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 Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation is partnering with the University of Alberta’s Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology to form the Canadian Critical Drug Initiative. The initiative will help take latest scientific pharmaceutical insights from the lab to the marketplace. A new program by Boyle Street Community Services is trying to steer people away from consuming non-beverage alcohol, like Listerine or hand sanitizer. A study led by U of A pediatrics professor Michael Hawkes found that respiratory virus infections follow a predictable seasonal pattern. Hawkes found that infections peak in January and bottom out in June, with the peaks being worse every second year. The latest drug poisoning numbers from the province show that Alberta is on track to see its deadliest year ever for opioid deaths. There were 1,026 deaths between January and August, up from 856 during the same period last year. A new research project led by U of A professor Daniel Baumgart hopes to use Alberta’s electronic medical record system to deliver specialized care for people living with inflammatory bowel disease. Events Nov. 3-4: Women & Children’s Health Research Institute Research Day 2021 Nov. 3, 2pm: Advancing generative health services for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples Nov. 3, 4pm: Data Privacy and Liability in Medical Imaging AI Nov. 5, 8am: Medicine Grand Rounds – Vaccine safety surveillance in the time of COVID-19 pandemic Nov. 8, 8:30am: Reaping the benefits of childhood cancer treatment without all the risks Nov. 17: Defeating Diabetes Nov. 25: Lougheed College Lectures hosts Dr. Lorne Tyrrell Dec. 2-5: University Hospital Foundation’s Festival of Trees Dec. 10-11: Reimagining Public Spaces and Built Environments in the Post-pandemic World Dec. 15: Community Now! Magazine’s 4th Annual Mental Health 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