Golden Horseshoe Biosciences Network Blog

Getting Creative with Twitter

2010-10-05T09:51:00.001-04:00

I have been given a challenge. Both GHBN and Campus helper need thirty more followers by the end of the week. I have decided to come up with a fun and innovative way to do this, blogging. I'm hoping that this blog post will help get me some followers! Instead of following people who promise to follow back, then unfollowing them seconds after, I thought that I would get creative, because who doesn't love when someone gets creative?

http://twitter.com/ghbiosciences

http://twitter.com/campushelper

Twitter 101

2010-09-29T10:01:00.005-04:00

Hey there it's Renee. As a teenager of generation Y I am supposed to be the leading, most cutting edge and tech savvy. I am suppposed to be able to navigate through any social networking site with ease but, like many, I'm still learning. Here is my journey to becoming a social networking/ marketing guru.

One of the most innovative marketing tool today, is social networking. Many businesses are seeking out people to, get this, blog all day about what the company is doing. A dream job for many teenagers has now become a reality. Big time companies need people to make their company or product famous over the web, and there are so many social networking sites that can do this. My task is to master Twitter, sounds simple enough, but this growing fad is changing every single day. I'm here to help you discover the best marketing options using Twitter.

Follow my Twitter turmoils and give me feed back.

http://twitter.com/ghbiosciences

http://twitter.com/campushelper

Renee.

New Recruit at GHBN

2010-09-22T09:27:00.007-04:00

Hey there, my name is Renee and I'm the new co-op student at GHBN. I've been brought to GHBN to learn all about the business world as well as getting a feel for the bioscience aspect. I'm not a major in bio but I've always been interested in biology from the courses I've taken in high school and am fortunate enough to have this opportunity. I started my placement just last week and have been hurdled into a new environment with some pretty cool responsibilities and freedoms. So don't mind me as I try to get a feel for the corporate world!

Lucky for me it's National Biotech Week! (http://www.imagenenation.ca/)

Just yesterday GHBN helped host an Innovation Breakfast which is usually held on the second Tuesday of every month but got moved to accommodate the special occasion. It was my first ever networking project, scary I know, but I enjoyed it immensely. The speaker at yesterday’s breakfast was Dr. Yousef Haj-Ahmad who created a Canadian based company called Norgen Biotek Corp. (http://www.norgenbiotek.com). What the company does is it creates kits to isolate specific substances from a sample, such as DNA or proteins from a blood sample. These kits are bought for academic purposes by universities all over North America such as McGill, Yale and even McMaster, as well as many organizations outside of Canada such as the FBI. Makes me proud to be Canadian.

Currently the company has over 70 different types of kits to be used for research as well as different purposes and that number is thought to go up to 95 at years end. Norgen Biotek is on the cutting edge of quality and has new innovations that other companies lack.

Now you may be asking why does a high school student find this so interesting? Well I love CSI (http://bit.ly/f6wbG) and I love learning about genetics, DNA and anything to do with bio, so being able to see something, a product that is real and does real things with real research and real people behind it, instead of seeing an actor act out what's supposed to happen and not what's actually taking place, well that's pretty cool!

So check out National Biotech Week, find an event and learn something new. I know I have and I look forward to sitting in and listening at the next Innovation Breakfast.

~Renee

The Endless Possibilities at OCE

2010-05-26T08:31:00.005-04:00

Hey everyone,

On May 17th and 18th , GHBN was at the OCE Discovery located in Toronto. OCE Discovery is an entrepreneurs dream. There was over 350 exhibits containing loads of information and new developing devices, along with dozens of executive and CEO business people; even Steve W ozniak the co-founder of Apple had something to say!

Other then the complimentary meals, thousands of free Ferrero Rocher chocolates and an open bar, OCE Discovery had one thing most events nowadays can't produce - opportunity. The ability to network with other people was outrageous, everywhere you turned there was someone with a product that interested you, whether it had to do with electric cars, blackberry's, 4-D images, plants or even pitch competitions to learn about new innovative technologies.

Here are the three things that I felt were most enjoyable at the OCE Discovery:

First, without a doubt I would have to say that the Brain Computer Interface presented by the Algoma University was outstanding. This is a device that can connect the human brain to the computer. That's right, I was writing words using my brain, specifically my thoughts. I remember watching this device on 60 minutes with my family and having to pick up my jaw after because of the vast capabilities! You can watch the same episode of 60 minutes that I did at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUR7lL3vlT0 . I was all set up with that device, and wrote the word "BRAIN", making only one mistake which is pretty good considering all the background noise, people, music etc.

Second, I enjoyed watching the numerous pitch competitions that the OCE Discovery was holding. There was everything from elevator pitches, to standard pitches to even business pitches - there were a lot of pitchers. Pitches are extremely informative about new and innovative technologies that are soon to come and show that the newest generation is going to raise the benchmark for astonishing technological developments.

Lastly, I would have to say that listening to Steve Wozniak was an amazing experience. Listening to the co-founder of an almost gazillion dollar company (Apple) was awesome! He talked about everything from how to not make your business flop, to how to select the name for your company. Currently Steve is working with a new company Fusion- IO, so stay tuned for information about them!

Sal

The one…the only…the “BIO”

2010-04-29T09:41:00.004-04:00

In today’s society, Biotechnology is everything. Biotechnology has been around from the time people planted their own crops and breed their own animals for the first time, to today’s society which has lead to the advanced splicing lengths of DNA from one specie and placing it into another. These biological advancements are developing everyday and provide for the science behind almost everything that is used in society.

For the last seventeen years BIO has been rapidly developing, offering its tradeshow services to over 60 countries worldwide! BIO allows you to contract your company with others, partner with companies and even provides imperative presentations from global industry leaders that will provide knowledgeable information for you and your company. Networking is the most important aspect of BIO because you are allowed to exploit the services and information of the over 15 000 people that will be there!

This year, BIO is located in Chicago from May 3 – 6 (Monday to Thursday). If interested, you can register at http://convention.bio.org/register/.

Sal

Where will our youth take us? - Mentoring a Coop Student - A 2010 Update

2010-04-15T10:47:00.006-04:00

Hello Everyone, Justin Here.

I know I havent written on this blog in awhile, but that's because GHBN received its COOP student back in February.

His name is Sal Macaluso, and you've probably been reading some of his Blog posts, including 100% Pure...eh? and Olympians...Genetic Geeks?GHBN has been getting a LOT of good feedback from its partners and colleagues about the social aspect of the GHBN website. We've been able to take advantage of our website by always posting new information while our Blog and Twitter page is getting fresh eyes, and it's all thanks to our Grade 11 COOP student Sal.

The Hamilton Industry Education Council continues to take a strong role in organizing COOP placements, and we even had a small interview session yesterday to discuss Sal's progress. Potentially it will be in the Hamilton Spectator, so get ready to see our names in the coming month :)

Sal has been an integral part of another project as well as working at GHBN. He has become an ambassador for a new Start Up company called Campus Helper. More news on this company will be in a future post in the coming weeks. Till then, you can check out the website here: www.campushelper.ca; and the Twitter here: www.twitter.com/campushelper

We hope to update you all on Sal's continuing progress soon. Till then, keep reading our Blog and Twitter to know What's New in the Bioscience area.

Engineers on top of the world

2010-04-04T15:03:00.001-04:00

“There are some very interesting ones this year and I think there is the possibility for commercialization, definitely.”
--Mohamed Bakr, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering

Dr. Bakr’s talking about the projects by more than 200 students in electrical, computer, and biomedical engineering programs, work that starts in the fall and can take up to eight months. Some of these projects originated in his Engineering Design course.

So, engineers say they rule the world? Head over to the McMaster student centre on Tuesday and get in on this little conceit. You’ll see projects that feature wireless devices that ‘talk’ to biomedical implants, heart-smart clothes that offer ECG readouts, a hovering robot. Or how about blinds that control lights and temperature, a sleepy-driver detection system, and an automated sorter for recyclables? Demos -- or at least cool posters -- of more than 50 projects in all.

The day starts at 9 a.m. at the CIBC Hall, third floor. It’s all about innovation, engineering-design creations, and the top three even score some cash: on Tuesday, six judges -- including two from RIM in Waterloo -- will assess the entries and give the top three $500 awards. Some entries might even go to market. This year, one group of participating fourth-year students is among five finalists in a North American innovative design contest involving Altera Corporation. Their Big Idea is on-screen 3D imagery that uses two cameras. Three years ago, I wrote about the CPRGlove team, whose entry went on to national competitions and later grabbed sales in the cardiac-products market.

100% Pure...eh?

2010-04-01T09:51:00.014-04:00

Take a wild guess! No wait, let me give you some hints. Smells amazing. Taste ravishing. 100% Pure. It’s beneficial for your health. And best of all – it’s MADE IN CANADA (you don’t hear that often eh?). Any guesses?

Canadian 100% Maple Syrup is on its way up to one of the healthiest natural products for the human body!

There are many interesting and new facts to prove that PURE maple syrup has more than twenty anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, anti-diabetic and a variety of antioxidant properties. Pure maple syrup is used as a remedy for ailments, including flu, stomach aches, high blood pressure and cholesterol. It contains high levels of zinc, thiamine, calcium and manganese which can all help to assist in heart health and boosting the immune system.

Although pure maple syrup usually costs a significant amount more compared to the average “table syrup”, we can emphasize the fact that only pure Canadian Maple Syrup contains these astonishing results. It's important to remember that “table syrups” or “pancake syrups” that you see at the local grocery store do not have the same health benefits. We see a lot of similar confusion with the health claims of Chocolate or Red Wine; let's not make a similar misconception with Pure Canadian Maple Syrup - it has to be straight out of the maple tree.

Many companies are starting to show interest in Maple Syrup because it's getting it's time in the limelight. One such company is Natunola (TSX-V:NHI), a company out of Ottawa with a focus on health food products (specifically flax seed). They had a recent press release on their production of a low glycemic index maple syrup which you can read here.

As a side note, even our recent Quick Pitch Competition at McMaster Innovation Park had two students from Guelph University (one of which was Allison Walker) produce a liquor which contains genuine Canadian Maple Syrup in order to provide satisfaction to both taste and health. They walked away with a hundred dollar monetary prize for Honourable Mention.

Just like they used to say (or will say..) :

"One shot of maple syrup liquor a day, keeps the doctor away!"

Sal

Say Bye to The Stethoscope And "Hello" to Your Smartphone!

2010-03-15T08:58:00.015-04:00

Hey everyone,

Recently I have developed an obsession with TED talks. If you don't know what they are, TED is a small nonprofit organization that is devoted to ideas worth spreading. No, TED isn't the name of the founder, it actually stands for, Technology, Entertainment, Design. One TED talk really grabbed my attention and it was named, "The Wireless Future of Medicine" presented by Eric Topol. This TED talk dealt with many state of the art technological advancements in our medical industry and new developments in the future.

Do you know when the stethoscope was invented? Correct. 1816. Almost 200 years ago, and we still use it today. Sure, it's "true and tested" and "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" but how about some new flashier devices that are more efficient, accurate and effective? For example, how about using a hand held (the size of a smartphone) ultrasound, which is classified as the "stethoscope of the 21st century." This device can provide an internal view of your organs, systems, and even capture the developing fetus and all of their movements. Not only does this amazing device provide visual wows, it also provides you with cold hard data - your vitals signs.

Talk about neat eh?

A new personal EGG was also created. The average person spends about 1/3 of their life sleeping, why not have a snap shot of how you're doing? This device is exactly like a headband and it accurately calculates the amount of rem sleep, deep sleep, light sleep and many other specific vitals combined with your age to calculate exactly how well you're sleeping! The best part is, all of the information can be transferred to your iPhone or smartphone and can be monitored from there!

Lastly, 1 in every 20 Canadians are affected by diabetes. Now a tiny sensor can be placed just under your skin which has continuous recording so that you always have a valid reading and you never dip above or below what your blood sugar should be at. This is especially beneficial for people with diabetes that are playing sports and the elderly because their blood sugars are constantly fluctuating.

Medical technological advancements are here to stay. They are efficient, accurate and provide more and more information so that the user has a constant reading of exactly how they are doing. The greatest advantage is that we will be able to use our smartphones in order to monitor our vital signs and chronic conditions.

I don't know about you, but when it comes to looking at my vital signs, I'd rather be walking around with my iPhone in my hands, then a stethoscope in my ears!

Sal

Olympians...Genetic Geeks?

2010-03-01T09:28:00.007-05:00

Hey everyone,

As you all know, the Olympics just ended yesterday night after Canada's amazing 3-2 win over USA in the Men's Hockey Finals. It was very intense and I am ecstatic that Canada came out with the win! Canada finished the Olympics with 14 gold medals (Olympic high), 7 silver medals and 5 bronze medals. Congratulations to all who have won and good luck in 2014!

Have you ever wondered how an Olympian is absolutely amazing at what they do? Sure training helps, but I have to say that most Olympic athletes are simply... born an Olympian. I know this may sound bizarre and defeats the saying "practice makes perfect" but when it comes down to those milliseconds, it's either you have it or you don't.

Take the Olympic super-star Michael Phelps for example. Phelps holds a rare genetic condition called "Marfan's Syndrom." Some of the symptoms are: large wing span, long and slender fingers and toes and extreme hyper-flexibility. In comparison, Phelps has a measured arm span of 6 feet and 7 inches (absolutely astonishing!), he has a 14 shoe size, has the ability to hyper-extend his chest, and best of all - his muscles only produce 50% of the lactic acid then his body should be producing.

What about the great Usain Bolt? Bolt has considerably high calves which means that his achilles tendon is larger than the average athlete, allowing him to produce more elastic energy. Bolt also has a higher fast twitch fiber count (both "a" and "b" ) in comparison to everyone that was tested at the previous Olympics. This increases the amount of force that can be produced by his body. Usain Bolt also has insulin sensitivty. This equivaletes to Bolts ability to maintain a low percentage of body fat without his hormonal expression being compromised!

Although these Olympians stand out quite well, many famous sports stars are also genetic super heroes. Andy Roddick (tennis star) can arch his back 44% farther then the average person, Jeff Gordon (the Nascar superstar) has a reaction time of 270ms compared to the average person of 300ms and lastly, Mia Homes (a soccer star) produces half as much sweat compared to the average soccer player.

Many of these traits demonstrate that the genetic composition of a person relays what their abilities can be. Not everyone is built for running the 100m in 9.7 seconds, but if you can, thank your fast twitch fibers "a" and "b" and pray that the person flying in the lane right next to you isn't a genetic geek like yourself!

Sal

The Olympics and Beyond

2010-02-18T08:40:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone,

My name is Sal, and I am happy to say that I am the newest member at GHBN (through co-op). I will be blogging here regularly and I am hoping to revamp and consistently update this section of the website! I just wanted to let you all know that GHBN is a wonderful organization that strives to help everyone and contains an excellent work environment.

As you all know, the Winter Olympics had begun not to long ago on February the 12th. It began with the opening ceremony as usual, and let me tell you it was amazing! Viewing the opening ceremony this time around is a once in a generation opportunity. According to John Furlong who carries the hefty title of being, Chief executive Officer of the Vancouver Olympics Organization, "the opening ceremony is [the] biggest chance to speak to a global audience and tell the story of a contemporary Canada that will inspire the world" - and that is exactly what it did.

If you did not see it, here is a brief overview of the opening ceremony itinerary: the National Anthem, welcome of the First Nations, Athlete tribute song, Landscape of a dream (absolutely amazing), Song of Peace, entry of the Olympic flag, and it ended with the lighting of the cauldron. Although it was a once in a lifetime viewing opportunity, it came with a hefty price tag of 40 million dollars. This only added to the estimated price of the Winter Olympics which is just under 6 billion dollars.

Canada is ranked 5th place at the moment with 2 gold 3 silver and 1 bronze medals. Stay posted for more Olympic information!

Thanks,
Sal

Entrepreneurship 101 - Series Opening a Success

2009-10-22T15:53:00.004-04:00

Hello Everyone,

Apologies once again for the lack of posting on the GHBN blog. I just wanted to let everyone know that the recent Entrepreneurship 101 lecture was a great success. We got just over 100 participants, and the speaker Rafik Loutfy did an excellent job in opening the series with his lecture on “How Can I change the world” - Disruptive Innovation. The lecture will be available on the series website soon.

We've been hearing some great responses from people who attended the event. Our next lecture will be Wednesday, November 4, 2009 and it will be featuring Alexander Manu.

Alexander Manu is a strategic innovation practitioner, international lecturer and author. He works with executive teams in Fortune 500 companies in industries as diverse as consumer packaged goods, media, advertising, mobile communications and manufacturing. Alexander lectures around the world on innovation, imagination, change agents and strategic foresight. He is a Senior Partner and Chief Imaginator at InnoSpa International Partners, teaches “Innovation, Foresight and Business Design” at the Rotman School of Management , and is a Professor at the Ontario College of Art and Design and in Toronto.

This lecture will for sure prove to be an interesting one. Registration will be up asap. Keep watching the http://www.businessinnovation.ca/entrepreneurship101/ website for updates!

You can follow them on Twitter and Facebook as well.

See you at the next event. Don't forget your pen and paper!

Justin

Where will our youth take us? - Mentoring a Coop Student

2009-07-09T11:10:00.010-04:00

Hello everyone. So I once again apologize for the lack of updating on this blog. GHBN has been going through some pretty interesting changes, and its been a lot of work trying to keep up with everything on our plate while going through our transition.

So for those of you who know me, I am GHBN's research analyst and communications officer. I just wanted to write a quick post today because recently GHBN has decided to hire a Co-op student to add to our team.

I personally never even thought of doing such a thing until I attended a breakfast meeting run by the Industry Education Council of Halton and I have to say I was REALLY impressed. Co-op placement has taken a great leap around this region and we have recently been working with the Hamilton Industry Education Council and the experience has been great so far.

I had a meeting with an individual who explained the process clearly and she gave me a lot of information about the program and how it could benefit the student, and also our organization. What's the next step? Easy. After you've registered yourself online at Employer Registry you get a call from an IEC representative, and then you create your first opportunity description online. The process is VERY easy. There are a lot of resources to help you create your placement description HERE

If you're looking to mentor a student, allowing them to get a head start in their career choice, while also getting things done with your work that you otherwise just can't fit in your schedule, then I suggest you give this idea a chance. The process is simple, and the people at the Industry Education Council are great and very efficient in what they do.

We will update you on our selection, and hopefully our new member will be able to post more frequently on this blog (^_^)

Cheers,

Justin

Money Makes the World Go Round

2009-06-08T16:30:00.000-04:00

Hello readers. This is Justin of GBHN here. I apologize for the lack of posting on the GHBN blog. We here at GHBN have been to our necks with work, and its only getting busier with the changes that the Ministry of Research and Innovation (MRI) sees in ours, and the other Regional Innovation Network (RIN), mandates.

We see promise in these changes, and a way for us to become a better contributor to the region's entrepreneurs and SMEs. But, of course, this will cost money, and with times like these, it seems money is the 'make or break' or most government organizations. Well it's the make or break of ANY organization.

Now, enter eHealth Ontario. Recent news has covered the agonizingly shameful scandal of eHealth Ontario President and CEO Sarah Kramer.

A few article links for you:
National Post
CBC News
Toronto Sun

If you're like me, it's near impossible to swallow news like this. In a time of financial struggle and a need for true leaders, we are given the corrupt and greedy to take the spots of power. We simply cannot afford this right now. When the time comes for a true need for eHealth, what are we going to be left with?

Here are some quotes from those articles above. I've left out some financial allegations made in the articles, but I suggest you give them a glance, especially the ones in the Toronto Sun...it hurt my wallet to read it:

"...Other provinces are ahead of Ontario in producing records although so far they have spent less money..." - Toronto Sun

"...The contracts engaged by eHealth Ontario have been under increasing scrutiny..." - CBC News

This is an excerpt of an individual on the CBC News comment forum hit me pretty hard:

"...I spent the entire day today meeting with teenagers that are pregnant who can not afford to eat, administering to them $10.00 food vouchers through a government assisted program that simply can not afford to provide more due to the lack of budget and here we have Sarah Kramer taking a $114,000. Bonus after simply being on the job for a short while..."

FYI: eHealth Ontario Salary Sheet - See it Here

Ok. So time to play devils advocate again. I'm sure eHealth does have a lot of hardworkers trying to establish Electronic Health Records (EHR) in Ontario, but when your CEO is caught shelling out YOUR money as a tax payer, there is a massive loss of confidence in your government and those running it. Its up to eHealth Ontario to win it back, but with the summer soon approaching, lets hope that it doesn't find itself burried under summer vacation plans.

That is essentially my rant for now. I hope to be able to update the GHBN blog more readily, and I still look forward to meeting anyone that would like to write their own ideas here as well. I will also update you on any changes in the GHBN mandate that should be progressing in the coming months.

Cheers,

Justin

Bridgeross Books on McMaster Espresso Machine

2009-06-08T14:33:00.002-04:00

Bridgeross Communications, a specialty publisher located in Dundas, Ontario, is pleased to have the opportunity to make its titles available to customers within minutes on the McMaster Bookstore Espresso Machine.

Described as an ATM for books and named "invention of the year" in 2007 by Time Magazine, the EBM was developed by On Demand Books. It provides book lovers with instantly printed books in a matter of minutes. And, the technology helps save massive amounts of CO2 emissions, eliminates returns and the destruction of unsold books. Books can be printed when required at locations where requested without the need to transport long distances.

According to a 2007 study, the book sector generates an average of 8.8 pounds of carbon per book produced. Being able to help the environment is another enormous benefit of this technology according to Bridgeross president, Marvin Ross.

Bridgeross titles include: "Schizophrenia: Medicine's Mystery - Society's Shame described as “a powerful resource for anyone looking for answers and insight into the world of mental illness." in SZ Digest

The Dysfunctional Father's Guide to Pregnancy, Birth and Babies - "One of the funniest reads I've had in a while" from A Busy Mommy Blog and "I laughed my way all the way through this book, and think that it is one of the funniest books that I have seen in a long time" from an Amazon review. The Dysfunctional Father's Guide has just been recommended by The Examiner - a US national on-line newspaper at http://tinyurl.com/nssjbf

Slide in All Direction and two other mysteries/novels from the pen of Hamilton psychiatrist, David Laing Dawson. Slide has been described as a cross between Elmore Leonard and a Seinfeld episode while the Hamilton Spectator described it as “a work of fiction that's as close to reality as it gets."

Dawson's works have been highly rated by Publisher's Weekly and Quill and Quire. Dr. Dawson is a former professor of psychiatry at McMaster and was psychiatrist in chief at the former Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital now part of St. Joseph's. His other books published by Bridgeross are The Intern and Essondale.

For information about Bridgeross, visit http://www.bridgeross.com

For locations of Espresso Book Machines, visit http://www.ondemandbooks.com/our_ebm_locations.htm

GHBN - Tweeting Away

2009-05-04T09:13:00.006-04:00

GHBN has started tweeting on twitter! Start following us beginning with the Ontario Centres of Excellence Discovery 09 event. We will have Matt Thompson representing GHBN's twitter updates of the event. He will be posting notes and thoughts throughout the event. If you run into him, give him your thoughts, and they will be presented realtime on our twitter page.

If you have your own twitter page and want to join in on the conversation, make sure you use the keyword #oced09 so the link to the twitter search page has your thoughts included.

So check out our Twitter Page Here: http://twitter.com/GHBN

Also check out the realtime postings once the event starts here:
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23oced09

As always, we look forward to your input on our venture into new fields of communication. We are always looking for more bloggers, so send us a note at ghblog@ghbn.org

As history repeats itself, how are we going to react?

2009-04-03T10:41:00.005-04:00

History repeats itself. There is no doubt that our world has taken on a drastic challenge with our economic issues. Around the world people are losing their jobs, houses, and livelihood. It’s hard to imagine any good that can come of this, and the idea of everyone having to adapt to these changes is a ‘depressing’ thought to say the least. Sounds like a similar situation in our history books from school.

So what can we do? Do we sit down, watch the news, and hope for the best, crossing our fingers hoping that we will return to our happy selves and everything will be ‘OK’?

I think not. Times like these are for our forward thinkers; our innovators, inventors, and entrepreneurs. With all the accumulated negative notions for our next couple of years, let’s think about the positives. Let me play devil’s advocate for a moment and be optimistic about our ‘Economy Crisis’.

Advances in the world’s healthcare, clean technology, and other various sectors will not only become real out of opportunity but also out of necessity from our current situation.

We need to save on energy bills? Create a more efficient source of energy: Cars, fuel, light bulbs, flexible solar panels, wind turbines, etc.

Baby boomers projected to be a financial drain on our healthcare system? Incorporate Electronic Health Records (EHR), develop new medical devices, better connect your patients to your doctors, etc.

These are just two examples of sectors that will explode with innovation by creative minds compelled by change. Penicillin, the ballpoint pen, fiberglass, the jet engine; these are all inventions that came out of our ‘Great Depression’, and they are all inventions that are still used today, with obvious improvements in functionality and usage.

Realizing that we have a lot of obstacles to overcome in our time ahead, try to remember that out of chaos comes change, and with a hard enough push in the right direction, we should ready ourselves for some advancements that will better our lives in the long run.

The Golden Horseshoe Biosciences Network has begun recording their Innovation Cafes in HD quality for your viewing pleasure. Start watching NOW!

2009-03-17T12:03:00.006-04:00

Innovation Café: Art + Science = Culture (Part 1)

Innovation Café: Art + Science = Culture (Part 2)

Innovation Café: Art + Science = Culture (Part 3)

Innovation Café: Art + Science = Culture (Part 4)

Innovation Café: Art + Science = Culture (Part 5)

GHBN Bulletin Board - Get Your News Up

2009-03-05T11:07:00.018-05:00

GHBN Bulletin Board

Welcome to the GHBN Bulletin Board. Please use it to post your news, events, collaborations, or anything else you think should be communicated within our region. You can also post pictures and links back to your web site.

Below are our current categories (email info@ghbn.org for other suggestions)

Categories:

Misc.

Preventing Patents of Traditional Knowledge

2009-02-16T18:35:00.004-05:00

Its reported that India has signed an agreement with the European Patent office intended to help protect its traditional medicinal knowledge from so-called "bio-piracy".

Its alleged that at least 2000 patents have been wrongly issued for traditional Indian medical treatments largely because patent examiners could not access the prior art which was recorded in obscure languages such Sanskrit, Hindi, Arabic, Urdu and Tamil. Since the examiners could not access the information, they were unable to determine that the alleged inventions were not novel before issuing the patents.

Apparently, India has compiled a comprehensive database documenting this traditional knowledge in more accessible languages like English and has agreed to share it with the European Patent Office. A practical response to a troubling issue that has only recently emerged on the world agenda for IP reform.

Another article from The Guardian on this topic may be found here.

The Innovation Café: Some reflections from a dad in attendance

2009-02-07T11:58:00.010-05:00

A story in Thursday's Spectator talks about a just-released $2.2 million report on the "creative economy". Co-authored by Richard Florida, the report recommends Ontario prepare for a massive societal transformation on the scale of the industrial revolution. The report advises that the new economy will be driven by jobs in the creative sector: "doctors, architects, senior managers and artists" (emphasis mine).

For those of us who attended the recent Innovation Café at the Hamilton Art Gallery, this is not surprising news.

This excellent event brought together a dynamic group of presenters who already have both feet firmly planted in the fertile soil of the creative economy. Their presentations shed a lot of light on what could be a bright and shining future for Canada, for Ontario, and most importantly to me, for our region.

Why is this so important to me? Because as a commercial artist I've had the good fortune to enjoy a successful career in the creative economy in our region for the last twenty years.

My wife and I are life-long Hamiltonians and purposely chose to raise our family in the city we love. Our two sons are teenagers now and both hope to one day also find rewarding careers in the creative economy.

Duncan is 17 and applying for university. He has been apprehensive for some time now that there is little in the way of post-secondary education that speaks to his passion for music.

Dunc's "studio"

Dunc plays guitar, piano and drums, scratches records, composes, records and engineers his own music and is intensley interested in and involved with the cutting edge of music technology.

Simon (age 14) takes after his old man in his fondness for cartooning. He's a wonderfully imaginative character designer and cartoonist, loves video games and has an encyclopedic knowledge of that industry's history and latest technical and creative developments.

Duncan and Simon have spent their lives seeing how their dad makes a living as an artist, but I brought them to the Innovation Café so they could hear first-hand what others could tell them about their future opportunities.

Mac Holyoke of Pipeline Studios, Denis Dyack of Silicon Knights and Steven Brown of McMaster's NeuroArts Lab captivated us with their presentations. My sons were more than a little skeptical about attending a two-hour "lecture", but found themselves seeing for the first time that tremendous possibilities lie at our doorstep. All three gentlemen are engaged in activities that Duncan and Simon would love to be involved with. Learning about their various projects electrified my sons. Here were three adults who had found ways to make a living doing the kind of things my boys love best, combining music, art, and technology and doing it right here in our region, not in some far off, impossible to imagine location beyond their grasp.

For me, it was reassuring to hear these speakers thoughtfully answer questions from a diverse, informed, and engaged audience. The discussion ranged from the technical to the philosophical and it was clear that all three speakers were passionate about their work and introspective as well. They showed us not only the potential of the knowledge economy, they demonstrated it in action.

I could tell that the quality of the discussion really impressed my boys and I was pleased when Duncan worked up the nerve to speak at the microphone to the guests. This, to me, was the confirmation I needed to know the evening had been a hit with my sons. I only wish there had been more young people in attendance. All in all, it was a remarkable event.

What colours do you see in our future?

2009-01-05T10:54:00.009-05:00

Picture an artist with a blank canvas. As she stands there with her palette of paints in hand, she begins to paint her picture. The palette is full of different colours, each one being important. You can’t paint a picture with just one colour. You need a variety of them, mixed together to create something truly exceptional. Now imagine each colour representing a separate industry sector in Ontario (Medical Devices, Agriculture, Pharmaceuticals, CleanTech, Manufacturing, etc.). You need a plethora of these colours to create something truly unique, and if you’ve followed my metaphor so far, a unique and vibrant Ontario.

Ontario is full of PINs, SINs, and RINs. These are the structures/organizations/networks working with universities, industries, researchers, and entrepreneurs helping to start up their businesses or further their research. Instead of going really deep into the differences between these organizations (and there are a lot), check out this powerpoint presentation that I found on Google:

Ontario Commercialization Networks

The Golden Horseshoe Biosciences Network is labeled as a Regional Innovation Network (RIN). We are one of 12 RINs located in Ontario (there is a really good map of the cluster here). Because we are located in the “Golden Horseshoe Region” we are responsible for Hamilton, Halton, Niagara, St. Catharines, Burlington, Brantford, etc.

Those of us that are familiar with the different RINs in Ontario know that we are a service organization. We are here to help, and we don’t necessarily have to compete with anyone or any other RIN. That being said, some people do feel that we need a clear focus on what industry sector we should focus on. So now I pose the following question:

What colour should the GHBN be?

I welcome your comments and answers to this question, but below is my own personal answer:

Currently, we never turn away any entrepreneur in the region that comes to us, and since we cover a large region of different sector expertise, it’s hard to choose just one (or a few). So instead of picking just one ‘colour’, why not be the palette; the network between each ‘colour’ in the region? I’m not saying that we are the single solution to all entrepreneurial needs. It’s a lot of work being as broad as we are, and with limited resources coming in, it only makes the job harder. In fact, there are a number of cases where we forward our clients to other organizations that can better serve them, like htx.ca for medical devices or MaRS Landing for agricultural applications. My main point is that by focusing on only a select few industries in the region, we lose our ability to network, and entrepreneurs and small businesses lose a key resource for growing their business.

Innovation Café - Art + Science = Culture?

2008-12-18T14:41:00.004-05:00

Those of you that have attended a GHBN Innovation Café know that they aren't your normal lecture series or panel discussions. They are an open discussion forum for the audience to truly interact with the professionals invited to speak.

We always encourage the speakers to give only a brief introduction as to what they do, then we can start off a debate or discussion from the audience that attends.

January 21st, 2009, GHBN will be holding its first Innovation Café of the year. The focus is going to be on Art and Science, and their effects on our culture. We have some interesting speakers lined up so far. Denis Dyack, the president of Silicon Knights (a video game company in Ontario) will be attending, as well as Steven Brown, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University. We will likely be getting more professionals in the field, including an individual from Sheridan College, and hopefully a local artist from the region.

Starting in the New Year, we would like to try a different approach to our Cafés. We want our discussion to start prior to the event, then to continue during and after as well. An almost continuous dialogue between our speakers, our attendees, and anyone else interested in the topic of choice. We can use our Blog to begin the discussions, and it can garner anything from interest, comments, or questions towards the event.

Our emphasis on this concept will be pushed in January, but this post is essentially a 'Heads Up' to the idea and concept.

Internet Networking

2008-12-16T10:28:00.002-05:00

I've been following the thread on networking with interest and agree that networking is essential. In the classic 1974 study by Mark Granovetter called Getting a Job, he found that 56% of the 282 men he surveyed in Newton Massachusetts found their jobs through personal connections. This percentage has been replicated in numerous other studies over the years. These personal connections are usually not friends but rather acquaintances as we have more of the latter than we do of the former.

Thanks to the Internet, however, networking is now more than simply face to face connections. Increasingly, networking involves what is often referred to as social networking strategies on the Internet. Probably the best known social networking sites are Myspace and Facebook and they are very popular with young people. These are predominately sites where young and old interact for mostly social reasons. The adult, business version of Facebook is called Linkedin and it actually predates Facebook. Linkedin was launched in May 2003 and is increasingly becoming more and more important for businesses and for individuals. It has about 30 million registered users in 150 industries.

I first became acquainted with Linkedin a number of years ago when an Australian relative who was looking for a new job invited me to join and to be in his network. I set up a profile and added a couple of people to it over the years but pretty much ignored it. My mistake! Just recently, a number of members of the Professional Writers Association of Canada that I belong to decided to form a Linkedin Group.

As a result, I joined that group and expanded my profile to the point where it became an on-line resume. I then joined two other groups, the University of Toronto Alumni and the Keele University Alumni. I had to be approved for both. I then requested recommendations from a couple of contacts and received some glowing praise from both of them and that is now on my profile. There is always the option to not have the recommendation posted if it is not favourable.

Within a few days, I wound up with 18 connections. Those 18 are, in turn, connected to over 600 other people. The total number of people in my organization now are over 59,500. Through my 18 primary contacts, I can get introductions to the 600 plus secondary connections that they have and then on to the almost 60,000 that are out there. All of this is free but I can always upgrade to either of two payment levels that would give me the ability to directly contact with anyone.

There is a search function for both people and groups to allow you the ability to search out anyone who might be of help in your activities. Another way to accomplish this is to answer or ask questions. By doing so, you get your presence known. One of the books that I publish, The Dysfunctional Fathers Guide to Pregnancy Birth and Babies, I realized would be a natural in the Australian market given the Australian sense of humour. My books are distributed in North America and Europe but shipping to Australia is a problem. Two quick searches of Linkedin found me the name of an Australian publisher and the Australian Publishers Association and a list of distributors.

I could (and probably will) pose this as a question in order to get some referrals.

One of the specialized applications is an Amazon book list. Members can recommend books they are reading and so, of course, I listed the books that my company publishes along with a synopsis of each of them for any of the members who I hope would like to buy.

Members of the GHBN should explore this option and GHBN might even consider forming a group to promote itself. For those who want to explore in more detail, you can start with my profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/marvinross

Know to Network: It can enter many fields in industry and research

2008-12-09T15:20:00.006-05:00

Justin, you are absolutely right in saying that networking can truly be one of the strongest tools in getting one's proverbial 'foot in the door', or even going as far as advancing one's career.

Let me give you my own situation to provide an example. While studying music at McMaster University, major music conferences (such as the big annual American Musicological Society conference) were hardly brought up. In fact, I believe the only time I even heard of such a thing was from a professor that had supervised my research, and even then, no point was made to attend.

After commencing graduate studies in music at the University of Western Ontario (an institution actually renowned for its music program, unlike McMaster, which merely has a subdivision for studies in music in its School of the Arts 'faculty'), I immerse myself in the graduate culture, mostly made up of students who studied their Bachelor degrees at Western ... and I find out that the majority of them have articles and papers published in major musicological journals. I was astounded. Having your works published (even papers from the undergraduate level) is an essential for anyone in graduate work and something that institutions highly favour when looking to admit or hire people.

Upon asking these students, I found out that the majority of them regularly attended musicological conferences, where they:

(i.) met other graduate students in their own field of study and exchanged important ideas or names,

(ii.) read their own scholarly papers at these conferences, where many important people are listening, and crucially,

(iii.) had their professors introduce them to their personal 'friends': other big-time names, ie. professors and/or scholars who hold tenure at various prestigious institutions, have published numerous writings from journal articles to their own books, etc.

I hope that my point is being highlighted well-enough: networking, or immersing yourself in an environment filled with professionals in your own field of study and establishing connections with them, really helps you move things along for a career.

Now that I know ... I really do have a lot of work to catch up on. However, I look forward to it, as next year, I know that I'll be having quite the adventures as I make my way to these conferences for the first time. Cambridge, Philadelphia, Michigan ... here I come.

Copyright Levy Increased

2008-12-09T14:05:00.011-05:00

On December 6, 2008, the Copyright Board released its decision to increase the controversial levy on blank audio recording media from 21 cents to 29 cents each. The levy applies to blank cassette tapes (if anyone uses those anymore) and most compact discs, including: CD-R, CD-RW, CD-R Audio, CD-RW Audio or MiniDisc.

Ironically, the levy does not apply to DVD's or digital audio recorders like iPods. An attempt to extend the levy to DVD's was defeated in 2003/2004 and an attempt to extend the levy to digital audio recorders was defeated in the courts earlier this year. The irony is, of course, that DVD's and digital audio recorders can record considerably more data than a cassette tape or compact disc.

Apparently, the Copyright Board still wants to extend the levy to these other recording devices/media through amendments to the Copyright Act. However, there are many in the music industry and other circles who want the levy abolished altogether since it implicitly authorizes the recording of music on such media without infringing copyright.

As I understand it, the original intent behind the levy was to compensate copyright owners for lost royalties since the main purpose of cassettes and compact discs was to make such copies. Of course, compact discs are now used for much more than recording music and consumers are now using digital audio recorders to record music much more than they are using compact discs - so the levy seems to be losing its relevance quickly

Know to Network: How we connect and communicate

2008-11-30T11:53:00.000-05:00

The saying always goes, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”. In today’s business and innovation world, it’s hard to disagree with a statement like that. It truly is a hard process getting into any high level industry or research position without the process of collaboration and/or networking.

"Networking" itself is sometimes treated as a shameless word with its reputation of being “phony” or “fake”, but in reality, it can honestly be one of your strongest tools in evolving your career. That being said, I’m sure most of us that have attended a function, be it a conference or event, can agree that there are usually one or two of those specific individuals that roam around networking sessions passing out their business cards to essentially every random face they see, sometimes without even saying a word. At the end of the day, these people count and revere over their obtained business cards of the day, similar to a child with a new collection of hockey cards.

Okay. So let’s neglect these people for the time being as it’s still important to focus on the pluses that networking can do for you. Networking itself is one of the best ways to learn about new employment opportunities, to connect yourself with people that can help you or your company, and really, networking will ultimately allow for the chance of any random favorable opportunity to benefit you.

Let’s go through a sample situation:

John: “Hi there, my name is John and I work for “random marketing company” and we are currently working on the marketing strategy for a new cleantech project that is on the rise in Ontario”

Sarah: “Wow. That’s really neat because my internship is for marketing in innovative projects and new technologies for Ontario companies”

John: “Neat. Well we’re currently having issues with lack of staff for the project. Give me your card, or contact info, and I’ll forward it to our supervisor. If she thinks it’s a fit, we might contact you in the future”

*3 months pass*

Paula: “Hi Sarah. My name is Paula. You don’t know me, but I got your contact information from John. He said he met you at the Marketing Event that you guys attended a few months back. We are really interested in meeting you for a possible position at our firm. If you’re interested, we’ll schedule a time to meet, and you can tell us more specifically what it is that you do”

Sarah: “That sounds great! We can schedule a meeting next week!”

So before everyone starts flaming me for being excessively optimistic about this situation, just look at it in the opposite stream. Sarah and John go to the event, don’t say a word, Sarah is in a hustle to find a job after her internship finishes, John’s project is going nowhere without extra staff, and Paula doesn’t get her raise for staff employment. So really, networking is a plus in all senses. Albeit, not every situation will be as overly optimistic like the one above, but it’s still a very plausible situation.

I realize networking isn’t for everyone, and some people are just naturally more sociable than others. It can be very intimidating going up to a complete stranger, who is likely in a position of high stature, and introduce yourself, while in your head you’re thinking, "This person really wants absolutely nothing to do with me." Personally I was skeptical networking at my first couple of events that I attended, but then once I realized that by networking I really got to learn about the different companies and organizations in our area that were meant to help others (government funding, networking companies, consultants, etc.), it was essential that I learn about them to help our own clients.

A couple of tips I can give, having been at a lot of these functions over the past months, is that I suggest you practice your “elevator pitch” for what you do, then rinse and repeat until you become comfortable at networking events. You can find a bunch of tips online (Ex. Watch this video), and I advise you do an overall research of social networking and then make a checklist for yourself before you go to your first couple of events. It’s best to know what kinds of people are going to be at the event you’re attending so you can prepare yourself for the types of things you might end up talking about for the day. Finally, one thing that you have to keep in mind when going to these kinds of events is that the people present are there for the same reason you are; to Network, Connect, and Benefit.

Bring your Innovations to China

2008-11-06T14:23:00.000-05:00

So you have a medical device or some research equipment made and ready to sell, but you find the market is not what you expected it to be. Do you find yourself asking "Whats an exploding market for me to distribute in?"

The Golden Horseshoe Biosciences Network hosted the Chinese Market Information Session on November 5th, 2008. The event had Hao Wu and Timothy Fung of Sinamed Consulting present to our guests the benefits of investing in China. The market is literally booming with an annual import growth rate of 16%.

Sinamed had some really surprising numbers and facts to present during the event, and they also have some really interesting connections with a number of highly regarded Tier 3-A Hospitals in China. These kinds of hospitals are the most funded, and therefore have the highest use of foreign (Canada, USA, Europe) devices with a focus on quality and brand name.

The event itself was a great networking experience. Below you can view the Power Point presentation containing all the figures discussed during the talk. Download it here. Those who attended also walked away with some highly paid numbers from the China Ministry of Health.

Chinese Market Information Session

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: sinamed device)

Research 2 Receptor in Hamilton Ontario

2008-10-23T12:00:00.000-04:00

The Series 2008 Research to Receptor event at Royal Botanical Gardens was an afternoon gathering of researchers, innovators, consulting professionals, and industry leaders in food and health. The topics ranged from different innovations in drought stress plants and gluten free pasta, to getting your business started in the marketplace and sources of technology transfer at your local university. Each presentation made was followed by a collection of questions and comments from the audience probing the speakers for further concepts and on how they could incorporate their ideas into different streams of market.

Along with the networking that occurred between the attendees of the event, there were some interesting connections made between even the speakers themselves with the panel of Doug Chapman of Guelph Food Technology Centre and the two innovation speakers Carla Valvasori of Eat Italian and Ronald Fletcher of the University of Guelph. Connections like these are exactly what events like Research to Receptor are held for.

You can read our Full Review of the event on the GHBN homepage, or go here.

Otherwise, enjoy some pictures of the event.

Welcome

2008-10-16T14:29:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the new Golden Horseshoe Biosciences Network (GHBN) Blog!

My name is Justin Policarpio and I am the newest addition to the GHBN. I am currently positioned as their research analyst, but my responsibilities also range from webpage coordination, company network database, event summaries, media coverage, government funding project management, and starting with this post, Blogging at GHBN.

We thought that with the ongoing success of our organization, it was time to develop a more professional and user friendly website (www.ghbn.org) / database / social network for our collaborators and networking companies to use.

With our new site you will find easy access to all of our previous online information, with the addition of a much more user friendly and searchable company database. The database can now search keywords, company names, city, etc., all of which are found in the Golden Horseshoe (GH) Region. Our current listing includes 300+ companies, and its growing every day. If you would like to be added to our directory, you can email us your company name, contacts, website, location, as well as a little “about us” describing what exactly you do, and we will try our best to add you.

The News section of our site contains all our previously posted BioMatrix newsletters, viewable on the site, or downloadable as a PDF in our archive. Our Whats New section will continue to have current news in the GH region posted, ranging from topics of Bioscience to new technology, government investments into the science field, and much more.

Our Events Summary section has had a major revamp by including much more media with even more videos / pictures / audio to come. Our upcoming events can easily be viewed on our front page, or you can view/print our new event calendar incorporated into the site.

In the future you can expect some really cool tools to connect GH companies to each other more efficiently, as well as a way for your organization to more easily make announcements to be posted on our page (just think “web based bulletin board”).

My last point/thought (I promise the other blog posts won’t be this long) is that the only way for this site and our organization to help you is for YOU to tell us what your needs are, and how WE can better those needs. Saying that, feel free to email us your thoughts on our new website, and what you like and don’t like.

Cheers,

Justin