TORONTO, ON, May 1, 2012 – After months of preparation, research and collaboration with top university mentors, an elite group of 13 high school whiz kids from across the country will be in Ottawa May 7-8 competing for Canada’s ultimate student biotech science prizes in the 2012 Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada (SBCC).

The National SBCC Awards ceremony will be held Tuesday May 8, 1 pm EDT, at the National Research Council Headquarters, Ottawa, with The Hon. Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources Skills Development Canada as keynote speaker.

In total, judges chose nine cutting-edge biotechnology research projects from 192 projects presented by almost 250 high school and CEGEP students across Canada. Now in its 19th year, the SBCC gives young scientists access to university labs and academic mentors, encouraging the pursuit of future studies and careers in the country’s fast-growing biotechnology sector.

“Each year, we are impressed by the students’ innovative approaches to a wide variety of biotechnology challenges in health care, agriculture, food production and the environment,” said Rick Levick, Executive Director, Bioscience Education Canada, “The Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada offers them the opportunity to advance their ideas with the support of mentors, a unique feature of this program. It’s our aspiration that this collaboration between industry, government and education will stimulate commercialisation in the biotechnology industry.”

This year’s regional finalists:
• British Columbia: Miranda Wang, 18, and Jeanny Yao, 17, both Grade 12, Magee Secondary School, Vancouver, identified soil bacteria from the Fraser River estuary that naturally break down phthalates, a fossil fuel-based additive found in some plastics. View the project profile.

• Alberta: Nikola Viktorov and Andy Le, 16, Grade 11, from Old Scona Academic High School, Edmonton, lit a potential path to the development of drugs that more effectively target diseased cells, creating a tool to help monitor the death of cells in lymphoma cancer. View the project profile.

• Saskatchewan: Rui (REE) Song, 17, Grade 11, from Walter Murray Collegiate, Saskatoon, developed new scientific insights into the potential creation of a more nutritious lentil. View the project profile.

• Manitoba: Ella Thomson, 16, Grade 11, Balmoral Hall School, Winnipeg, genetically modified a common soil bacteria to produce 36% more volume of the bio-ingredient used to make eco-friendly plastic. View the project profile.

• South Western Ontario: Janelle Tam, 16, Grade 12, from Waterloo Collegiate Institute discovered that a versatile nano-particle in trees is a powerful anti-aging, health-promoting antioxidant – better in some respects than vitamin C or E. View the project profile.

• Greater Toronto: Alexander Tigert and Zelun (Daniel) Zhang, both 17, Grade 12, Northern Secondary School, used genetically-modified Baker’s yeast to create a novel environment for testing the effects drug treatments for depression and anxiety. View the project profile.

• Eastern Ontario: Romina Hassanzadeh, 17, Grade 12, All Saints Catholic High School, Kanata, puzzled out a new insight into the workings of a cancer-fighting drug, a discovery that could one day impact medical approaches to cancer treatment. View the project profile.

• Quebec: Nivatha Balendra, 16, Grade 11, from Royal West Academy, Montreal, found Isopropanol to be the better alcohol to use in hand sanitizers because it kills more bacteria and fewer skin cells than ethanol, the more common ingredient in such products. View the project profile.

• Atlantic Region: Jared Trask, 17 and Kaitlyn Stockley, 16, Grade 11 students at Holy Spirit High School, Conception Bay West, NF, used a centrifuge, chemicals and high frequency sound waves to extract a bio-fuel oil from local-obtained cold environment algae. View the project profile.

The project finalists will be judged Monday May 7 at the Ottawa headquarters of the National Research Council by a panel of pre-eminent Canadian scientists:

Dr. Luis Barreto (Chief Judge), Senior Advisor Vaccine Program, Human Health and Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada, and ex-Vice President, Immunization and Science Policy, Sanofi Pasteur Limited;
Dr. Jim Richards, Director General, Vaccine Program, Human Health and Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada;
Dr. Alain Beaudet, President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research;
Dr. Ron Pearlman, Associate Scientific Director, The Gairdner Foundation; and
Dr. Alison Symington, Vice President, Outreach, Ontario Genomics Institute.

The judge’s panel also includes Toronto’s Marshall Zhang, 18, the 2011 national SBCC first prize winner, now a Grade 12 student at Richmond Hill Collegiate. Last year he used a Canadian supercomputer to discover a potential new treatment for cystic fibrosis. He continues part-time research at Toronto Sick Kid’s hospital and begins studies at Harvard this fall.

In addition to their regional competition winnings, Canada’s 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th place national winners will receive $5,000, $4,000, $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 respectively, with $500 prizes for honorable mention. A special $1,000 prize is awarded to the project deemed by the judges to have the greatest commercial value. The top two single person projects advance to the Sanofi-sponsored International BioGENEius Challenge to be held in Boston June 18 in conjunction with the BIO Annual International Convention.

“Sanofi founded the Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada because we believe that advancing the potential of our youth to develop the next big breakthrough in science will not only benefit the life sciences industry but Canada as a whole. We have a great pool of talent in this country and it is with initiatives like these that we inspire young students to pursue careers in science and biotechnology,” said Mark Lievonen, President, Sanofi Pasteur Limited.

About the Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada (SBCC)
The Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada (SBCC) is a national, biotechnology research competition that encourages high school and CEGEP students to pursue future studies and careers in the exciting field of biotechnology. Coordinated by Bioscience Education Canada since its beginning in 1994, the initiative is sponsored by Sanofi Pasteur Limited, Sanofi Canada, Genome Canada, the National Research Council Canada/ Conseil national de recherches Canada (NRC-CNRC), Canadian Institutes of Health Research/Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada (CIHR-IRSC) and the Government of Canada’s Youth Awareness Program. Canada’s respected Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada has inspired counterpart competitions in the USA and Australia.

Media Contacts:
Terry COLLINS
tc@tca.tc
Tel: 416-878-8712; 416-538-8712

Marnie IVANICH
CASACOM Toronto
mivanich@casacom.ca
Tel: 416-944-2145

Martine VENNE
CASACOM Montréal
mvenne@casacom.ca
Tel: 514-286-2145 ext 228

Bioscience Education Canada once again is offering a free lecture and workshop series for high school students. Teachers are asked to register their classes for 2 lectures and 1 workshop. Registration must be made to Bioscience Education Canada at info@bioscienceeducation.ca or by phone at 416-640-0206.

In addition to lectures and “wet lab” workshops delivered by the Faculty of Seneca College there are computer workshops subject to restrictions.

• On April 26th, the two bioinformatics workshops, “Surfing the Human Genome”, is restricted to Grade 12 students because the content is very curriculum specific.
• On April 25th, the computer workshops titled “Explore the Science through Game Based Learning “ delivered by Spongelab are an educational video game competition. The capacity for each of the 4 sessions is 40 students. Each school is restricted to the participation of 10 of its students but students are competing as individuals.

After teachers have registered their classes for the lectures and workshops they can register up to 10 students for the competition for FREE before the event at www.spongelab.com but only after the school has been registered for the lectures and workshops.

The $100 million scholarship initiative, donated by business leader and philanthropist Seymour Schulich, was created to help secure the future economic competitiveness of Canada and its leaders are among the next pioneers of global scientific research and innovation.

Each high school in Canada has the opportunity to nominate one student for a four-year Schulich Leader Scholarship valued at $60,000. Twenty Canadian recipients will be chosen in 2012. The deadline for schools to submit for this year is January 13, 2012.

Schulich Leader Scholarships Overview Letter (pdf)

More Information and Application

In this Issue:

• Sanofi Aventis BioTalent Challenge Changes Its name
• SBCC (Greater Toronto Area) April 17-19, 2012, competition location to be determined, award ceremony at MaRS.
• Bioscience Lectures and Workshops
• Green Mining Experience at McMaster
• Ontario Genomics Institute “Genomics Teaching Prize”
• Gowlings Biotech Essay Contest on “Canada’s Top Biotechnology Story of the Year”
• Bioscience Education Canada (BEC)

Bioscience Education Canada Newsletter Vol 3 Issue 1, Fall, 2011

While many 16-year-olds are content with PlayStation, Toronto-area student Marshall Zhang used the Canadian SCINET supercomputing network to invent a new drug cocktail which could one day help treat cystic fibrosis.

The Grade 11 student at Bayview Secondary School in Richmond Hill so impressed eight eminent scientists at the National Research Council Canada laboratories in Ottawa they awarded him first prize today in the 2011 Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada.

Jonathan Khouzam, Simon Leclerc, Francis Marcogliese, all 19, of Montreal’s CÉGEP Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf, won the 2nd place prize for finding a way to produce a great sorbet without geletin, potentially opening a large new vegetarian market for the popular frozen dessert. Geletin is derived from the skin and bones of animals.

First and second place winners receive $5,000 and $4,000 respectively. The trio from Montreal also won a special $1,000 prize for the project deemed by the judges to have the greatest commercial potential.

Marshall and the Montreal team will compete against US and Australian teams at the International BioGENEius Challenge in Washington, DC, June 27, held in conjunction with the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s (BIO) Annual International Convention.

The other top prizes were collected by:
* 3rd place ($3,000): Shannon Watson, 18, a Grade 12 student at Ottawa’s Cantebury High School, who identified bacteria in a pro-biotic fermented milk product from Zambia that inhibit the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria;
* 4th place ($2,000): Yasamin Mahjoub, 16, a Grade 11 student at Sir Winston Churchill High School, Calgary, who showed that hormones produced by pregnant women protect neurons from the effects of iron accumulation in the brain, suggesting a new line of inquiry into the causes and treatment of multiple sclerosis; and
* 5th place ($1,000): Siyuan Cheng, 14, a Grade 9 student at Fort Richmond Collegiate, Winnipeg, who combined the standard drug treatment for leukaemia with a lung cancer drug to greatly increase the numbers of leukemia cells being killed.

14 truly cutting-edge biotechnology projects
On Monday, remarkable students from every province presented the judges with 14 truly cutting-edge biotechnology projects related to health, agriculture and the environment. All were previous prize-winners at regional SABC competitions held across Canada in April.

All 13 to 19 years old and enrolled in Grades 9 through 12, the students were mentored by university professors and others who volunteer their expertise and many hours over several months each year to assist these young researchers.

How a 16-year-old used a supercomputer to find a promising new treatment for cystic fibrosis
Grade 11 student Marshall Zhang impressed many experts when he used the Canadian SCINET supercomputing network to discover a new and potentially effective drug cocktail to treat cystic fibrosis.

The results demonstrated the usefulness of computer-based approaches to discover drug-like compounds.

“Marshall’s findings show that computational methods can drive the discovery of compounds that may offer effective treatment for cystic fibrosis,” says his project mentor Dr. Christine Bear, a researcher at the Hospital for Sick Children’s Research Institute.

CF is a common, fatal genetic disease where the lungs’ normal protective coating of thin mucus becomes thick and sticky — an inviting environment for serious, sometimes fatal bacterial infections. A genetic mutation is responsible for most cases of CF. Leading research currently in clinical trials suggests that specific drugs may help correct this defect.

At Dr. Bear’s lab at Sick Kids, Marshall used sophisticated SCINET computer modeling to investigate what these drugs might be doing to ‘correct’ the genetic defect at the molecular level. On the computer, he identified how two drugs each interacted with one specific part of the mutant protein. He then proved his ‘virtual’ findings were correct using living cells in culture.

Marshall correctly suspected that using two drugs together might prove more effective because they interacted with different parts of the mutant protein.

“The cells treated with the two drugs were functioning as if they were the cells of healthy individuals,” says Marshall.

“The thrill of knowing that I was on the forefront of current knowledge was absolutely the best thing about my experience,” says Marshall, adding that the lab experience and “getting a taste of real research has definitely driven me towards pursuing science in the future.”

“I think that Marshall has tremendous potential to be a scientist in the future because of his intelligence, motivation and determination,” adds Dr. Bear.

* * * * *

The national competition finalists:
Greater Montreal (2nd place, and special judges’ prize for the project with greatest commercial potential)
Jonatham Khouzam, Simon Leclerc and Francis Marcogliese, all 19-year-old CEGEP students at College Jean de Brebeuf, Montreal
Students develop vegetable-based stabilizers, remove animal ingredients from sorbet
Eastern Ontario (3rd place)
Shannon Watson, 18, Grade 12, Canterbury High School, Ottawa
What fights bad, antibiotic-resistant bacteria? Good bacteria in fermented milk from Zambia
Calgary (4th place)
Yasamin Mahjoub, 16, Grade 11, Sir Winston Churchill High School
Effects of pregnancy on multiple sclerosis suggest a new line of treatment
Manitoba (5th place)
Siyuan Cheng, 14, Grade 9, Fort Richmond Collegiate, Winnipeg
Grade 9 student opens door to treatment of incurable leukemia
British Columbia
Vincent Ye, 18, Grade 12, Dr. Charles Best Secondary School, Coquitlam
Student uses 3D imaging to show how drinking alcohol shrinks brain cells
Edmonton
Catherine Fan and Jessica Li, both 17, Grade 12, Old Scona Academic High School
Students’ discovery may go to clinical trial as a new treatment for common hospital infection
Nova Scotia
Samantha Wright-Smith, 16, Grade 11, South Colchester Academy, Brookfield
Student grows bacteria that could aid oil spill cleanups
New Brunswick
Camille Champigny, 15, Grade 10, École l’Odysée, Moncton
Coming to grips with the health dangers of pesticides
Northern Manitoba
Emily Klekta, 16, Grade 11, Swan Valley Regional Secondary School, Swan River
Student finds faster way to grow vegetables in short, cold climate growing season
Newfoundland
Hannah Boone, 14, Grade 9, St. Paul’s Jr. High School, St. John’s and Megan Howse, 15, Grade 10, O’Donel High School, Mt. Pearl
Is green tea the ticket to better heart health?
Prince Edward Island, Samuel Mundy, 18, and Hardy Strom, 17, Grade 12, Three Oaks Senior High School, Summerside
Students find fungus that eats oil
Southwestern Ontario
Jessie MacAlpine, 15, Grade 10, Huron Park Secondary School, Woodstock
Turning an noxious weed into a green herbicide
Saskatchewan
Pranay Pratijit, 15, Evan Hardy Collegiate, Prakriti Pratijit, 13, Walter Murray Collegiate, Saskatoon
Students develop wheat with major health benefits
Greater Toronto
Marshall Zhang, 16, Grade 11, Bayview Secondary School, Richmond Hill
Student explores supercomputer network to look for cure for cystic fibrosis

* * * * *
Chaired by Dr. Luis Barreto, former Vice President, Immunization and Science Policy, Sanofi Pasteur Limited, the distinguished national judging panel consists of:
• Dr. Roman Szumski, Vice President, Life Sciences, National Research Council Canada
• Dr. Pierre Meulien, President and CEO, Genome Canada
• Dr. Alain Beaudet, President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research
• Dr. Ron Pearlman, Associate Scientific Director, The Gairdner Foundation
• Dr. Denis Kay, Director, BioTalent Canada
• Dr. Lesley Warren, Professor, Biogeochemistry, McMaster University
• Brian Krug, 17, of John F. Ross C.V.I., Guelph, second place national SABC winner 2010.
Background

The SABC was initiated by Canada’s Sanofi Pasteur Ltd. in 1994 as a regional science competition and has since expanded to national and international levels.

Now in its 18th year, the Sanofi-Aventis BioTalent Challenge is a high-level event that introduces students to the real world of biotechnology by carrying out research projects of their own design. Each student team works with a mentor in their community, who provides expert advice and access to equipment and supplies. The projects and presentations are judged at the NRC by senior officials of the federal public service and private sector, and by the previous student winner of the SABC national competition.

University-level mentoring is a distinguishing characteristic of the competition, as is the emphasis judges place on the ability of competitors to communicate science ideas.
The competition drives students to broaden their horizons and challenge their intellect. Each of the student teams work with a mentor in their community who provides expert advice and access to equipment and supplies. Many of the students who compete go on to careers in biotechnology, healthcare, agriculture, and the environment.
More than 100 organizations Canada-wide are partnered in this educational outreach initiative.

National competition supporters:
* Sanofi Pasteur and sanofi-aventis
* BioTalent Canada
* National Research Council of Canada
* Genome Canada
* Canadian Institutes for Health Research
* The Government of Canada’s Sector Council Program.
Winning student teams share their cash prize with their school. In some cities, regional winners also receive university scholarships or summer jobs.

The competition mirrors the real world of scientific research by
* Requiring students to submit research proposals for evaluation by a scientific evaluation committee;
* Providing up to $200 in advance funding to approved student projects;
* Assigning mentors to each team to provide expert advice and access to equipment and supplies; and
* Having each student project judged by fellow students (peer review) and by judges representing government, business, academia and the education community.

A distinguishing characteristic of the competition is the emphasis judges place on the competitors’ communication of science ideas.
Many regional competition events include lectures by leading local biotechnology researchers, science workshops for students and teachers, and exhibits on biotechnology.

* * * * *

About Sanofi
Sanofi, a global and diversified healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients’ needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, rare diseases, consumer healthcare, emerging markets and animal health.
Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, provides more than 1 billion doses of vaccine each year, making it possible to immunize more than 500 million people across the globe. A world leader in the vaccine industry, Sanofi Pasteur offers the broadest range of vaccines protecting against 20 infectious diseases. The company’s heritage, to create vaccines that protect life, dates back more than a century. Sanofi Pasteur is the largest company entirely dedicated to vaccines. Every day, the company invests more than EUR 1 million in research and development. For more information: www.sanofipasteur.com or www.sanofipasteur.us

About BioTalent Canada
BioTalent Canada helps Canada’s bio-economy industry thrive globally. As a non-profit national organization of innovators leading our bio-economy, BioTalent Canada anticipates needs and creates new opportunities, delivering human resources tools, information and skills development to ensure the industry has access to job-ready people. BioTalent Canada is a Canadian sector council, one of many partnership organizations created to address skills-development issues in key sectors of the economy. For more information: www.biotalent.ca, BioTalent Canada 613-235-1402 x.229

Mr. Terry Collins
+1-416-538-8712; +1-416-878-8712 (m)

Prince Edward Island: Students find fungus that eats oil

Nova Scotia: Student grows bacteria that could aid oil spill cleanups

New Brunswick: Coming to grips with the health dangers of pesticides

Montreal: Students find vegetable-based stabilizers to remove animal ingredients from sorbet
Coming soon.

Eastern Ontario: What fights bad, antibiotic-resistant bacteria? Good bacteria in fermented milk from Zambia

Greater Toronto: Toronto student “hacks” supercomputer network to find cure for CF
Coming soon.

Southwestern Ontario: Turning an noxious weed into a green herbicide

Northern Manitoba: Student Finds Speed Treatment For Faster Growing Veggies

Manitoba: Grade 12 student opens door to treatment of incurable leukemia
Coming soon.

Saskatoon: Students, 15 and 13, make leap towards developing wheat with fewer calories, other health benefits

Edmonton: Edmonton students’ discovery may go to clinical trial as a new treatment for common hospital infection

Calgary: Towards a new line of treatment for Multiple Sclerosis

British Columbia: BC student uses 3D imaging to show how drinking alcohol shrinks brain cells

In this Issue:

• Bioscience Education Canada Meritorious Service Award presented to Dr. Luis Barreto
• Winners of the 2011 National Sanofi Aventis BioTalent Challenge
• Special issue of the Canadian Young Scientist Journal devoted to the Sanofi Aventis BioTalent Challenge
• Free Educational Resources
• The 5th National Bioscience Educators Conference
• Merck “Exploring Minds” Lectures and Workshops
• Hands-on Green Mining Experience

Bioscience Education Canada Newsletter Vol 2 Issue 2

Canadian Young Scientist Journal

The entry deadline is May 31, 2011.

Click here for details: Gowlings Essay Contest

The Lecture and Workshop Series take place on Tuesday April 19th and Wednesday April 20th, 2011 in the George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre, Ryerson University (245 Church Street). Map (Pass your mouse over a building for its description and photo.)

These annual youth outreach events have been very well attended in the past and it is important for teachers to register their classes early. Registration can be made by contacting Bioscience Education Canada at 416-640-0206 or at info@bioscienceeducation.ca

This year’s group of young investigators have researched topics as diverse as the genetic engineering of pathogen resistance in plants and the practicality of using fruit and vegetable extracts against H. pylori, the causative agent of ulcers. The SABC continues to offer a unique opportunity for curious and creative students to have a “graduate level” research experience under the guidance of professional scientists. Nineteen projects have advanced to the competition this year. The Toronto student teams will compete for $12,000 in cash prizes and scholarships at, Ryerson University on April 19 and 20, 2011. The national competition will be held in Ottawa later in May.

Please read the 2011 Merck Lecture Workshop Schedule and Outlines.