The Health Innovation Roundup, sponsored by Health City, is written and published weekly by Taproot Edmonton to bring you the latest news and events in research, technology, companies and people changing health for the better in Edmonton. Sign up to get the full edition delivered directly to your inbox. Use the code HEALTHCITY & you’ll get 10% off the first year. Here are some highlights from this week’s Health Innovation Roundup: Headlines Alberta is now offering CAR T-cell cancer therapy. In Edmonton, U of A oncology researcher Michael Chu is leading a new clinical trial to manufacture and test locally produced CAR T-cells for treating leukemia and lymphoma. New U of A research aims to develop an AI-based screening tool that could help doctors diagnose mental health issues more accurately. Edmonton-based Translational Research in Oncology (TRIO) announced the completion of enrollment in its cancer clinical trial. The NATALEE trial has enrolled more than 5,000 patients in 20 countries. A newly renovated neonatal intensive care unit has opened at the Stollery Children’s Hospital. The $11.7-million ICU unit was part of a $54.7-million project to develop and expand the critical care units at the hospital. A group of Alberta-based organizations, led by Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation (API), are calling on the government to create a facility that would handle packaging vaccines and other medications to address drug shortages in Canada, reported CBC News. “It could end up being a challenge for the province as they try to move through what is essentially a year and a half of backlog of surgeries,” said API CEO Andrew MacIsaac. Health City CEO Reg Joseph has been appointed to the board of governors of MacEwan University, said Joseph on Twitter. Edmonton startup Drugbank has expanded coverage to seven additional regions, including Austria, Colombia, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Thailand, and Turkey. CEO Michael Wilson said the company’s pharmaceutical knowledge base “allows new customers around the world better access to Drugbank product offerings and helps existing customers grow into new markets.” An Edmonton family has launched a new medical scholarship after one member received a double lung transplant, made possible by the Ex-Vivo Organ Support System (EVOSS) developed at the U of A. The Doug Hallett Graduate Scholarship will provide $2,000 annually to a U of A student. The U of A has ranked among the top 100 universities in the world. The university’s research performance ranked 83rd globally, according to the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) 2020-21 rankings. The University of Alberta Health Hub and Accelerator (UAHA) is hiring an innovation and entrepreneurship manager. Current manager Sandra Spencer is leaving her position at the UAHA after almost two years, she announced on LinkedIn. Edmonton Global is hosting an online event about leveraging AI for drug discovery on May 11. Events April 28, 12:30pm: Pediatric Research Day April 29, 11am: AI Enabled Care April 29-May 20 (Thursday): Pandemic End Game: Implications for Patients and Public Health April 30, 8:30am: Alberta Respiratory Centre’s First Annual Education Update May 4, 9:30am: Impacts of COVID-19 on Women’s Mental Health and Substance Use May 4, 18 & June 1: Celebrating 100 Years of Insulin Seminar Series May 6, 9am: ML Foundations by Amii May 6, 12pm: Neonatal infection and antimicrobial use—can we agree to disagree? May 10-14: UAlberta Innovation Showcase May 11, 8am: Leveraging AI for Drug Discovery May 12-June 2 (Wednesday): Diabetes Updates – From Guidelines to Practice May 18-19: Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia International Symposium May 18 & June 15, 11am: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Grand Rounds May 27: DNA testing in pregnancy June 22-24: Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology/Gairdner Virtual Virology Symposium Sept. 22-24: Inventures 2021 Startup Pitch Event Have a suggestion for a future edition? Send it to hello@taprootedmonton.ca for consideration. Become a “Roundup Cultivator” and sponsor Taproot Edmonton to help them chronicle health innovation in Edmonton. Learn more