July 24, 2008
U of S $50,000 BioVenture Challenge Business Plan Competition Launched
Posted July 24, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 24, 2008
2008-07-06-OTHER
Where can I find startup capital? It’s one of the biggest questions and problems facing entrepreneurs with new business ideas, especially those entering the bio-based business arena.
The University of Saskatchewan (U of S) Industry Liaison Office (ILO) and Saskatchewan Agriculture are partnering to solve this problem by sponsoring the 2008 BioVenture Business Plan Challenge to assist youth with launching their bio-based business ideas.
“The BioVenture Challenge offers new entrepreneurs high-quality business planning advice along with the chance to overcome one of their highest hurdles—finding enough startup capital to transform their ideas into viable businesses,” says ILO managing director Doug Gill.
This year’s contestants will be vying for the ultimate prize—$50,000 in startup capital. To be eligible, entrepreneurs must be U of S students or graduates less than 35 years of age.
Five finalists will be chosen from eligible applicants who submit an application letter explaining their idea. These finalists will receive in-depth training and guidance in preparing their business plans, including a business planning workshop featuring academic and private-sector guest lecturers who specialize in business planning and the bio-economy.
The BioVenture Business Plan Challenge was launched last year to showcase new entries into Saskatchewan’s growing bio-economy. Brother and sister team Rachel and Chris Buhler won the inaugural competition with their plan for Floating Gardens, an aquaponic system that combines fish farming and hydroponics greenhouse techniques. Their goal is to produce live fish for sale to the local Asian community, fresh fish for sale to a broader market, and fresh strawberries year round.
“As winners of last year’s BioVenture competition, we gained more than the $50,000 prize,” says Rachel.
“Just taking part in the competition was incredibly valuable as we wrote the business plan and got it reviewed,” adds Chris. “And without the courses that we took, I doubt we would have even thought to survey our potential customers, let alone have the tools to do it.”
Interested entrepreneurs can visit www.usask.ca/research/ilo/bioventure.php or phone the Industry Liaison Office at 306-966-7338 to obtain an application. Initial proposals are due Friday, August 29th.
About the University of Saskatchewan, Industry Liaison Office:
Created in 2004, the U of S’s Industry Liaison Office (ILO) manages technology transfer (technology commercialization) coming from university research. Creating startup companies based on these inventions is one way for the U of S to contribute to Saskatchewan’s growing economy.
About the University of Saskatchewan:
Located in the heart of Saskatoon, the U of S is one of the leading medical doctoral universities in Canada. With 58 degrees, diplomas and certificates in over 100 areas of study, the University is uniquely positioned in the areas of human, animal and plant studies. World-class research facilities, renowned faculty and award-winning students make the U of S a leader in post-secondary education.
-30-
For more information, please contact:
Lorna Shaw-Lennox
Start-Up Company Specialist, Industry Liaison Office
University of Saskatchewan
P: (306) 966-7338
E: lorna.shaw-lennox@usask.ca
Cameron Zimmer
Research Communications Specialist
University of Saskatchewan
P: (306) 966-2427
E: cam.zimmer@usask.ca
July 21, 2008
Veterinary College at U of S Honours Memory of RCMP Dog Handler
Posted July 21, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 21, 2008
2008-07-05-WCVM
A new patient examination room in the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s renovated teaching hospital at the University of Saskatchewan has been named after Corporal James Galloway, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) service dog handler who was killed while on duty four years ago in Edmonton, Alta.
“Corporal Galloway was committed to caring for the health and well being of his canine partners for more than three decades,” says WCVM Dean Dr. Charles Rhodes. “By supporting the expansion and renovation of our teaching hospital, his family and friends are helping us to carry on a similar commitment of providing quality health care for service dogs and companion animals across Western Canada.”
Representatives from WCVM, the RCMP and other law enforcement organizations across Canada joined the family and friends of Galloway at a private dedication ceremony on July 19. During the event, guests visited the Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s Room 1522 — the patient examination room that now includes a framed memorial and photo of Galloway with Cito, his last canine partner.
“This is the perfect memorial for Jim because he loved his dogs, he had a deep respect for veterinary medicine, and he enjoyed talking about his work and his dogs with students of all ages,” explains Margaret Galloway, Jim’s wife of 33 years. “I think he would be very pleased to be part of this building where animal health care and teaching are so vital.”
During his 35-year career with the RCMP, Galloway spent nearly three decades with the national force’s Police Dog Section. The veteran service dog handler mainly worked in Alberta where he was posted to three different detachments in 26 years. Galloway was shot and killed by a suspect during a call with the Edmonton Emergency Response Team on February 28, 2004.
The WCVM Veterinary Teaching Hospital expansion was one of two initiatives to which Galloway’s family and friends contributed in his memory.
Construction has been completed on a two-storey addition to the teaching hospital as well as extensive renovations to its small animal surgery suites, anesthesia, intensive care and treatment areas. The Galloway patient examination room is part of the hospital’s renovated area that provides more resources for clients and their pets such as a quiet room, additional examination rooms, and new rooms for specialized services such as veterinary ophthalmology, dentistry and medical oncology.
Enhancements to the WCVM Veterinary Teaching Hospital are part of a five-year, multi-phase expansion and renovation of the veterinary college’s clinical, teaching and diagnostic resources. Crews have now completed about 80 per cent of the $71 million infrastructure project that began in 2004.
WCVM (www.wcvm.com) is a Canadian centre of expertise for veterinary education, clinical services and research that’s located on the University of Saskatchewan campus. More than 400 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled at the regional veterinary college that annually attracts more than $10 million in research funding from public and private sources.
-30-
For more information, contact:
Myrna MacDonald
Communications, Western College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: 306-225-4479 Cell: 306-291-9950
sm.ridley@sasktel.net
www.wcvm.com
July 14, 2008
New Quaker Oats Funding for U of S Oat Research
Posted July 14, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 14, 2008
2008-07-03-AG
University of Saskatchewan research into oat varieties and production practices for Western Canada has received a major boost thanks to a new funding agreement signed recently with Pepsi-QTG Canada, which operates the Quaker Oats business in Canada.
Under the agreement, the Quaker Oats business will provide three years of funding to the U of S Crop Development Centre (CDC) and Plant Sciences Department for oat research and development.
“This partnership enables the CDC to more quickly and efficiently develop disease-resistant, higher-yielding varieties and improved oat production practices,” says CDC Managing Director Dorothy Murrell.
This funding represents a major increase to the current significant support the U of S program has had from the Quaker Oats business. The support from the Quaker Oats business is unique in Canada, having provided a continuous flow of funding to the U of S oat research and development program for more than 30 years.
The new funding will go toward hiring research technicians, training summer and graduate students, and expanding the U of S program into new oat pathology and genomic research areas. These new activities build on the U of S’s history of outstanding oat research, notably in the area of variety development with very high milling quality for the oat food market.
“Oat research and development, especially the development of varieties well-adapted to western Canadian growing conditions, is critical to our long-term success,” says Tom Hare, Vice-President responsible for Research and Development for Pepsi-QTG Canada. “The Quaker Oats brand enjoys a reputation as one of the world’s most trusted brands, and this kind of research contributes to our ongoing ability to deliver a superior product to our consumers.”
Pepsi-QTG Canada is a division of PepsiCo Canada and is dedicated to providing superior oat products to the marketplace.
U of S professor and CDC oat breeder Brian Rossnagel echoes that it is important to work together with Western Canadian oat industry players.
“It’s extremely important that we work together with Western Canadian oat industry players,” says CDC oat breeder Brian Rossnagel. “The feedback and support we receive from our research partners and supporters such as Pepsi-QTG Canada is critical to future planning and the success of our oat research and breeding programs. We are extremely proud that Pepsi-QTG Canada has chosen our program as their flagship oat R&D partner for North America and look forward to this long relationship continuing for many years to come.”
While the Quaker Oats business remains the major industry supporter of the U of S oat R&D program, core support for the program comes from Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and the U of S, while other critical support comes from the Saskatchewan Oat Development Commission, CanOat Milling, Grain Millers, SuperOats Canada and FarmPure Genetics.
Established within the U of S Plant Sciences Department in 1971, the CDC is a nationally renowned centre of excellence in crop research. The CDC seeks to increase diversification of crops and their products for the farmers and agriculture industry of Saskatchewan by improving existing crops, creating new uses for traditional crops, and developing new crops.
Located in the heart of Saskatoon, the U of S is one of the leading medical doctoral universities in Canada. With 58 degrees, diplomas and certificates in over 100 areas of study, the University is uniquely positioned in the areas of human, animal and plant studies. World-class research facilities, renowned faculty and award-winning students make the U of S a leader in post-secondary education.
For more information, please contact:
Brian Rossnagel
Professor and Oat & Barley Breeder
Crop Development Centre
University of Saskatchewan
51 Campus Dive
Saskatoon SK S7N 5A8
(306) 966-4976
http://www.usask.ca/agriculture/plantsci/cdc.html
or
A. Bruce Roskens
Senior Manager - Ag Research and Commodity Development
PepsiCo Beverages and Foods
555 West Monroe Suite 12-13
Chicago, Illinois 60661
312-821-2952
312-821-1156 fax
July 09, 2008
New Leadership for Canadian Light Source Board of Directors
Posted July 09, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 9, 2008
2008-07-02-OTHER
One of Canada’s leading innovators has been elected Chair of the Board of Directors of Canadian Light Source Inc. (CLSI), Canada’s national synchrotron research facility. Rafik Loutfy, Director of McMaster University’s Xerox Centre for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation, assumed his duties on June 24, 2008.
Loutfy, who has served as Vice Chair since February 2007, succeeds former national science adviser Arthur Carty as Chair. Mark Sutton, Ernest Rutherford Professor of Physics at McGill University, was elected Vice Chair.
“I am very honoured to accept this leadership role for Canada’s synchrotron,” says Loutfy. “The Canadian Light Source is a key driver in the continued development of science and innovation in this country.”
Loutfy has over 30 years of experience as a research, development, business and strategic leader with the Xerox Corporation, where he served in various management positions, culminating with the post of corporate officer and Vice President of the Xerox Research Centre of Canada. He is the inaugural holder of the Walter G. Booth Chair for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation at McMaster, and earned a Ph.D. from the University of Western Ontario and an MBA from the University of Toronto. He also holds more than 40 patents and published more than 168 articles. Loutfy joined the CLSI Board of Directors in 2006.
Professor Mark Sutton has over 25 years of experience as a synchrotron researcher, using X-rays to probe changes in the structure of matter over time, at nanometer length scales and with time resolutions of fractions of a second. He has been involved in the design and construction of experimental facilities at synchrotrons in the United States, and has served on the CLSI Board of Directors since 2004. He earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Toronto.
The Canadian Light Source is Canada’s national centre for synchrotron research. Located at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, the CLS is a powerful tool for academic and industrial research in a wide variety of areas including environmental science, natural resources and energy, health and life sciences, and information and communications technology. CLS operations are funded by the Government of Canada, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, National Research Council of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Government of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan. For more information: www.lightsource.ca/media/quickfacts.php.
-30-
Note: Photos of Professors Loutfy and Sutton are available from Matthew Dalzell.
For more information contact:
Matthew Dalzell
Communications Coordinator
Canadian Light Source Inc
University of Saskatchewan
Ph: (306) 657-3739 Cell: (306) 227-0978
matthew.dalzell@lightsource.ca
July 03, 2008
U of S-led Team Designs "Immune Buildings" to Combat Chemical Warfare and Diseases
Posted July 03, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 3, 2008
2008-07-01-ENG
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) have opened a new engineering lab to design a ventilation system that could protect schools, hospitals, and other public buildings from chemical warfare and bioterrorist attacks.
“Think of it as a complex fire alarm for industrial chemical spills, airborne diseases, and biological warfare strikes on vulnerable public spaces,” says engineering dean and lead researcher Janusz Kozinski.
“Whether an emergency starts with a terrorist’s biowarfare assault or a contagious disease seeping through a hospital’s air ducts, time is of the essence,” adds Kozinski. “This system promises to give citizens and emergency workers in these scenarios the extra seconds they need to respond before it’s too late.”
The Early Warning and Response system (eWAR) addresses what Kozinski views as major threats to public safety — the release of noxious chemicals and bio-agents into public buildings either accidentally through industrial spills or purposely through bioterrorist assaults that target ventilation systems. It could also address the threat of outbreaks by detecting diseases, such as chickenpox and tuberculosis, before they spread through a hospital’s air vents.
The new lab-scale set-up includes a model Heat Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system that runs different simulations of potential building contamination scenarios. Using the model HVAC system, Kozinski and his colleagues will further investigate how humidity, air pressure, wind, and temperature influence the spread of noxious fumes and biochemical agents.
The lab’s research will help determine how eWAR can both filter harmful agents out of the air and activate warnings when airborne contaminants reach a critical density. In its current design, eWAR quickly notifies building residents about potential threats and conserves energy by only activating in times of potential crisis.
“We are expanding the scope of eWAR applications to cover a wider base of situations that may affect civilian populations, such as the spread of influenza, anthrax, or nerve agent sarin,” says Andre Dascal, a McGill University associate professor of medicine, microbiology, and immunology collaborating on the project.
Once fully developed, eWAR is expected to fill a gap in the bio-defence marketplace, where maintaining bio-security in public buildings is not economically feasible using current technologies. An integrated eWAR system could make detecting the myriad chemicals and bio-agents part of normal security procedures, essentially creating “immune buildings.”
“Shopping malls, government facilities, and commercial buildings are all waiting for a system like eWAR to give first responders enough time to evacuate people from public places before they are exposed to dangerous chemicals and biohazards,” says Suzanne L. Lebel, Chairman of Alert B & C. “As partners in the eWAR project, we will use our TRAKERTM instruments to rapidly detect and identify harmful agents.”
The eWAR project is a research consortium formed by the U of S, McGill University, Concordia University, the Biotechnology Research Institute, the Directorate of Public Health of Montreal, UV-Sterisource, and ALERT B & C.
Located in the heart of Saskatoon, the U of S is one of the leading medical doctoral universities in Canada. With 58 degrees, diplomas and certificates in over 100 areas of study, the University is uniquely positioned in the areas of human, animal and plant studies. World-class research facilities, renowned faculty and award-winning students make the U of S a leader in post-secondary education.
-30-
Cameron Zimmer
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2427
cam.zimmer@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
