plumbing the depths of aquatic animal health · fall 2010 the definitive source for lab products,...

Fall 2010 www.labbusinessmag.com

The definitive source for lab products, news and developments

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Expansion and reno sets UPEI’s Atlantic Veterinary College on path to become world leader

Plumbing the Depths of Aquatic Animal Health

Lab business Fall 2010 3

11 Human ResourcesInthisissue’sHRspecial,weexploretheimmigrantexperience,theroleoftheresearchsupportspecialist,andCanada’spoorgradeininnovation.

25 Suzuki CommentDavidSuzukisaysprotectingtheplanetisasacredandscientificduty.

26 Supplier ProfileSolventmanufacturer,TheHunterGroup,pridesitselfonleanmanufacturing,strongemployeerelationsandafiercededicationtoquality.

28 Application NoteLIMSformthefoundationoflabinformatics,enablinglabstomanageprocesses,ensureregulatorycomplianceandpromotecollaboration.

34 Sitting WithMeetGillesBrassard,theinternationallyacclaimedinventorofquantumcryptographyandquantumteleportation.

FALL 2010 www.labbusinessmag.com


also inside

standards5 EDITOR’S NOTE

6 NEWS

9 SAFETy ZONE

30 NEW PRODUCTS

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COVER STORy Research at the Atlantic Veterinary College at UPEI represents the intersection of animal health, human health, the environment, and public health. With strengths in biomedical research, animal health and welfare, population health, comparative biomedical sciences, infectious disease, and public health, AVC is engaged in research on many fronts and with many partners. Dive in as we explore the aquatic health arena.

ON THE COVER: The AVC is home to approximately 50 scientists with specialties in aquatic animal health, including Dr. Larry Hammell, Director of the Centre for Aquatic Health Services.

Photo Credit: UPEI Photography

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Fall 2010 www.labbusinessmag.com


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Plumbing the Depths of Aquatic Animal Health

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Serving Canadian Laboratories and Lab Suppliers since 1985

Publisher Christopher J. Forbes & CEO [email protected]

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Staff Writer Jason Hagerman

Contributors Conference Board of Canada Bradley Fisher Bernadette Johnson James A. Kaufman Stephanie Strahan David Suzuki Melissa Williams

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Lab Business is published 4 times per year by Jesmar Communications Inc., 30 East Beaver Creek Rd., Suite 202, Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 1J2. 905.886.5040 Fax: 905.886.6615 www.labbusinessmag.com One year subscription: Canada $35.00, US $35.00 and foreign $95. Single copies $9.00. Please add GST/HST where applicable. Lab Business Subscription and circulation enqui-ries: Garth Atkinson, [email protected] Fax: 905.509.0735 Subscriptions to business address only. On occasion, our list is made available to organizations whose products or services may be of interest to you. If you’d rather not receive information, write to us at the address above or call 905.509.3511 The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in part or in whole without the written consent of the publisher. GST Registration #R124380270.

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Printed in Canada

got to thinking recently after channel-surfing and set-tlingonSurvivorman,whichfeaturesCanadiansurvivalexpertLesstroud.intheshow,stroudsurvivesforuptoseven days alone while videotaping his adventures in

remotelocaleswherehebringswithhimlittleornofood,water,orequipment.eachlocationisscoutedandpre-plannedextensivelybystroudandhisteam,consultingwithsurvivalspecialistsandnativestospecificareas.iwassomewhatdisappointedwhenifoundthisout.

This, in addition to the fact he totes an emergency satellite phone, made mewonderwhathissuccessratewouldbewithouttheseprecautions.Wehumanshavesuchanimmenseadvantageovertheotheranimalswesharetheplanetwith.

inthisissue’scolumn(p.25),Davidsuzukiagreesthatwhatdistinguishesusfromotheranimalsisourabilitytouseouraccumulatedknowledge,experience,andinsighttolookahead,toseewherethedangersandopportunitieslie,andtochooseapaththatallowsustoavoidthehazardsandexploittheopportunities.

“Foresighthasbeenthekeytoourenormoussuccessasaspecies,”hesays,“yettoday,weareturningourbacksonthisgreatsurvivalattributeasweignoretheperil-ouswarningsofscientistswhilefocusingonthelatestshiftintheDowJonesaverage,thevalueoftheCanadiandollar(tofourdecimalpoints),andtheactivitiesofDonaldTrumpandsteveJobs.”

suzukibelievesprotectingtheplanetisasacredandscientificduty.Thesedays,thatalsomeansprotectingtheplanetandbalancingthatwithaviewtoachievingourownmeans.

suchistheworkoftheaquaticsexpertsatatlanticVeterinaryCollege(aVC)attheuniversityofPrinceedwardisland(p.18).aVCishometofourresearchchairswithaspecializationinaquaticanimalhealth.Fromresearchwitheverythingfromsnowcrab,lobstersandshrimptoatlanticsalmon,theygathercriticalinformationthatwillallowthefisheriesandtheCanadianandglobaleconomiesassociatedwiththem,tocontinuetothrive.

Dr.RickCawthorn,ProfessorofParasitologyintheLobsterscienceCentreatthe aVC, has done extensive research into bitter crab disease. His team believesclimatechangeisinfluencingcirculationpatternsintheocean,allowingtheparasitetospreadintopreviouslyunaffectedareas.

“ofcoursewefocusontheparasiteitself,”hesays,“butsometimesyouhavetolookatthebiggerpicture.”

Survival of the Fittest—or the Smartest?

I

editor’s note

[email protected]

onapersonalnote,iwanttosaygoodbye(temporarily)whileicareformyownlittlebioprojecti’vebeenworkingonforthepastninemonths.Wehavealotofexcitingthingsplannedfor2011andthoughiwon’tbe

intouchdirectlywithallofyou,i’llbekeepingupwithallthenewsandeventssoicanjumprightbackin.seeyousoon!

]

news beat

Lab Research inc. announced its Canadian laboratory receivedGood Laboratory Practices (GLP) recognition from the

standardsCouncilofCanada(sCC).Thisrecognitionisbaseduponaninspectionandstudyaudits

conductedinnovember2009inthearea(s)ofanalyticalandclini-calchemistry,aDMe,bioanalytical,immunology,safetypharma-cology,toxicokineticsandtoxicitytestingofpharmaceuticals.

“This successful oeCD-GLP inspection of our Canadianlaboratory also follows successful GLP audits of each of ourDanish andHungarian laboratories.Wearepleased tooffer thegreatest levelofqualityandGLP-compliantenvironment toourclientsaroundtheworld.ThesepositiveGLPauditswillhelpusbroadenourclientelefollowingourserviceandsiteexpansionsthatpositioned LRi as a high-quality, global full service non-clinicalCRo,”saysLucMainville,PresidentandCeoofLabResearch.www.labresearch.com

new legislation passed in Newfoundland and Labrador regulating certain health professions,

including Medical Laboratory Technologists, is a posi-tive step according to The Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS).

The recently passed legislation, brought forward by the Ministry of Health and Community Services, directly addresses the recommendations made by Justice Margaret Cameron in the Commission of Inquiry on Hormone Receptor Testing Report.

“The Health Professions Act is a positive step forward for Newfoundland and Labrador and will help provide safe and reliable laboratory services for patients in the province,” says Christine Nielsen, Executive Director of CSMLS. “The legislation recognizes the important role Medical Laboratory Technologists play in the healthcare system and demonstrates a commitment to seeing this valuable service delivered to a high standard.”

The change brings Newfoundland and Labrador in step with other provinces that regulate Medical Laboratory Technologists and use the CSMLS certifica-tion as the entry-level standard for practice.

“On a national level, Canada can still do more to ensure patient safety,” says Nielsen. “Regulation of Medical Laboratory Technologists and Medical Laboratory Assistants in every province is needed to ensure high-quality healthcare for all Canadians.”www.csmls.org

6 Fall 2010 Lab business

step in the right Direction

LRI Achieves GLP Certification

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In a public address before a packed audience at Perimeter institute for TheoreticalPhysics (Pi) in Waterloo, on, Prof. stephen Hawking, Pi Distinguished Research

Chair,recountedhisresearch,lifeandtimes,sayingithasbeenagloriousperiodtocon-tributetoourpictureoftheuniverse.HawkingconductedprivateresearchactivitiesatPithroughoutthesummer,inwhatisexpectedtobethefirstofmanyvisits.

Thecelebrationofscience,beingtelevisedacrossCanadaonTVo,kickedoffwithMikeLazaridis,PiFounderandboardChair,discussingthemeritofbasicresearch.PiDirector neil Turok joined the discussion, tagging theoretical physics as “one of thelowest-cost,highest-impactscientificdisciplines.”

inadditiontothisdiscussion,TurokalsoaddressedtheimminentexpansionofPi.“stephenjoinsusataparticularlyspecialmomentforPi,astheresearchcentreexpan-

sionnamedinhishonourprogressesrapidlytowardcompletion.ThestephenHawkingCentreatPerimeterinstitutewillincreaseresearchcapacityandprovideanexceptionalenvironmentforphysiciststoconceive,visualizeandgainanimprovedunderstandingofthenatureofphysicalreality,”hesays.

ontarioPremierDaltonMcGuintyalsowelcomedHawkingtoPi.“stephenHawkingispassionateabouthelpinghumanityunderstandthecomplexity

of theuniverse.We’rehonoured towelcomehim toontarioandPerimeter institute,”McGuintysays.

Hawkingadds,“Perimeterisagrandexperimentintheoreticalphysics.iamhopingandexpectinggreatthingswillhappenhere.”www.perimeterinstitute.ca

Keep Your Eyes on the Perimeter


On June 22, the London economicDevelopment Corporation (LeDC)

held its annual celebration following theannual general meeting to provide anoverview of London’s economy in 2009anddetailsofthecity’sstrategicprioritiesfor2010.Followingtheseptember2009economic summit, 13 initiatives wereidentified and are subsequently movingforwardoverthenextseveralyearsinpart-nership with the LeDC, the City ofLondon and community partners. For2010,newinitiativesinclude:•advanced Manufacturing—Research

and Technology industrial Park—international Composite ResearchCentre

•Green Technology-WastewaterValidationTechnologyCentre

•City-wideMedicalDevicestrategywww.ledc.com

The government recently announced a signifi-cantcontributiontoCanada’snationallabora-

toryfornuclearandparticlephysicsresearch.“World-class research facilities provide

researcherswith the tools theyneed to succeed,”says Gary Goodyear, Minister of state (scienceandTechnology).“TheaRieLfacilityisagreatachievementforVancouverandforallofCanada.”

Thegovernmentwillinvest$14milliontosup-port the development and operation of the

advancedRareisotopeLaboratory (aRieL)atTRiuMF.Thisinvestmentispartofthegovern-ment’s five-year, $222 million commitment toTRiuMF.

Located on the campus of the university ofbritish Columbia, TRiuMF has received morethan $1 billion in federal investment to supportoperations, infrastructure and commercializationactivities.www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

Financial HappeningsA summary of recent funding announcements:

Prime Minister Stephen Harper recently announced the establishment of the Government of Canada’s

Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships, a prestigious new program to attract and develop the world’s best and brightest postdoctoral researchers in Canada. Under the program, 70 new fellowships will be awarded each year, with funding provided through the Canadian

Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

• The Prime Minister also announced support for the Next Einstein Initiative to encourage and develop the best young minds in Africa. The initiative will create a net-work of 15 centres of academic excellence across Africa in fields related to science and technology.

• The National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) awarded $524,350 to PerkinElmer Canada Inc., and $480,000 to Clemex Technologies Inc.

• The NRC Institute for Ocean Technology received $8.1 million to support community-based technology partnerships.

• Soricimed Biopharma Inc., received $568,688 from the NRC-IRAP to develop a targeted cancer therapy for ovarian cancer.

• Ceapro Inc., a developer and commercializer of organic products for personal care and cosmetic industries, received $50,000 from Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s Business Development Program and an additional $100,000 through Prince Edward Island’s Department of Innovation and Advanced Learning.

Investing in World-leading Physics Laboratory

London Launches Research and Technology Park

news beat


safety zone

By Dr. James A. Kaufman

Dr. James A. Kaufman is the founder and president of The Laboratory Safety Institute (LSI) www.labsafetyinstitute.org - an international, non-profit centre for safety in science and science education. LSI provides workshops, seminars, on-site training programs, lab safety program development consultations, facilities inspections and regulatory compliance assistance. Contact LSI with all your lab safety questions: (508) 647-1900 or [email protected].

The establishment of a separateaccounting line for safety andhealth-related purchases is essen-

tial.Thisallowsyoutoclearlytrackmon-ies expended for this purpose. it alsoreducesthelikelihoodthatbudgetreduc-tionsinotherareaswilloccur.

in the budget planning process, staffmembers should be asked to contributesuggestions for expenditures needed tomaintain safe operations continue toimprovethesafetyprogram.

When it is possible, managers anddepartment heads should bear in theirbudgets the costs of accidents, injuries,and illnesses which occur to the peoplethey supervise. This provides a greateraccountability forhealthandsafety.Thedirectallocationofhealthandsafetycoststodepartmentbudgetsstimulatesinterestinthereductionoftheseexpenses.

eachdepartmentneedstoestablishalineiteminitsbudgetforsafety.Requestsforsafetymaterials,equipment,referenc-es, facilities, etc. should not be part ofotherbudgetlineitems.

in doing this, two things happen.safetygrowsinimportancebybeingrec-ognizedasa separately fundedaspectofthework.and,thefundingofsafetymat-ters is less likely tobeat theexpenseofotherbudgetlines,i.e.,thecostofsafetygoggles no longer has to come out ofgeneralsuppliesandexpenses.

some universities have the unfortu-natepracticeofrequiringresearchsuper-visorstopurchasesafetyequipmentoutoftheirresearchgrantfunds.Thisisfineifa

Allocate a Portion of the Departmental Budget to Safety

professor has funding and has properlybudgeted for the safety equipment. Forless well-funded faculty members, thedepartment ingeneralneeds toprovidethenecessarysafetyequipment.

Thissamefundingpracticeneedstobe followed by institutions as well asindividualdepartments.onceaninstitu-tionhas established ahealth and safetypolicy, it needs to establish an institu-tionallineitemtofunditsHealth,safety

andenvironmentalaffairsProgram.Howdoesyour institutionbudget for

safety?Letusknowsowecanshareyourapproach with others. one suggestionthat i would offer is that whenever thebudget-makingprocessgoeson,theques-tionshouldbeasked:“Whatarethesafetyand emergency supplies, equipment, andfacilities thatareneededtodo thisworkin a safe, healthy, and environmentallysoundway?”LB

Atlanta, Georgia, USA March 13 - 18 www.pittcon.org

Network with thousands of the world’s leading scientific minds, get a

hands-on look at the latest innovations, and experience all the compelling

educational opportunities Pittcon has to offer. Science is the attraction,

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The Immigrant ExperienceDiverse hiring practices provide both social and economic benefits

According to just about every major economic forecastreleased in the last five years, Canada is undoubtedlygoingtobefacedwithalabourshortagewithinthenext

decadeortwo.Thesimplefact,accordingtoChristinenielsen,DirectoroftheCanadiansocietyforMedicalLaboratoryscience(CsMLs),isthatwecannotproduceenoughpeopletoworkinthiscountry.

“it’sgoingtohappenineverysector,andtheonlywaytomeetthisdemandforworkersisthroughimmigrants.skilledworkersfromaroundtheglobebolstertheworkforceinCanadaandhelpthecountrystayeconomicallycompetitive,”shesays.

asidefromthefactthathiringinternationallytrainedprofes-sionals isquicklybecominganecessity, there aremanyways inwhichnewlyCanadianemployeescanbenefitbiotechbusinesses.naturally,thereareissuesCanadian-bornworkersdonotpresent,buttheglobalcommunityisadiverseone,andmirroringthatwillcreateinroadstomanyopportunities.

“Thereisabookcalled,The Wisdom of Crowds,andthebasicthesisisthatthemorealikeweare,thelesscreativeweare,”saysPeterPekos,PresidentandCeoofDaltonPharmaservicesandYoRKbiotechboardmember.

accordingtoPekos, themorediversityyouhave inagroup,themore likelyyou’regoing tohaveavarietyofperspectivesatyourdisposal,creatingvalueforyourcompany.

This perspective is shared by many professionals across thelandscapeofthelifesciences,andthelabourforceasawhole.

“When you bring in internationally trained biotech profes-sionals,you’rebringinginpeoplewhowillhaveafreshperspec-tive.They’re innovative and will give you ideas about businessprocesses and products, things they’ve seen and done in theirhome country that you can apply here,” explains brigid elmy,ProjectManageratthePathwaystoemploymentinbiotechnologyprogramattheuniversityofToronto(uofT),Mississauga.

human resources

By Jason Hagerman


Atlanta, Georgia, USA March 13 - 18 www.pittcon.org

Network with thousands of the world’s leading scientific minds, get a

hands-on look at the latest innovations, and experience all the compelling

educational opportunities Pittcon has to offer. Science is the attraction,

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This program, funded by the provincial government, is apartnershipbetweentheschoolofContinuingstudiesatuofTandtheMastersofbiotechprogramatuofT,Mississauga,and aims to acclimatize immigrant workers to the Canadianbiotechnologyworkplacethroughaprogramofin-classinstruc-tion and mentor support. upon completion, trainees are pre-sentedwithacertificateidentifyingthemasreadyforemploy-ment in the Canadian marketplace, taking away some of theuncertainty employers facewhen assessing an applicant’s suit-abilityforajob.

A global market“Diverse hiring is an excellent idea because we are in a globalmarket,wehavetogootherplacesinthisworldtosucceed,”saysColetteRivet,executiveDirectorofbioTalentCanada.

The bioskills Recognition program, which sprung out of a2007reporttitled,Recognizing Talent—Capitalizing on the skills of foreign trained professionals for a vital bio-economy,issimilartotheuofTprograminthatitaimstoidentifyskilledinternationallytrainedworkers, break through thebarriers they are facing andconnectthemtotheCanadianbioeconomy.

immigrantscancreateanonlineportfoliothatisreviewedbyacompetencycommitteecomprisedofindustryexperts.

“Wecanthendetermineif theyarebio-ready.ifourexpertsfeelthattheworkerisunsureonatechnique,wehaveapracticalobservation session inwhich the applicantwill visit a companyand perform a technique in front of an industry person,” saysRivet.once confirmed, theprofile canbe viewedbyCanadianemployers,whocanbeconfidentthattheproficienciesidentifiedare indeed up to par.These workers can then help a companydevelopamoregloballyorientedperspectiveandbreakintoprevi-ouslyinaccessibleordifficulttoaccessmarkets.

A reflection of the communityHaving a diverse workforce that mirrors the community you’reworkinginisgoodforbusiness,sayselmy.

no case exemplifies this more than Toronto-based DaltonPharmaservices.Pekosisafirst-generationCanadian.Hispar-entscametoCanadafollowingthesecondWorldWar,likemanyother immigrants, with hopes of creating a better life for theirchildren.

“ihavethissensethatineedtohelpimmigrantsmyself,andit’spartofthecultureofourcompany,”hesays.“Welooktogivebackinordertorepaythewonderfulopportunitiesthatiwasgiven.”

With over 245,000 individuals relocating to Canada in2008/2009 alone, according to statistics Canada, there areplenty of chances for Pekos to present internationally trainedprofessionals with an opportunity of their own, and he takeseveryopportunity.

“about75percentofouremployeesarenewCanadians,andabout20percentofthemtooktheirfirstjobherewithus,”hesays.

since starting out in 1986 as an entrepreneur, Pekos hasgrownhis company to80 times its original size, andoperates

aroundtheglobe.“We had a relationship with a Japanese pharma company

thatlasted10years,untiltheywereacquired.Theprimaryrea-sonthattheyworkedwithusisthatwewerenotJapanese.Theyweregettingfromuswhattheycouldnotgetfromadomesticsource,”saysPekos.

Challenges“oneofthebiggestbarrierstoemploymentforimmigrantwork-ersislanguage,”saysRivet.

elmyagrees.“CultureandcommunicationhasbeenidentifiedbyemployersaswhattheyfeelinternationalprofessionalsneedinordertointegratedtotheCanadianworkplace.”

ThemajorityofCanadianbiotechcompaniesaresmall,withmore than a quarter employing less than five workers. in thisenvironment,theworkermustbewellintegratedintermsofcom-municationandproficiencyinordertomakeitaspartoftheteam.employers simply don’t have the time or resources to coach apersonalong.

ThisiswhyprogramslikethebioskillsRecognitionprogramorPathwaystoemploymentinbiotechnologyandorganizationslike CsMLs, the Toronto Region immigrant employmentCouncil, the Greater Halifax Partnership and many others arecrusadingforrecognitionofinternationalprofessionals.

“someimmigrantsgetcaughtinasortofcatch-22.Theycan’tget a job in Canada because they lack Canadian experience,”Pekossays.

“MostemployersaresetonarequirementofCanadianworkexperience.Howcananimmigrantgetthatexperienceinthefirstplace?”asksnielsen.

Canadian employment history is a sort of safety net foremployers, taking some of the perceived risk out of hiring animmigrantworker.butishiringaworkerfromindiaorChinaanymoreriskythanhiringanewgraduatefromCanada?

“Forward-thinkingcompaniesareplanningforthefuture,forthe fact that theirhighly trainedworkforcewill soonretireandthosepeopleneedtobereplaced.Thebiggestthinginthefuturewillbepossessingaglobalperspective,”sayselmy.LB

Forsupportingstudiesandstats,visitourwebsiteatwww.labbusinessmag.com.

“About 75 per cent of our employees are new Canadians, and about 20 per cent of them took their first job here with us.”

Peter Pekos, President and CEO of Dalton Pharma Services

human resources

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Research Support Specialists Bridge Excellence from Cage Side to the Benchtop Once viewed as a tactical position, today’s RSS is a strategic component for biomedical lab environments

Oneofthemostcriticalrolesintoday’sani-malresearchlaboratoryfalls inthehandsof a Research support specialist (Rss).

Research support specialists serve as a constantresourcewithcriticalinformationflowbetweentheresearch and animal facility teams. They form abridge that connects the gap between the workproducedatcagesidetotheresearchpersonnelatthelaboratorybench.

in today’s demanding, competitive laboratoryenvironments,thesearchforadvancedbiomedicalanswersinvolvesmorefrequentanddetailedinfor-mation.Thetransferofthisdatabetweentheper-formanceofhands-onanimalproceduresand theutilizationof it for the researchcomponents is asdelicateasever.eventhesmallestgaporfailuretodeliveroreffectivelytranslate,canresultinthelossof information that can severely hamper optimalresearchproceduresandresults.

TheRssis the individualresponsible forper-formingallofthehands-onanimalworknecessaryto carry out the procedures listed on the animalstudyproposal.Theyarehiredas,andconsideredtobe,anexpertwiththespeciesandrelatedprocedures.TheRssisreliedupontoperformtheseactionsconsistentlyandaccuratelyatalltimes.

Thisisadvantageousforseveralreasons.First,itdecreasesandeliminatespotentialvariablesfromthestudy.Forexample,ifsev-eral individuals perform the same procedure but have differenttechniques, there is a potential for the procedures to produceinconsistentresults,makingitdifficulttoutilizehistoricaldataasabenchmark.italsoservesasadirectlinkfromthelabgrouptothe facility staff for receivinganddisseminatinganimal-specificinformation.itprovidesthestaffwithaconsistentcontactregard-

By Stephanie Strahan, Melissa Williams and Bradley Fisher

human resources

inganimalhealthnoticesorquestions,andthelabhastheRsstoconveyinformationinregardstocolonymaintenanceandfacilityoperations.Thisensuresthatanyandallpertinentinformationiscommunicatedbetweenthefacilityandthelab.

TheResearchsupportspecialist’sresponsibilitieshavecontin-ued to expand beyond the original, traditional scope. in somecases,theRssisresponsible,notonlyforsamplecollectionand/ordata,butalsoforprocessingthosesamples,andinsomecases,initialanalysis.Theirrolecanbeexpandedtoserveasthepointofcontact for the protocol concerning animal health during offhours, weekends, and holidays. in many cases, the Rss is the


person who is responsible for makingmany of the decisions regarding theoutcomeoftheanimals.

TheResearchsupportspecialistisalso consulted within the develop-ment stages for new and upcomingprotocols.Manytimes,theRssisthemostskilledindividualindeterminingthebestwaytomanipu-late the animals, to conduct the experiment, and gather theinformationofinteresttotheinvestigator.TherearemanyotherprocedurestheRssmayberesponsiblefor,suchasperformingirradiations, imaging,surgicalprocedures, trainingnewlyhiredinvestigativestaffonanimalhandlingandtechnicalprocedures,aswellassharingtheirexpertisewithothercolleagues.

itcanbeaverydifficulttasktolocate,recruitandhireindi-vidualsthatarecapableofhandlingtheincreaseinresponsibil-ity,andwhopossessthenecessarytechnicalskillset.often,thebestcandidateforthejobisaninternalemployee,inmostcases,aseasonedlabanimaltechnicianwhohasbeentrainedintech-nical procedures and possesses a strong proficiency with theoptimalabilitiesandknowledge.

However, it is important to note that not all highly skilledtechniciansmakegoodResearchsupportspecialists.Theposi-tion requiresanemployee toworkverywell independentlyandpossess excellent communication skills.itisalsoimportantandencouragedthattheindividualstrivestounderstandthescience behind the procedures they areperforming.This ensures their work ismoremeaningfulandassiststhemwithunderstandingwhytheslightestmistakeor miscalculation can be disastrous totheresearch.

TheidealRssisuniquetoeverylabas the group evolves and integrateswiththeskillsettheyprovide.ingen-eral, a strong knowledge and under-standingintheareasofbiology,chem-istry and lab animal science are valu-able.Theyhaveagoodunderstandingoftheregulatoryrequirementsforcon-ductinglabanimalhandlingandcaretoensure standard operating procedureandanimalstudyproposalcompliance.Theypossessanextremelystrongtech-nicalbackground,whiledemonstratingthe ability to work independently andcommunicate with all employeesinvolvedwith thecare for theanimalsand their environment, as well as theprinciple investigator conducting thestudy.Theyalsomustbeabletocom-municate with program and facility

management.Thiskeepsthegroupinformedifthereshouldbeanyissuesthatneedtoberesolvedtoassuretheresearchiscar-riedoutappropriately.

iftheResearchsupportspecialistisdevelopedandintegratedintothefacilityandresearchteamswiththeexpectationslisted,they will not only become a true asset to the lab’s mission forsoundresearch,butalsoenhancetheanimalcareprogram’sobjec-tivesinsupportinggoodanimalcare.Theywilltrulybecomethemissing link between the animal facility and research teams astheyfacilitatebridgingthegapfromcagesidetobenchtop.LB

Stephanie Strahan BS, LATG is the Deputy Program Manager, for SoBran, Inc. Melissa Williams BS, LATG is the Program Manager for SoBran, Inc. Bradley Fisher is the Program Director for SoBran, Inc.’s Biomedical Division, and has over 13 years of lab animal experi-ence with an emphasis in management and training.

Many times, the RSS is the most skilled individual in determining the best way to manipulate the animals, to conduct the experiment, and gather the information of interest to the investigator.

MottLab.indd 1 8/16/10 4:11 PM


H ow Canada Performs: A Report Card on Canada—assess-esCanada’squalityoflifecomparedwiththatofitspeercountries.TheConferenceboardofCanadapublishes

anoverallreportcardaswellasindividualonesthatmeasureper-formances in six categories: economy, innovation, environment,health, education and skills, and society. Report cards for eachcategoryarereleasedindividuallythroughouttheyear.Thelatestreport card, released early this year, shows Canada ranks 14thamong17peercountriesandcontinuestobea“D”performeroninnovation.

Putting innovation in context innovation is the ability to turn knowledge into new andimprovedgoodsandservices.TheConferenceboardreportsoninnovationperformance forCanadaand16peercountries.Theindicatorsusedmeasureeachcountry’scapacitytoinnovate,basedondatathatreflectthestagesofknowledgeproduction,thetrans-formationofknowledge,andmarketsharesofknowledge-basedindustries.

Countries with the highest overall scores have successfullydeveloped national strategies around innovation, giving them asubstantialleadovertheirpeersinoneormoreareas.irelandhasseenenormoussuccessasahostforleadinginnovativecompanies.The u.s. fosters a combination of top science and engineeringfaculties,broadanddeepcapitalmarkets,andanentrepreneurialculture. Japan iscommittedtoefficientmanufacturingandnewproduct development. switzerland, the top-ranked country thisyear,isaleaderinthepharmaceuticalsindustry.

Canada is well supplied with good universities, engineeringschools, teachinghospitals, and technical institutes. it producessciencethat iswellrespectedaroundtheworld.but,withsomeexceptions,Canadadoesnot takethesteps thatothercountriestake to ensure science can be successfully commercialized andusedasa sourceofadvantage for innovativecompanies seekingglobalmarket share.Canadiancompaniesare thus rarelyat theleadingedgeofnewtechnologyandtoooftenfindthemselvesagenerationormorebehindtheproductivitygrowthachievedbyglobalindustryleaders.

How is technology innovation measured?We use a total of 12 indicators to measure innovation perfor-mance. The indicator choice was guided by the Conferenceboard’sdefinitionofinnovationas“aprocessthroughwhicheco-nomicorsocialvalueisextractedfromknowledge—throughthecreation,diffusion,andtransformationofknowledgetoproduceneworsignificantlyimprovedproductsorprocessesthatareputtousebysociety.”

Knowledgeproductioniscapturedbyindicatorsmeasuringthenumberofscientificarticles,patents(patentsbypopulationandshareofworldpatents),andtrademarks.

The transformation of knowledge is gauged by indicatorsexamining technology exchange (the technology share of totalexports and imports), the shareof grossdomesticproductpro-duced by high- and medium-high-technology manufacturing,andtheshareofGDPproducedbyknowledge-intensiveservices.

Market shares of selected knowledge-based sectors (aero-space,electronics,officemachineryandcomputers,pharmaceu-ticals, and instruments) examine, for example, the share ofCanada’saerospaceexportsintotal17-countryaerospaceexportsrelativetotheshareofCanada’stotaleconomyexportsintotal17-countryexports.

Thetrademarkspermillionpopulationisanewindicatorthisyear.Thisisausefulindicatorofinnovationbecauseitallowsustobenchmarkservicessectorinnovationsandnon-technologicalinnovationsnotcapturedbydataonpatents.

Does Canada’s low ranking matter? innovation isessential toahigh-performingeconomy.it isalsocriticaltoenvironmentalprotection,ahigh-performingeducationsystem,awell-functioningsystemofhealthpromotionandhealthcare,andaninclusivesociety.Withoutinnovation,allthesesys-temsstagnateandCanada’sperformancedeteriorates relative tothatofitspeers.

Canada has been slow to adopt leading-edge technologies.This isproblematic, since innovativeproductshave increasinglyshortcycles.oftenwithinacoupleofyearsofintroduction,prod-ucts are upgraded or must be replaced. in these circumstances,

Canada scores a “D” in innovation

How CanaDa Performs

By The Conference Board of Canada

human resources


slowadoptersnevercatchup;theyarealwaysatleastonegenera-tionbehindtheadvancingfrontierofpossibilitiesthatnewtech-nology represents.That is not a winning formula, and Canadaseemstobeplayingcatch-upontoomanytechnologies.

TheproblemshowsitselfinCanada’srelativelylowproductiv-itylevel.asothercountriesdevelopandadoptmoreinnovation-relatedbusinessmethods,theircompaniesaregaininginproduc-tivity more rapidly than Canadian companies. With new keyplayers intheglobaleconomysuchasChina,india,andbrazil,Canadianbusinessesmustmoveupthevaluechainandspecializein knowledge-intensive, high-value-added goods and services.although Canada has some leading companies that competehandilyagainstglobalpeers,itseconomyisnotasinnovativeasitssizewouldotherwisesuggest.

Does Canada do well on any innovation indica-tors?Canadaperformspoorlyonmostindicators,asdoaustralia,italy,andnorway.inthelatestreportcard,Canadascoresone“b,”2“C”s,and9“D”s—animprovementoverthelastreportcardonwhichCanadaearnedonly“C”sand“D”s.

Canada’s lone“b” ison thescientificarticles indicator—anindicator on which Canada actually fell in the rankings fromsixth to eighth. although Canada’s proportion of scientificarticles published continues to increase, the proportion hasgrown at a greater rate in australia and norway, pushingCanadatoeighthplace.Canada’s“b”gradeonthisindicatorisdueprimarilytopoorerperformanceamongthetop-andbot-tom-rankedcountries.switzerland,thetop-rankedcountry,hadlessgrowthinthenumberofscientificarticlespermillionpopu-lation,whileinJapan,theworst-rankedcountry,thenumberofarticlescontinuestofall.

The innovation report card results reinforce the view thathowtheinnovationsystemismanagedisultimatelywhatmat-ters.Theu.s.isaleaderontheshareofworldpatents,knowl-edge-intensiveservices,andaerospaceexports.Thisisclearlytheprofileofaninventivecountrythatknowshowtotranslatenewknowledge into business value. Finland has “b”s in scientificarticlesandhigh-techmanufacturingandan“a” inelectronicsexports—again,aclearchainofdevelopment.switzerlandisanexampleofasuccessstory:switzerland’sresearchandleadershipinpatentsandtrademarkstranslateintoexpertiseinknowledge-intensiveservice,andfurthertoexportleadershipinpharmaceu-ticalsandscientificinstruments.swedenandirelandhavesimi-larstories,withirelandrelyingontechnologyexchangeratherthanresearchtohelpcreatecompetitiveadvantagebymanufac-turingproductsthatcanwinexportleadership.

How can Canada become a leader in innovation? Countries that regularly outperform others on innovation notonlyspendmoreonscienceandtechnology(asaproportionofGDP) but they also institute policies that drive innovationdemand and supply.To be a leader requires public policy that

systematicallyandcoher-ently promotes nationalinnovation and helpscutting-edge sectorsachieve their globalpotential. almost allcountries leading theoeCD innovationscores have governmentprogramsthatencourageinnovationinthenation-al interest. These pro-grams are coherent inthat they encourage notonlyanationalsupplyofrelevant science andtechnologybutalsofirmstoexploititforcompeti-tiveadvantage.

innovation policiespromote “creativedestruction” of the oldandhastenthetransitionto the new. Many ofCanada’s industry sectorpolicies are designed topreserve existing indus-trial production—suchas forestry’s pulp andpaper sector and autoassembly manufactur-ing—ratherthangeneratenew,highlyinnovativeones.ineffect,thesepoliciesareshort-termjobprotectionpoliciesthatconsumeimportant resources that could be used to support long-terminnovation.asaresult,theyworkatcross-purposestoinnovation.

Rather than shoring up fading oldsters, long-term innova-tionpolicieswouldhelptransformexistingindustriesintonewones—suchasturningtheforestryindustryintoabio-chemicalsector—andwouldcreatenew-to-worldindustries.

Canadahassomestronginnovationinitiatives,suchasfed-eral subsidies for biotechnology research and the nationalscientificResearchandexperimentalDevelopmenttaxincen-tiveprogram.but,inthemain,theseprogramscreateasupplyofscientificdiscoveryratherthangotheextrastepoffosteringdemandforinnovativeproducts.Theresultisgoodsciencefac-ultiesandlotsofrelativelysmallcompanieswithoutmuchpros-pectofsuccessonagloballyefficientscale.TheupshotisthatCanadamovesaheadfarmoreslowlythanothercountriesthatenjoygreaterinnovationpolicycoherence.LB

Toreadtheentirereport,gotowww.conferenceboard.ca/hcp.

Report Card

Innovation

1 Switzerland A

2 Ireland B

3 U.S. B

4 Japan B

5 Sweden C

6 Germany C

7 U.K. C

8 Netherlands C

9 Finland C

10 France C

11 Denmark C

12 Belgium D

13 Austria D

14 Canada D

15 Australia D

16 Italy D

17 Norway D

How does Canada perform on innovation overall?


lab spotlight

Diving in to Aquatic Animal HealthThe University of Prince Edward Island’s Atlantic Veterinary College aims to become world’s leading academic-based aquatics health institution

AVC graduate students and staff collect research data.

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ThiscouldeasilybeasceneoutofThe Deadliest Catch,andindeedafewdaysearlieritmayhavebeenjustthat.buttoday,thiscrabfishingvesselhasadifferentobjective.Todayitsearchesforsnowcrabnot for thepurposeofhumanconsumption,but for study.snow and queen crab are, according to Fisheries and oceansCanada,amorethan$500millioneconomyinCanada,makingthesecold-waterdwellersthesecond-largestseafoodproductbyvalueintheCanadianeconomy,laggingbehindonlylobsterwithareportedvalueof$803millionin2009.

This vessel’s job for the week is to ferry a team of fieldresearchers from the aquatic section of the atlantic VeterinaryCollege (aVC) at theuniversity ofPrinceedward island to adestinationwheretheycancollectsamples,testtheminthefieldforanyofanumberofailmentsandbringafewbacktothewetlabforfurtherinvestigation.

Thisparticularteamislookingintobittercrabdisease(bCD),ledby25-yearveteranofaVC,Dr.RickCawthorn,ProfessorofParasitologyintheLobsterscienceCentre.

“ourprimarygoalwith this rightnowwillbe todeterminewhetherornotbCDisasignificantmortalityfactorinsnowcrabpopulations and how it’s causing disease among these popula-tions,”saysCawthorn.“ThiswillallowfisheriesmanagerstolookatbCDinawaythatbetterallowsthemtomanagepopulations.”

Cawthorn also plans to work with colleagues at the uPeiFoodTechnologyCentretodeterminethecauseofthebittertasteassociatedwiththedisease,andmethodstoremoveit.

inordertodothis,Cawthorn’sfieldworkerstransportsamplecrabsfromthefieldtoaVC’saquaticanimalfacility.aspartofasoon-to-be-completed $45-million expansion and renovationproject, aVC is growing its aquatic holding facility by 8,000square-feet,withthenewadditionexpectedtoopenin2011.

“ourexpandedaquaticsholdingfacilityisanimportantstep

Diving in to Aquatic Animal Health

By Jason Hagerman

Theresilientredandblackfishingboatpitchessharplytotheleft,thenjustasaggres-sivelytotherightasthewavesofthenorthatlanticoceanassailitasthoughitwereanunwelcomeguest.Thesunshowsnosignofbreakingthroughtheblackenedclouds

nowoccupyingtheskyasfarastheeyecanseeinalldirections.Thedeckseemssubmerged.saltymistsandpowerfulwavesdancebackandforthacrosstherubberizedsurface.

Salmon production facility, New Brunswick.

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forward in achieving our goal of becoming the world’s leadingacademic-basedaquaticshealthinstitution,”saysDr.JeffWichtel,associateDeanofResearch.

Theaquaticfacilitycontainsaseriesofstandalonesalt-waterrecirculationunits.salt-waterisnecessarybecausethemajorityofsubjectsstudiedhereareoceandwellers,whichpresentedaprob-lemwhenbuildingthefacilityin1985.

“We’renotcloseenoughtotheoceantogetsaltwaterpumpedintoourfacility,”saysWichtel.

economically,buildingapipelinetotheoceanandmaintain-ingwaterquality,disinfectionandtemperaturecontrolfromthatsourcedidn’tmakesense.salt-waterwellsexistinthearea,butnotnecessarilywiththedegreeofsalinityneededtomaintainlivingsamples.

“our salt water is made from a package that you basicallydumpintothewater,”saysCawthorn.

substantialfreshwaterwellsprovideallthewaterneededandallowforprecisecontrolofthesalinityintheinteriortanks.

“our crabs, for example, are held at salinity of 34 parts perthousand,” Cawthorn explains. “The facility people do regularwater quality testing and we work closely with them becausethey’retakingcareofouranimalsandaquariumsystems,reallythemostimportantpartofourworkhere.”

Taking care of the animals alsomeansmaintainingprecisetemperature control. one recirculation unit, for example, maycontain crabs that must be held at a temperature of 0 C.Lobsterswouldbehousedinadifferentunit,withtheiroptimaltemperaturesittingbetween1Cand10C.

LobstersarealsoasignificantresearchfocusataVCandtheLobsterscienceCentre(LsC)istheonlylobsterresearchcen-tre in the world that is part of a veterinary college. in 2000,scientistsatLsCpioneeredanew,humanemethodofeuthaniz-ing lobsters for study. Dr. andrea battison observed lobstersunderimagingultrasoundandendedtheuseofpesticidebathsineuthanizingtheanimalsbyintroducinganinjectionthatstops

theheartveryquickly.studyinganimalssuchassnowcrab,lobstersandshrimpwill

providecriticalinformationallowingthisindustrytocontinuetogrow, but there are a number of other fisheries critical to theCanadianandglobaleconomiesinwhichaVCplaysapivotalrole.

More than crustaceansatlanticsalmonarethethird-largestculturedfishinCanada,withavaluein2009ofmorethan$500million.Theyhavebeenbeenplagued by a virus called infectious salmon anemia (isa) formorethan25years.

isawasfirstreportedin1984,butnotisolatedforcharacter-izationuntil1997.For12yearsfollowingthisreport,theviruswasneverseenoutsideofnorway.However,in1996,andconfirmedin 1997, the disease showed up in the bay of Fundy. Dr. FredKibenge,ProfessorofVirologyataVC,begantoamassmoun-tains of data on the virus. it was determined that the northamericangenotypewassimilar,butdifferentthantheeuropean

lab spotlight

“We’re the largest contributor of viral information on North American ISA in the word.”

Dr. Fred Kibenge, Professor of Virology

Research ChairsAVC is home to four research chairs with a specialization in aquatic animal health.• Dr. Ian Gardner, Canada Excellence Research Chair,

Aquatic Epidemiology• Dr. Mark Fast, Novartis Research Chair, Fish Health• Dr. Crawford Revie, Canada Research Chair,

Epi-Informatics• Dr. Larry Hammell, Innovation PEI Industry Research

Chair, Epidemiology for Global Aquatic Food Animal Production

Dr. Spencer Greenwood (left) applies a blood sample drawn from a lobster by

Dr. Andrea Battison (right) to a refractometer for analysis.

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lab spotlight

genotype.“Whenthediseaseappearedhere,mylabdidalotofworkon

it,”saysKibenge.The expertise gained through in-depth study and repetition

attracted the attention of the World organization for animalHealth(oie).

“becauseofthis,weweredesignatedanoiereferencelabforthenorthamericangenotypeofisa,”Kibengesays.

This meant that Kibenge would look after all new diseaseoutbreakswestoftheatlanticocean,andtheoiereferencelabin oslo, norway, would handle the east.This also meant thatKibenge’slabhadexpertiseinavirusthatonlyoneotherlabintheworlddid,apointofprideforaVC.

in 2007, isa was discovered in salmon fishery populationsalong the coast of Chile, the world’s number two producer offarmedatlanticsalmon.

“iusedtovisitChileaboutonceayearbackaround1999,butnowtheindustryissobigthatcompaniesandthegovernmentarealways looking forexperts tovisit.Lastyear iwent there threetimes,”Kibengesays.

Whenisawas suspected inChile, fish tissue sampleswereshippedtoaVCwheretheoiereferencelabforisacouldcon-firmit.

being an oie reference lab, imported samples suspected ofcontainingisavirusmusthavepermitsissuedbytheCanadianFoodinspectionagency(CFia).inordertoproperlycontainthevirus,Kibenge’slabisabiosafetyleveltwo(bsL2)lab.

Thislabwasthefirsttodemonstratethroughsequenceanaly-sis that the isa virus found in Chile had changed to a highlypathogenicform,notunlikewhathappenswhenavianinfluenzavirusesinfectcommercialpoultryandbecomehighlypathogenic.To date, the lab has sequenced more than 50 new Chile isaisolatesonRnasegment5 andmore than75new isolatesonRna segment 6 and has performed an extensive comparativeanalysis of this sequence data, including isolates sampled fromnorway,Faroeislands,scotland, theu.s.andCanada, thatarerepresentativeofthegeneticdiversityofisa.

Salmon under attackThroughhisextensivework,Kibengehascontributedtothecur-rentlullinthepresenceofisa,accordingtoDr.LarryHammell,Director of the Centre for aquatic Health services. but thisdoesn’tmeanthatatlanticsalmonisintheclear.

“Reallywhat’ssupersededallotherissuesrightnowissealice,”saysHammell.

sealicearethebaneofaquaculturetoday,costingasmuchas$50millionayearinCanadaintermsoflossofgrowthtothefishandoccasionaldeath,explainsDr.MarkFast,novartisResearchChairinFishHealth.

Fast,whojoinedaVCinaprilof2010,isworkingquicklytoestablishhimselfwithinthelabandbegincollaboratingwiththeexpertssurroundinghim.

“sincetheyear2000,we’vebeenusingaproductthatwasveryeffective, and as a result, no companies wanted to go throughcostlyregistrationofotherproductsbecausethisoneworkedsoeffectively,” says Hammell. “but sea lice, like any parasite, aretricky.Theycaneventuallyadapt.”

Theeffectivenessofthestandardtreatmentbegantowaneafewyearsago,sonowtheraceisontodevelopanequallyeffectivetreatment.

“Right now we’re trying to monitor for resistance in threedrugsandbathtreatmentsaswell,”Hammellsays.

Todothis,largequantitiesoftestsubjectsarerequired,sooutgothetechnicians—butnotbeforetakingpartinsomeindustry-specificcertification.

“any person with six months’ cumulative time on a vesselneeds to get marine emergency duties training,” says Wichtel.somelabtechsmayrequirescubacertificationoraboatoperator’slicenseaswell.

alotofworkersareneededtocopewiththemassivequanti-tiesofsamplesrequiredforliveaquaticanimaltesting.

“Thebiggestchallengeisoftengettingenoughpeople,”saysCawthorn.“Wewillbringcasualemployeesonboardifwehaveto, as we’re literally processing thousands upon thousands ofanimals.”

Aquatic Centres of Expertise • UPEI Aquatic Virology Collaborating Centre (home of

World Organization for Animal Health Reference Laboratory for Infectious Salmon Anemia)

• World Organization for Animal Health Collaborating Centre for Epidemiology and Risk Assessment in Aquatic Animal Diseases

• Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences• Centre for Marine and Aquatic Resources• Diagnostic Services Laboratories• Centre for Veterinary Epidemiological Research• Shellfish Research Group• Lobster Science Centre

Ronnie Campbell, a lobster fisher from Covehead, PEI, discusses lobster carapace

size with Dr. Jean Lavalée (standing right), veterinarian and clinical scientist at the

AVC Lobster Science Centre.

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aswith crustaceans,many samples are returned to the tankfacility,deliveredbytrucksthatbackdirectlyintoaloadingbayforthegreatesteaseofaccesstothetanks.Thesametanksthatareusedforlobstersorcrabsarerecalibratedtosuitthespecificneedsofsalmonstudies.surroundedbystrategicallyplaceddrainsandground fault interrupters, scientists at aVC confidently walkacrossthenon-slipfloorandplacesubjectsintovariousaquaria,sizedforthespecificnumberandsizeofthesubjects.

Withsea lice,Hammellmayhave liceeggsbroughtback inordertobeincubatedandinturn,watchastheyinfectfishundercontrolledconditionsorhemayelectronicallytaginfectedfishonthefarmandtrackthelifecycleofthelice.

It’s all connected”Foroveradecadeithasbeensuspectedthatsealicecanpassonisa,muchlikeatickormosquitocanactasavectorofdisease”says Fast. “so one of the most important things aboutaVC ishavingaccesstootherresearchers,likeDr.FredKibenge,tocol-laboratewithandalsotobounceideasbackandforth.”

similarly, snow crab or lobsters can succumb to bCD.Theconnectionsbetweentheresearchersabovethewavesarecriticaltoaddressingtheissuesarisingfrombelow.

The necessity of researchers such as Kibenge, Fast andHammell springs from the fact that denser populations bringhealthrisksinanygroup.

“When you get isa, it’s a sign that your atlantic salmonindustry is very advanced,” says Kibenge. “You need a certainconcentrationoffishtoshowthedisease.Wildfishthatgetthediseasedieoutinthesea.Theysinktothebottomandnobodyknows,whereasforfarmedsalmon,thedeadfishcanberetrievedandexaminedforthecauseofdeath.Whensomanyofthemareheldclosetogether,aviruslikethiscouldpotentiallythreatenanentirecropoffarmedfish.”

Thechallengesassociatedwithmass farmingaren’tnew,butwhenitcomestoaquaculture,astheindustryisrelativelyyoung,theseissuesarenowcritical.

“alotofaquaticfarmingisatthatearlystage,”saysWichtel.“it’simportanttogetinatthisleveloftheindustryandmakeanameforyourselfasaresearcherandasaninstitutionbecauseifyoudon’t,somebodyelsewill.”LB

“Snow crabs really like water between –1 C and 5 C. If you warm that crab up, you’re going to stress

it,” says Dr. Rick Cawthorn, Professor of Parasitology in the Lobster Science Centre at the University of Prince Edward Island’s Atlantic Veterinary College.

Additionally, Cawthorn’s research team believes that the parasite causing bitter crab disease (BCD) can thrive in water temperatures of a wide range.

“Where our concern with global climate change is that when the bottom ocean temperatures warm up, the crabs become stressed. The parasite likes that warmer temperature and you have a stressed crab. This means the crab has a significantly reduced ability to resist the parasite, possibly creating a significant mortality factor,” Cawthorn explains.

Compounding this, Cawthorn’s team believes climate change is influencing circulation patterns in the ocean, allowing the parasite to spread into previously unaffected areas.

“The interesting thing about this crab parasite is that it was first discovered in the 1930s, and we didn’t know much about it until 1985. Since then, it’s gone from being found in five or six species of crustaceans to more than 40. What causes that? Of course we focus on the parasite itself, but sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture,” he says.

Crustaceans Feeling the Heat

“Having a very good aquatic facility is critical to what I do.”

Dr. Mark Fast, Novartis Research Chair in Fish HealthPh

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suzuki comment

Protecting the Planet is a Sacred and Scientific DutyBy David Suzuki

If we were to judge our priorities by the amount of spacedevoted to stories in the news, we’d have to figure that theWorldCup, controversy at ahotdog-eating contest, and the

shenanigansofParisandLindsaywerethemostimportantissues.Meanwhile, news about vanishing species, climate change, andlossoftopsoilappearsbriefly,oftenburiedinthebsectionofthenewspaper,beforevanishing.

it’sbeenthiswayforawhile.backin1992,someoftheworld’smostprominentscientistsissuedanurgentwarningaboutimmi-nent ecological collapse. The “World scientists’ Warning toHumanity”: www.ucsusa.org/about/1992-world-scientists.html, signed by 1,700 topscientists from 71 countries, including 104nobel laureates, began with the statement:“Humanbeingsandthenaturalworldareonacollision course.” Major television networksandnewspapers ignoredthewarning.Yetthesamenewsmediacontinuetoplayupthepro-nouncementsofeconomicpunditswhoweren’teven able to anticipate the 2008 economicmeltdown.

i have long maintained that what distin-guishesusfromotheranimalsisourabilitytouse our accumulated knowledge, experience,and insight to look ahead, to see where thedangersandopportunitieslie,andtochooseapath that allowsus to avoid thehazards andexploittheopportunities.Foresighthasbeenthekeytoourenor-moussuccessasaspecies.Yettoday,weareturningourbacksonthisgreatsurvivalattributeasweignoretheperilouswarningsofscientistswhilefocusingonthelatestshiftintheDowJonesaver-age,thevalueoftheCanadiandollar(tofourdecimalpoints),andtheactivitiesofDonaldTrumpandsteveJobs.

TwoyearsbeforetheWorldscientists’Warning,astronomerCarlsaganpresentedaremarkableappealfromscientiststoreli-giousleadersattheGlobalForumofspiritualandParliamentaryLeaders on Human survival in Moscow. it was signed by 32nobelPrize-winningandotherscientistsandiswellworthquot-ingatlength:

“Theearthisthebirthplaceofourspeciesand,asfarasweknow, our only home.When our numbers were small and ourtechnology feeble, we were powerless to influence the environ-ment of our world. but today, suddenly... our numbers havebecome immense and our technology has achieved vast, even

awesome,powers.intentionallyorinadvertently,wearenowabletomakedevastatingchangesintheglobalenvironment,anenvi-ronmenttowhichweandallotherbeingswithwhichwesharetheeartharemeticulouslyandexquisitelyadapted.”

The appeal listed numerous threats, including “depletion oftheprotectiveozonelayer;aglobalwarmingunprecedentedinthelast150millennia;theobliterationofanacreofforesteverysec-ond; the rapid-fire extinction of species; and the prospect of aglobalnuclearwarwhichwouldputatriskmostofthepopulationoftheearth.”

italsocalledonspiritualleaderstoviewthesituation as a common cause: “Problems ofsuchmagnitude,andsolutionsdemandingsobroadaperspective,mustberecognizedfromthe outset as having a religious as well as ascientificdimension.Mindfulofourcommonresponsibility, we scientists, many of us longengagedincombatingtheenvironmentalcri-sis,urgentlyappealtotheworldreligiouscom-munity tocommit, inwordanddeed,andasboldlyasisrequired,topreservetheenviron-mentoftheearth.”

This remarkable document ends with amoving statement about an underlying con-gruenceofscienceandreligion:“asscientists,manyofushavehadprofoundexperiencesofawe and reverence before the universe. We

understand thatwhat is regardedas sacred ismore likely tobetreatedwithcareandrespect.ourplanetaryhomeshouldbesoregarded.effortstosafeguardandcherishtheenvironmentneedtobeinfusedwithavisionofthesacred.atthesametime,amuchwider and deeper understanding of science and technology isneeded.ifwedonotunderstandtheproblem,itisunlikelywewillbeabletofix it.Thus,thereisavitalroleforbothreligionandscience.”

at theconference,271spiritual leaders from83countries—patriarchs, lamas, chief rabbis, cardinals, mullahs, archbishops,andprofessorsoftheology—addedtheirnamestothedocument.now,20yearslater,wemustregainourforesightandrememberthese powerful warnings from scientific and religious leaders.They’reevenmorerelevanttoday.LB

Dr. David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author, and chair of the David Suzuki Foundation. Learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org.

Foresight has been the key to our enor-mous success as a species. Yet today, we are turning our backs on this great survival attribute as we ignore the

perilous warnings… See our full IC product offering at:www.metrohmusa.com

My IC saves lots of time and money. And yours can too when you choose Metrohm® Ion Chromatography systems.

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Their advanced technology and time-saving features mean you work less yet produce more. Let them fully automate your routine sample preparations, including ultra-filtration and dilutions. Every system is backed by a full 3-year warranty,and the suppressor comes with an unprecedented 10-year warranty! And like every other Metrohm instrument, our Applications and Service teams are a quick phone call or visit away.

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supplier profile

TheHunterGroupLtd.maynotnecessarilybeahouseholdname among lab technicians across Canada, and yet,almosteverylabdoinganykindofanalysisislikelyusing

thecompany’shigh-puritysolventsintheirday-to-dayoperations.since1988,aurora,on-basedHunterGrouphasbeenper-

fecting the art of manufacturing high-purity solvents for thepharmaceuticaland laboratory industriesacrossnorthamerica,leaving the marketing to its partners.The privately owned andiso9002-certified companyproduces itswares fordistributorsundertheirownbrandname.

“Weprivate label and sell throughdistributors acrossnorthamerica—the big, major international distributors, and someindependentlabdistributors,”saysHunterGroupPresidentbillCookson.“Wetrytobevery,verygoodatmakingthesolvents,andthenpartnerwithdistributorswhoareverygoodatmarketingit, andwho are already out there making contact with our endcustomers—eachandeverylabacrossthecountry.”

TheHunterGroupspecializes inbeing the lowestcostpro-ducerofhigh-purityenvironmental,HPLCandtracegrade,aCsgradeandtechnicalgradesolventsinnorthamerica,accordingtoCookson.Hisvisionhasalwaysfocusedonleanmanufacturingandremainingflexible,withquickresponsetimesandtheutmostattentionanddedicationtoquality.

investmentistypicallyinequipmenttostayattheleadingedgeoftechnology,hecontinues.TheHunterGroup’s10,000square-footfacilityusesstate-of-the-artchemicalprocessingequipment,and houses an extensive laboratory for quality control andresearch.Thecompanypurifiesorganicsolvents.itsqualitypuri-fication process of solvents are used for analytical purposes todeterminetraceamountsofvarioussubstancesindrugs,drinkingwater, environmental contaminants, food and a mass of otherapplications where it is important to measure in the parts-per-millionlevels.

Cooksonsaysthatbecausethepurityofsolventsistheback-boneofthebusiness,HunterGroupsourcesthehighestqualityrawmaterialsinternationally,anddoesdetailedandcomprehen-siveanalyticalchecksbeforeacceptingthemintotheproductionsystem,thereforemanufacturingthehighestpuritysolvents.Thetarget is to have dry, clean solvents far exceeding the requiredspecificationsintheindustry.

“Thehigh-puritychemicalindustryischanging,”hesays.“The

instrumentationin laboratories isgettingmoresophisticated,sooursolventshavetocontinuallybebetterandbetter.They’recon-tinuallychangingandevolving.andwe’recontinuallyresearchingwaysofproducinghigherpuritysolvents.”

Recentmarketconditionshavehadanimpactonthebusiness,saysCookson.“notonlydidourexportsalesdeclinewiththe‘buyamerican’ campaign, but Canadian customers who had u.s.manufacturing plants were required to pull all business out ofCanadaandtransferittotheu.s.,”hesays.“Thiswasasignifi-cant blow to the company, but at the same time the industryexperiencedaworldwideshortageofoneproduct.sincewehadbeenactivelypromotingournameintheindustrywebegantoget

The Hunter GroupSolvent manufacturer prides itself on lean manufacturing, strong employee relations and a fierce dedication to quality

By Bernadette Johnson

Bill Cookson, President, The Hunter Group


High Purity Products for Laboratory Chemistry

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numerousinquiriesaboutouracetonitrileproduct.Thisallowedus to introduce our company and gave us the opportunity toexport todifferentcountriesandnewcustomers.”Currently,60percentofHunterGroup’smarketisinCanada,withtheremain-ing40percentintheu.s.

employee relations are also key to the company’s success.HunterGrouphas15full-timeemployees,withhalfoftheteamdirectlyinvolvedwiththemanufacturingprocess,saysCookson.

“althoughwe’resmall,ourstaffhandlesmanydifferentthings.Weprovidefarmoretrainingthanismandatedbutit’saninvest-mentinouremployees,healthandsafety,andanenjoyablework-ingenvironment,”saysCookson,citingthecompany’sjointhealthand safety committee (which is not required at its size), andweeklytrainingmeetings(oftenledbytheemployeesthemselves).“everyonehasaroleandtheyallcontributetotheproductgoingoutthedoorandkeepingthecustomerhappy.”LB

The Hunter Group At A Glance

Headquarters: Aurora, ON

Founded: 1988

Key products/Core Competency: Manufacturing high-purity solvents for the pharmaceutical and lab industries

Employees: 15

Contact: 1-905-841-5660

Website: www.huntergroupltd.com


application note

LIMS Form the Foundation of Lab InformaticsLaboratory information management systems enable labs to manage processes, ensure regulatory compliance and promote collaboration

Ifyouspendmorethanafewhourseverydayinalaboratory,there’sagoodchanceyouspendaportionofthattimeoper-ating your laboratory information management system

(LiMs).HowmuchtimeexactlydependsonhowmodernyourLiMs is. There was a time when some microbiological testscouldrunformorethan20daysbeforecompletion,andamod-ernLiMswouldhavebeenof littleuse—paperworkcouldbeused to fill the time. Today, however, with these same testsrequiringhoursratherthandays,informationmustberecorded,relayedandutilizedatagreaterpace.Thistechnologycanhelpthelabfunctionmorecohesively.

What a LIMS can do for you“if you want to send a message you don’t need email, or aprinter, or a faxmachine, or a telephone.You can still send ahandwritten letter in the mail,” says Peter boogaard, Vice-PresidentofGlobalMarketingatLabVantagesolutionsinc.,aLiMsdeveloper,“butthequestionis:isitcosteffective?ifitiscosteffective,thenisitfast?”

aLiMscanbelookedatinthesameterms.boogaardsaysyoucanoperatealabwithnoLiMsatall,orwithanoldersys-tem,butthesedays,thetrendismovingtowardfaster,lessexpen-siveandmorehighlyintegratedsoftwaresolutions.

“Thereisagrowthperiodwithlabs,anditisfairlyearlyinthatgrowthperiodthatalabwillrecognizetheneedforsomesortofstructuredinformaticsplatform,”saysstevebolton,amarketingspecialistwithLabtronicsinc.,asoftwaresolutionsdeveloper.

Lab workers are exhaustively trained to prepare samples,handlematerialsandruntests.Whenthemanagementofinfor-mationsurroundingthesetasksbecomesastimeconsumingasthe tasks themselves, it’s time to consider the benefits of anelectronicsystem.

“Let’s saythatsixmonths fromnowineedtofollowuponsomething,tofindsomeolddata.LiMsmakethisinformationavailable to you from the closest computer terminal,” saysTomCurtis,Vice-PresidentofProductinnovationatLabtronics.

Trackingsamplesthroughoutthelabisthemostbasicfunctionof aLiMs.“Theprimary functionofourLiMs is to trackall

evidenceinthelab,”saysTonyTessarolo,DirectoroftheCentreof Forensic sciences (CFs). “We are able to demonstrate andestablishthecontinuityoneverypieceofevidencewehaveinthelab.Thisiscriticaltoensuringtheresultsobtainedfromevidenceweexaminearesupportableandvalid.”

Foracontractlab,clientsalsowanttoknowthateveryproce-durewasfollowedcorrectly.aLiMsprovidestransparencyandgivesclientsconfidence.

“Whenbobgoestodothetest,wewanttoknowbeforehandwhether he is trained to do that test. We want to know if hisinstrumentwasproperlycalibrated,ifheusedvalidreagents,”saysCurtis.“LiMscanonlyprovide this levelofautomation if it isintegrated, in real time, with other informatics systems in thelaboratory.”userscanalsobeassigned levelsofaccess,allowingthem to either proceed with a test or not, depending on theassignedcriteria.

“inourlabfacility,everyindividualisgrantedaccesstoitemsthroughaLiMsadmin.unlessthey’regrantedaccess,theycan’tget into certain storage locations,” says Tessarolo. The LiMsensuresworkersonlyundertaketasksforwhichtheyaretrainedandapproved.

Costs The cost of implementing a LiMs varies. Like anything, inordertogetthemostoutofaLiMs,youneedtoknowexactlywhatyouwant.

“buyingaLiMsbecausetheneighbourhasonedoesn’tmakesense.Youneedtoknowwhatyourgoalsorshortcomingsare,”saysboogaard.

isthereasetofstandardsyouneedtoabideby,suchasHealthCanadaorFDaregulations?ManyLiMsarepre-tailoredtotherequirements of numerous regulatory bodies. if your goal is tostreamlineprocesses tomeetregulatoryguidelines, lookfor tar-getedsoftware.

“acustomermaynotknowwhattheyneed,buttheydoknowthatthatsomethingisneeded,”saysCurtis.

Themajorityofsoftwarecompaniesintheindustryoffercon-sultationservices.Thisinvolvesoneormoreconsultants,depend-

By Jason Hagerman


ingonthescaleoftheproject,visitingthelab,assessingtheneedsandprovidingadetailedreportforthecustomer.

“our report will show where their needs are—instrumentintegration,interfacing,collectionofdata,automatingexecutionof procedures at the bench level or storage of data,” Curtisexplains.

“Consultants can explainwhat a laborbusinesshas to gainfromcertainofferings,”addsboogaard.Thelabcanthendecidetoactoneverythingtheconsultantoffers,oronlythepiecesthatarenecessaryatthetime(ornothingatall).

Costsvarydependingonawidearrayoffactors.“if i want something different, customized or non-conven-

tional,thenmyscopeandpricechanges,”saysCurtis.Primary expenses related to LiMs come from installation,

configuration (tailoring or fully customizing), training andmaintenance.

installation expenses vary. some software solutions, such asLabVantage’ssapphireornexxisiLabfromLabtronics,arezerofootprint,meaningnosoftwareneedstobeinstalledoutsideofthecentral server.othersrequiresoftwaretobe installedandregu-larlyupdated.

Configuration costs fully depend on the lab. How manymodificationsdoyouneedtomaketothecoresoftwareinordertofitwithyourlab?

Training can be done in a variety of ways. Many softwareprovidersofferoptionstohavetrainersvisitthelabsitefortrain-ingsessions.othershostmulti-daycoursesonatrainingcampus.

“The other thing we use extensively is internet sessions. aone-totwo-hoursessiononaWednesdayafternoonislessinva-sivethananyotheroptiontothecustomer,”saysbolton.

Maintenancerelatestosoftwareupdates,troubleshooting,iTsupport,etc.

Software licensingMostsoftwaredevelopersofferawidevarietyofsoftwarelicens-ingoptions,builtaroundabaseoffourlicensingoptions.

Concurrentuserlicensingmeansthelabmaylicenseuptoagiven number of users to use the software at the same time.nameduserlicensinggivesusersaccesstoapplicationsjustlikearegularcomputerlogin,whereeachuserhasauniqueiDattachedtoalloftheirwork.enterpriselicensingisonlyusedbylarge-scaleoperationswithhundredsorthousandsofusersscatteredacrossmultiplelocations.Virtuallicensingisanoptionbasedonlimited,or specific access for each user depending on their functionwithinthelabandbusiness.

“ifyou integrateLiMswithbusiness-wideapplications,noteverybodyneedstoseeallthelabinfo.ifyou’reinthepurchasingdepartment,youonlywanttoknowaboutinventoryorwhetherinvoicesarebeingtransmitted,”saysboogaard.

indeed, keeping people focused on the job they have beentrained todo rather than spending timeonpaperwork is akeyadvantageofaLiMs.

“Werecentlyimplementedatwo-dimensionalbarcodesystem.Whenacaseformissubmitted,allrelevantinformationiscom-pletedasastandardPDFfile,butasthesubmittercompletesthatinfo, it also gets coded into the 2-D barcode. When that getssubmitted,our intakeofficers simply scan thebarcodeand thatinfogetstransferreddirectlytoourLiMs.it’scutdownourpro-cessingtimebyabout30percent,” saysTessarolo.“Thisallowsourintakeofficerstofocusonthekeypartoftheirjob.”LB


The Thermo scientific TsQ QuantumXLsisanewtriplequadrupolegaschroma-tographymassspectrometry(GC-Ms)sys-temdesignedtooffermaximumprecision,sensitivity and laboratory productivity forquantitative GC-Ms analysis. it featurestheThermoscientificDurabriteiRishighsensitivity ion source, which ensures highsensitivity in the low femtogram range,higherquantitativeprecisionattracelevelsand uninterrupted operation for increasedproductivity. equipped with optional col-umn backflush solutions, the new TsQQuantum XLs enables high-throughputlaboratories to run increased QueCheRsextract samples for continuous routineoperation. Highly inert and exchangeable

ion volumes allow for quick preventivemaintenancewithinminuteswithoutvent-ing the vacuumsystem.The system is theidealinstrumentfortraceresiduelaborato-ries in food safety and environmental,forensics, toxicology and petrochemicallaboratories. The new design of theDurabrite iRishigh sensitivity ion sourcedelivers ion source inertness against thedecomposition of labile compounds andprovideshigherionizationefficiencyforlowfgdetection.Thehigh-precisionhyperbolicquadrupole rod analyzer allows for greateranalyticalflexibility,high-speeddataacqui-sition and more sample runs, furtherincreasinglaboratoryproductivity.www.thermofisher.com

New System Increases Productivity

tech watch

ChromatographyInordertounderstandagivensubstance,scientistsneedtodisassembleit.simplesub-

stances,oilandwaterforexample,canbeseparatedthroughsimplemeans.Morecom-plexityinthesubstancemeansmorecomplexityinthemethodofseparation.Chromatographyistheanswertocomplexseparationsandithasadvancedtothepointwherevirtuallynosubstanceisbeyondthereachofseparationtechnology.now,thegoalofequipmentman-ufacturersistocreatefaster,moreprecisetoolstoallowscientiststomoveforwardatanever-quickeningpace.belowarefiveexamplesofthedirectiontheindustryismovingin.

Waters’acquityuPLCH-Classsystemincor-porates the reliable performance of acquityultraPerformance LC with the operationalfamiliarityoftraditionalhigh-performanceliq-uidchromatography.Thiscombinationofper-formance,simplicityandflexibilityisdesignedtohelpmorelaboratoriesrealizethescientificbenefitsofsub-2-micronparticlecolumntech-nology by making it more accessible to abroader range of industries, applications andoperators.ThesystemcloselyemulatesHPLCworkflows, making method transfer from

HPLCtouPLCmoreseamless.additionally,thissystemallowsorganizationstostandardizetheirapproachtoLCwithacommontechnol-ogyplatformthatmakes the future transitionfrom HPLC to uPLC-based methodsstraightforward and practical. uPLC perfor-manceandbenefitscomefromthenewquater-nary solvent manager (QsM) and samplemanager (sM-FTn) with flow-through nee-dle design, thereby mimicking traditionalHPLCworkflow.www.waters.com

HPLC Workflows Make Method Transfer to UPLC Seamless


The new nexera ultra high-perfor-mance liquid chromatography(uHPLC)systemisthelatestofferingfromshimadzu.Withanewlydesignedinjection port and fine-tipped needleand additional features such as multi-ple-rinsesolventselectionandinjectionport and internal needle rinse, thenexerasiL-30aCautosamplerreducescarryovertoanabsoluteminimum.ThesiL-30aC also features an injection

speedof just10 seconds, aswell as anoverlappinginjectionfunction.inaddi-tion, the LC-30aD pump features anautomatic pulsation-correction mecha-nism and a high-speed parallel microplunger design to provide pulse-freesolventdelivery.nexera’smodularcom-ponents allow users to design andupgradeasystemtofittheirapplicationrequirements.www.ssi.shimadzu.com

Combining efficient chromato-graphic separation with mass spec-trometry detection capabilities, thenewFlexarsQ300MssystemfromPerkinelmerinc.isdesignedforana-lysts seeking a fast, accurate androbustsystemtoquicklyidentifyandquantify compounds. The systemprovides a rugged ion sourcedesignandwidemolecularweightdetectionrangeforHPLCanduHPLCappli-cations.suitableforuseinthephar-maceutical and chemical industries,theFlexarsQ300platformenablesefficient and reliable ionization ofcompoundsinbothpositiveandneg-ative modes. For food and environ-

mental testing applications, a pat-entedmulti-stageionpathallowsformulti-residueanalysiswithhighlim-itsofdetectionsensitivity.Moreover,advanced Collision inducedDissociation (CiD) technologyenables fragmentation for furtherconfirmation of molecular structure.Flexar offers fast interchangeabilityofprobes.Theprobescanbespecifictoauser,applicationorsampletype,helpingtominimizetheriskofcrosscontamination and instrumentdowntime.itspatentedgroundedionsource design allows quick and safeprobeinstallation.www.perkinelmer.com

Theagilent1200infinityseriesmarkstheevolutionofthesuccessful1200seriesLCfamilyand1120CompactLCsusingthelatest1200seriesRapidResolutionLCand1290infinityLCtechnologies.The1200infinityseriesportfoliooffersaseamlessintegrationofcolumntechnology,instrumentationandsoftwaretoensureutmostproductiv-ity. The 1220 and 1260 infinity LCs offer enhanced HPLC andRRLCperformanceatanHPLCprice.all1220and1260infinitysystems are standardized on 600 bar system pressure, 80 Hz data-acquisitionspeedand2xor10xhigheruVsensitivity.The1220and1260infinityLCsare100percentcompatiblewithHPLCmethods,ensuringrisk-freereplacementorupgradesofexisting1100or1200series instruments.Further, thenew1260 infinityQuaternarybio-inert LC system offers exceptional performance in bio-analysis andbio-purification.www.agilent.com

Flexar Designed for Speed and Sensitivity

1200 Infinity Series Continues to Evolve

Nexera Reduces Carryover


lab ware

Taking the Pain out of PipettingThe HandyStep electronic repeating pipette from BrandTech Scientific Inc. increases productivity and reproducibility for repetitive and serial pipetting tasks. The HandyStep is a microprocessor-con-trolled, motorized repeating pipette that combines broad tip compatibility and user comfort with the convenience and efficiency of an electronic pipette. The instrument automatically recognizes the size of encoded BRAND PD-Tip syringe tips and provides continuously adjustable volume selec-tion from 1µL to 50mL. It is also compatible with standard syringe tips from many manufacturers.www.brandtech.com

EBSD, WDS and EDS in OneThermo Fisher Scientific Inc. launched the QuasOr EBSD, an option for its all-in-one microanalysis solution NORAN System 7. The new system combines Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and Wavelength Dispersive Spectroscopy (WDS) capabilities in a single software interface. Thermo Scientific QuasOr is fully integrated into the NORAN System 7 micro-analysis platform, ensuring ease-of-use for new users already familiar with EDS and WDS and providing a single interface for the simultane-ous collection of EBSD, EDS and WDS. EBSD determines the crystal structure of samples in a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). It also allows crystallographic mapping of complex materials and minerals to characterize its texture, making it invaluable when processing samples such as alloys, ceramics or when analyzing geological materials.www.thermoscientific.com

Time is of the EssenceControl Company’s Traceable Digital Timer Plus is a handy timer designed to clip to your lab coat, belt, notebook, clip-board or anywhere. It can be programmed in the countdown mode, in one-second increments, from 100 hours to one sec-ond. At zero, a loud-beeping alarm sounds for 60 seconds or may be silenced manually. In the stopwatch mode, it times from one second to 99 hours and then repeats. Also has a time-out feature in both up and down counting. The timer has a rugged, chemical-resistant ABS plastic case, key chain, lanyard, and magnet for placing on metal, and a one-and-a-half-year, continuous-use, replaceable silver-oxide battery. www.control3.com

Pocket your DataOmega’s new OM-CP-PHTEMP2000 series is a battery-powered, standalone pH and temperature data logger with a large LCD display. This product logs data in real-time and features programmable engi-neering units, programmable start-time and automatic temperature compensation. This CE marked data logger offers NIST traceable cali-bration and works with Omega’s PHE-4200 series of pH probes. TEMP2000 is ideal for measuring pH of stormwater runoff or drainage.www.omega.ca


Drop the NeedleDolomite introduced new Micro Droplet Systems, enabling rapid advances in droplet microfluidics and allowing users to produce more than 10,000 monodispersed droplets per second. Built around Dolomite’s established microfluidic pumps, connectors and chips, the Micro Droplet Systems benefit a wide range of applications including compart-mentalized chemistry, high-throughput experimentation and the formation of monodispersed emulsions or beads. The product range includes the Pressure-based Droplet Starter System, the Syringe-based Droplet Starter System and the Droplet Advanced System.www.dolomite-microfluidics.com

L I S T O F A D V E R T I S E R S & W E B S I T E S

CaledonLabs...................... Page27.....................www.caledonlabs.comEppendorf............................ Page21........................www.eppendorf.comFisher................................... Page2.................................www.fishersci.caMetrohm............................... Page4,24................ www.metrohmusa.comMieleProfessional............... Page7......................................www.miele.caMottlab................................. Page15............................ www.mottlab.comPittcon.................................. Page10............................... www.pittcon.orgWorldStemCellSummit..... Page6........www.worldstemcellsummit.comVWR..................................... Page35....................................www.vwr.comWaters.................................. Page13,36........................www.waters.com

Lab Workers get Their Hands DirtySheldon Manufacturing, Inc. announced the release of its BacBASIC Anaerobic Chamber. The BacBASIC is ideal for environmental and incubation work in microbiology and cell biolo-gy applications. The chamber is designed with clinical/research laboratory scientist in mind by providing barehanded access for delicate procedures without compromising the required desired hypoxic atmosphere. The ergonomi-cally designed quick-entry gloveless arm ports provide maximum reach and comfort. The BacBASIC chamber is 32.5” wide, 19.5” deep and 22” high providing storage capacity for up to 150 petri dishes. The user-friendly LCD control panel offers a temperature range from ambient to 45 C.www.shellab.com

Express YourselfSTEMcircle-LGNS minicircle DNA contains four factors capable of reprogramming somatic cells: LIN28, NANOG, SOX2 and OCT4 as well as a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene. This safe and simple method, recently published in Nature Methods, is nonviral and nonintegrating, resulting in prolonged gene expression and superior reprogramming over that of regular DNA plasmids.www.stemcircles.com

Green Fights GreenSpectrum Laboratories Inc.’s Clear Bath Algae Inhibitor is 100 per cent effective in preventing the growth of algae, does not harm laboratory equipment and is envi-ronmentally safe. Clear Bath does not contain poisonous copper compounds that can accumulate in groundwater after disposal and negatively affect the envi-ronment. Clear Bath contains a carbon-based active ingredient that effectively inhibits the growth of algae without harming the environment. Water treated with Clear Bath can safely be disposed of down the drain. Clear Bath is ideal for use with any circulating or static water equipment and containers.www.spectrumlabs.com

Explore the MinisculeJEOL USA developed the Clairscope JASM-6200, a truly integrated correlative microscopy tool that consists of an opti-cal microscope coupled with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Coupling optical microscopy with SEM not only yields complementary information but also affords the high spatial resolution only achievable through SEM imaging. The key to the design of this instrument is that it allows concurrent imag-ing of a sample in its native state (in solution) at atmospheric pressure and temperature, by both the optical microscope and SEM. The specimen area is open, allowing for easy sample manipulation and reagent exchange. The sample holder incor-porates a thin film window for SEM imaging of materials (liq-uids, gels, solids, etc.) at atmosphere. Dynamic phenomena such as crystallization, drying processes, and electrochemical reactions can be followed in real time.www.jeolusa.com


sitting with

Winner of the 2009 Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for science andengineering,andrunner-upin2008,Dr.Gillesbrassardisoneofthemostinfluential

computerscientistsontheplanet.Heisapioneerofquantuminformationscienceandheistheinventorofquantumcryptographyandquantumteleportation,bothnowfundamen-talelementsofthediscipline.allthis,yethehadliterallynointerestinphysicsonthedayheearnedhisPhD.

Q: Do you still find surprises through your research?a:ifthedayevercomeswheniceasebeingamazedbytheworldaroundus,itmeansitwillbetimeformetoretire.Luckily,idonotexpectthisdaytoevercome.

Q: Do you think a quantum computer would have the ability to calculate the odds of the Toronto Maple Leafs winning a Stanley cup ever again?a:ifyouhadaskedmeabouttheMontrealCanadiens,iwouldhaverespondedthatyoudon’tneedquantummechanicstocomputethenumberzero.Moreover,quantumcomput-erscannotresurrectpeople,sowe’llcontinuetohavetomakedowithoutMauriceRichard(theoriginalgreatone!).slightlymoreseriously,quantumcomputers,iftheyareeverbuilt,willnotbeall-powerful.idonotseehowtheywouldhelpinpredictingtheweather,muchlesssports.

Q: What was the last fiction book that you read?a:i’mratherashamedtoadmitit,butit’sprobablyHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.i’mnotashamedintheleastaboutlikingthistypeofliterature.iwasanavidsciencefictionreaderasateenager,butireadThe Deathly Hallowswhenitcameoutandthat’sthreeyearsagoalready.iwishiallowedmyselfmorefreetimeforreadingfiction.

Q: Is enough research being directed toward quantum mechanics in Canada?a: i don’t know about quantum mechanics in general. but in terms of my own field ofquantum information (how to use quantum mechanics for information-processing pur-poses),icantellyouthatCanadaissimplythebestcountryintheworld.notonlywasitherethatseveralkeynotionswereinvented,suchasquantumteleportationandasignificantportionofquantumcryptography,butwehave, i think, the largestnumberofqualifiedresearcherspercapitaintheworld.inparticular,thebrainpowerinquantuminformationsciencethatelectedtoliveinWaterloo,ontario,issecondtonone.

Q: When you were a child, did you have any aspirations to become a policeman, fireman, or the like?a:suchideasneveroccurredtome.atfirstisimplywantedtobeascientist,thenibecamemorespecificaboutwantingtobeamathematician.Clearly,i’vefailedfromthatperspec-tive.nevertheless,atsomepoint(wheniwasingradeschool)myprofessionalaspirationsweresomewhatlessabstract,althoughalreadyscientific:iwantedtobecomeanastronaut.nowonderJuliePayetteismyCanadianhero.LB

Gilles Brassard

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Never Too Old to Rock...

BDH: Over 100 Years of Excellence

BDH, a brand name recognized worldwide for quality and reliability, is available exclusively through VWR International. BDH brand products continue to set the standard for both chemical purity and analytical methods, and are regularly referenced in scientific papers.

For information on additional BDH brand products, more sizes, or to place an order, contact your VWR Sales Representative, 1-800-932-5000, or visit vwr.com today!

VWR, forms of VWR and the VWR logo and/or design are either registered trademarks® or trademarks™, or service marks SM of VWR International, LLC in the United States and/or other countries. ©2009 VWR International, LLC. All rights reserved.

The BDH portfolio consists of:

• NEW Molecular Biology Reagents

• Reagent Grade Salts, Solvents, and Acids

• pH Buffer Solutions

• High Purity Acids

• pH Test Strips and DoubleZone Indicator Papers

• Single and Multiple Element Standards

• Research and Production USP cGMP Salts

• Histology Solvents and Regents

• Silica Gel

• Analytical Solutions

• High Purity Solvents

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CSH™ technology empowers your UPLC® and HPLC systems to perform better than ever before. Sharp

peak shapes. High efficiency. High loading capacity. Rapid equilibration after mobile-phase changes.

pH stability and improved batch-to-batchreproducibility for ionized compounds. Improve the performance of every LC instrument inyour lab — get ACQUITY UPLC® CSH andXSelect™ HPLC columns today. Learn moreat www.waters.com/csh

INTRODUCING ACQUITY UPLC CSH AND XSELECT COLUMNS— POW ERED BY CSH TECHNOLOGY.

©2010 Waters Corporation. Waters, CSH, ACQUITY UPLC, XSelect, UPLC and The Science of What's Possible are trademarks of Waters Corporation.

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plumbing the depths of aquatic animal health · fall 2010 the definitive source for lab products,...

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