Health Innovation Roundup

 

The Health Innovation Roundup, sponsored by Health Cities, 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.

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Here are some highlights from this week’s Health Innovation Roundup:

Headlines

• • • • DynaLife will perform about 65% of lab work in the province as of July 1, after winning a contract to take over from Alberta Precision Laboratories. It will operate facilities in Edmonton, Leduc, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, and St. Albert, among other cities. Public Interest Alberta criticized the move.
      • Alberta Innovates is investing $1.25 million in three research projects at the University of Alberta and two at the University of Calgary looking to tackle chronic wasting disease. This disease is both progressive and fatal, and it spreads via prion proteins in the brain that infect wild and farmed animals.
      • PRIMED Medical Products, which produces disposable medical products such as masks and gloves, was pleased to be listed on Alberta’s Top Employer list for 2022. During the pandemic, the company produced nearly a billion masks for Canada. “All of this required a heroic effort on the part of our entire staff,” president and CEO David Welsh said in a press release. “We’ve never lived our purpose to a fuller extent than we did during COVID-19.”
      • The University of Alberta dropped one place to sixth on the list of Canada’s Top 50 Research Universities 2021. The University of Calgary, which was sixth last year, jumped ahead of it to fifth place.
      • BioTalent Canada and BioAlberta have launched the PetriDish BioAlberta job board, designed to give Alberta employers in the bio-economy sector an easy way to scout and attract talent.
      • The Edmonton node of Emerging Health Leaders is inviting applications for membership or renewal.
      • The University of Alberta’s Health Innovation Hub — a community incubator for innovators and entrepreneurs — is asking for feedback on its rebranding efforts.
      • Carly Neis, an actor with cerebral palsy, and Laurel Carter, an event planner with visual impairment, launched a new show called Disabled as Folk. The podcast uses humour and experience to educate listeners on disability.
      • Data from the University of Calgary’s Centre for Health Informatics show that the average amount of COVID-19 detected in wastewater readings in Edmonton has decreased since a peak on Jan. 3. Alberta reported 1,585 COVID-19 patients in hospital as of Feb. 2, and more than 100 in ICU.
      • The Institute for Health Economics is accepting expressions of interest for the Life Science Market Access Program until March 1.

Events

• Feb. 3: Improving the discovery of novel drugs with artificial intelligence
• Feb. 3, 4pm: Virtual Expedition: Cardiac Care, part of Heart Month
• Feb. 3, 4:30pm: Top 20 Pitch Night for the Life Sciences Investment Summit
• Feb. 7, 10am: Thrive in Life: Enjoying Post Cancer Happiness – Edmonton
• Feb. 12, 10:30am: Free STI Screening Clinic at Aurora Social Club
• Feb. 15 and 16: 2022 Digital Law Forum
• Feb. 24: University Hospital Foundation’s Heart Pledge Day on Up! 99.3, a fundraising opportunity to support the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute
• Feb. 25, 7pm: Free Naloxone Training
• March 17: Startup TNT Life Sciences Investment Summit
• March 30-31: IoT North Conference
• May 24-27: Amii’s AI Week

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