biorender.

Tracing evolution’s blueprint: Minimal genome life and the engineering of synthetic endosymbiosis

Roksana Riddle and Christopher H. Contag from Michigan State University discuss the concept of endosymbiosis, how it has evolved, and present strategies to engineering endosymbionts and their applications in developing innovative therapies.
Figure 1: Microbially-assisted phytoremediation of cadmium

Microbially-assisted phytoremediation of cadmium

Arpita Bose, PhD, Associate Professor and Nida Zainab, PhD Researcher at Washington University in St. Louis, guide us through the process of microbially-assisted phytoremediation of cadmium.
Reading a book.

Limitless literacies: Exploring a transdisciplinary approach

A transdisciplinarity approach liberates the education of literacies as a limitless enterprise, argues Patriann Smith, Ph.D.
Organic curves and glowing particles on a sphere.

Healthy aging: How science and daily habits preserve brain function

Key nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin, and NAD+ are important for maintaining cognitive function, but their effective delivery to the brain is hindered by the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and age-related declines in nutrient transport. Dr Rebecca Crews and Heather Makar explore the importance of overcoming these delivery challenges to enhance strategies for cognitive longevity and healthy aging.
Figure 1: Flipons to Learn By: Each Shape Encodes Information Differently and has a different probability of flipping from one conformation to another.

Training your genome

Founder and President of InsideOutBio, Alan Herbert, explores the evolving understanding of genome information storage, and the significance of repetitive sequences called flipons in genome training. These flipons can alter their shape without breaking DNA and are vital in cell biology, especially in responding to environmental stress.

How can carbon capture surfaces help the planet?

Beth McDaniel, JD, President of Reactive Surfaces highlights the potential of Carbon Capture Surfaces (CCS), an innovative and affordable of method using algae for CO2 removal, addressing the urgent need for scalable solutions to combat climate change.
Biology nerve cell with biomedicine concept, 3d rendering. 3D illustration.

Unlocking the brain: Pioneering psychiatric genomics at the University of Arizona

Psychiatric disorders challenge us deeply. At the University of Arizona, researchers dissect their molecular roots, focusing on genomics. They aim to decode miRNA’s role in conditions like depression, using advanced analysis to forge a path towards personalized mental health care. Find out more in this exclusive Q&A.
Gavel and globe on the table stock photo

Philosophy: Environmental risk and international law

John Martin Gillroy is a Professor of Philosophy, Law, and Public Policy at Lehigh University. Here, he shares his expertise in philosophy, particularly in environmental risk and international public law.
Fig. 1 Integrating multi-satellite, GNSS, and ground observations (case study for Japan) is proposed to detect modifications in the atmospheric boundary layer linked to pre-earthquake phenomena (adapted from Ouzonov et al., 2018).

10th Anniversary of the 2015 M7.8 Nepal earthquake: Explore new prediction technologies

Dr. Dimitar Ouzounov from the Institute for Earth, Computing, Human, and Observing (Institute for ECHO) at Chapman University and Dr. Angelo De Santis from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (Rome, Italy) are exploring new technologies for short-term earthquake forecasting and prediction, including the application of the LAIC approach to the 2015 Gorkha earthquakes in Nepal.
Unrecognizable young woman enjoying a cigarette outdoors. Focus is on the cigarette.

Estimating the impact of cigarette smoking on life expectancy from 1950 to 2000

In this study, Theodore R. Holford from the Department of Biostatistics at the Yale University School of Public Health estimates the impact of cigarette smoking on life expectancy between 1950 and 2000.
Warning symbol for chemical hazard on chemical container, chemical in factory

The challenge of determining the health risks of low-dose chemical exposures

Rebecca J. Wilson and Pamela J. Lein, explore whether the dose makes the poison or not. Here, they discuss the challenges of determining health risks associated with low-dose chemical exposures.
Male farmer and agronomist using digital tablet while examining green corn plants in agricultural field

Are we on the verge of a fourth agricultural revolution?

In this insightful analysis, Professor Guillaume Blanchet from Université de Sherbrooke examines whether we are on the verge of a fourth agricultural revolution and explores new technologies for agroecology.

Lives and money: Understanding the true cost of sepsis in Canada

Kali Barrett, Victoria Chechulina, and Fatima Sheikh discuss the economic burden of sepsis in Canada and the economic rationale for implementing coordinated, national strategies to combat this often-overlooked disease.
Figure 1: After controlling for cochlear health (assessed via RW-ECochG-TR), our data reveal that a short lateral wall electrode is linked to poorer CI performance when residual hearing is not preserved. Conversely, when a short lateral wall electrode is used, and residual hearing is preserved – enabling the use of electro-acoustic stimulation (EAS) – patients achieve excellent performance, whereas loss of residual hearing leads to significant underperformance.

Optimizing outcomes: The role of surgical technique and intraoperative factors in cochlear implant performance

Variability in cochlear implant performance remains a significant challenge for clinicians and patients. Contributors from Washington University School of Medicine investigate how surgical techniques and intraoperative adjustments can be refined to further optimize cochlear implant outcomes.
Shellevator® transport of 400,000 oysters to a new area 10km away. The voyage took two hours and used 10L of fuel

A new wave in oyster farming: Making oysters cheaper than chicken

After a 37-year career as Lead Seafood Microbiologist at the USFDA, Dr Angelo DePaola decided to tackle a different challenge: oyster farming.
Scientific molecular structures on dark blue background.

Catalyzing mineral weathering for permanent, safe and cost-effective carbon storage

Martin Van Den Berghe, CEO of Cytochrome, discusses catalyzing mineral weathering for permanent, safe, and cost-effective carbon storage.
Permafrost Grown’s project UAV, a DGI Matrice 3000 with a LiDAR camera, prepares to take off for a survey at a farm site in Fairbanks, AK.

Measuring permafrost thaw subsidence in agricultural fields in Alaska

Melissa Ward Jones, a Research Assistant Professor at the Water and Environmental Research Center (WERC) of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, discusses research focused on understanding the interactions of permafrost thaw and agriculture.
Cheerful instructor in early 50s sitting at desk next to multiracial student, talking and smiling as they discuss her writing assignment in secondary classroom.

Decolonizing education in an era of neo-imperialism

Geraldine Balzer, an Associate Professor at the College of Education, University of Saskatchewan, discusses the importance of decolonizing education in a time of neo-imperialism.
Image 1: John Dillwyn Llewelyn, “Piscator, No. 2,” 1w856. Albumen Silver print. Open Access, The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accessed February 26, 2025, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/270835

The history of bird photography: What can it teach us?

The research of Karla McManus, Associate Professor at the University of Regina, explores the history of bird photography and discusses its lessons, including the evolving technology of photography and the printing press.

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