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. 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 Here are some highlights from this week’s Health Innovation Roundup: Headlines Outdated legislation and a culture of risk avoidance are standing in the way of using the power of data in the health sector, writes Reg Joseph, CEO of Health Cities. “The adoption of artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML), and other data techniques on the vanguard of technology would enable us to be smarter and timelier in how and where we deploy resources, so that we reduce costs and improve health outcomes,” he said. Clinical Trials Alberta published a case study on Applied Pharmaceutical Innovations (API) and its efforts to help industry partners overcome the logistical barriers on the path to taking a drug or device to market. You can hear more from API’s Andrew MacIsaac on Startup TNT‘s 5-Minute Friday. The Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii) shone a spotlight on Ali Habib and Dr. Sharmin Habib, co-founders of Umay, which uses AI to help people find the digital rest they need. Ruth co-founder Anka Chan spoke to Global News Morning about her company’s development of disposable and biodegradable menstrual pads. Jane Yardley’s diabetes research is investigating the impact exercise has on post-menopausal women with Type 1 diabetes. Yardley is one of the 160 researchers supported by the Alberta Women’s Health Foundation through the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute. “I’m a firm believer that to prevent frailty in older adults with Type 1 diabetes, we need to encourage resistance exercise,” she told Folio. “It’s one of the best ways to stave off muscle loss and bone density loss, but there are literally no studies to date on the risks of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) for this population.” DrugBank has been recognized as one of the best workplaces for women. Since opening in August 2021, Edmonton’s New Canadians Health Centre has provided care to almost 700 refugees through an innovative cross-sectoral partnership of academics, settlement agencies, health-care providers, and the provincial government. The centre’s goal is to improve the well-being of refugees through culturally and linguistically appropriate health-care delivery, reports Folio. Ceapro has signed a long-term supply and distribution agreement with German-based Symrise AG. Symrise will purchase minimum annual volumes of Ceapro’s high-value active ingredients for distribution and commercialization. Events March 17, 3:30pm: Startup TNT Life Sciences Investment Summit Finale Until March 17: Minogue Medical’s da Vinci Roadshow on robotic surgery March 22, 12pm: Case Study: Sharing Complex Health System Data with Reg Joseph of Health Cities March 22, 12:30pm: BioAlberta 2022 Policy Forum and 2021 Awards Gala March 30-31: IoT North Conference May 24-27: Amii’s AI Week June 1-3: Inventures conference in Calgary and online 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