Brandon Vaz

University of Toronto simplifies protein interaction measurement technology Researchers at the University of Toronto have developed a platform called SIMPL2 that simplifies the study of protein-protein interactions, a crucial aspect of biological processes and disease. Led by Professor Igor Stagljar and Senior Research Associate Zhong Yao, the team designed SIMPL2 to optimize the measurement of these interactions for targeted drug therapies. This innovation addresses the challenge of protein-protein interactions being difficult to control with small molecules. The platform uses the split luciferase enzyme for detection through luminescence, allowing for more reliable measurements at a lower cost. Yao and Stagljar's work builds upon the original SIMPL system, improving its efficiency and sensitivity. The team plans to collaborate with Alán Aspuru-Guzik's lab at the University of Toronto and Insilico Medicine, a leader in generative AI drug discovery, to study interactions that play key roles in diseases like cancer, utilizing quantum computers and AI to develop new drug therapies. #quantum #quantumcomputing #technology https://lnkd.in/eASmrijP

1

💪 Exploring the Role of ncRNA in Muscle Growth! Here is a new #Publication that uncovers how non-coding RNA (ncRNA) contributes to muscle growth! Since neither ncRNA nor multinucleated adult human skeletal muscle are ideally studied using sequencing technologies, researchers from McMaster University employed a customized RNA profiling pipeline, MERSCOPE® Platform, and quantitative network modeling to study cell-type-specific ncRNA responses during muscle growth at scale. Key Findings: ✨MYREM, a ncRNA associated with muscle hypertrophy, was found near the periphery of skeletal muscle fibers, marking mature myonuclei and enhancing transcription of MYBPC2, a key player in muscle contraction. ✨MEG3 selectively localized to satellite cells, suggesting its role in regulating muscle regeneration and growth pathways. ✨Network analysis revealed novel ncRNAs, such as PPP1CB-DT, involved in contractile fiber remodeling and pseudogenes influencing vascular remodeling and angiogenesis. ✨Immune-related ncRNAs, like MIR4435-2HG and CYTOR, were linked to immune cell functions that support muscle remodeling. This study underscores the MERSCOPE Platform’s ability to map ncRNAs with single-cell resolution, offering unprecedented insights into tissue organization and rare cell populations. 📖 Read the full publication here: https://hubs.ly/Q02_Mf5W0 #Vizgen #MERSCOPE #SpatialGenomics #ncRNA #SkeletalMuscle #SpatialBiology #SingleCell #Innovation #Research

14

I think the quote is important about "chipping away at problems bit by bit". Bioprinting was overhyped 10 years ago - but the hard work is being done by groups led by Tamer Mohamed, Sam Wadsworth and Simon Beyer at Aspect Biosystems . Tessella Biosciences Inc. is working hard on high performance biomaterial inks for 3D printing with the goal of transitioning our R&D grade products to GMP for human use.

9

We just demoed at Toronto’s first bioinformatics hackathon, sponsored by Deep Genomics! 🚀 At the Toronto Bioinformatics Hackathon, our team built pHix, a molecular docking accuracy tool that ensures proteins are following the "dress code." 👗🧬 Molecular docking predicts how proteins and small molecules (ligands) interact, which is critical for drug discovery. But most current docking tools ignore pH levels, leading to inaccurate predictions. Different pH levels can significantly alter the charge and structure of molecules, which impacts how they bind together. Imagine showing up to a formal event in casual clothes – awkward, right? That’s what happens when proteins and ligands don’t match the right pH in molecular docking simulations. pHix fixes that by adjusting their protonation states (aka, making sure they’re dressed appropriately) so everything runs smoothly. 💼 With pHix, researchers can upload PDB files of proteins and ligands, select their desired pH, and let the tool make sure everything is pH-perfect! This leads to more accurate docking simulations and better insights into biochemical processes and drug interactions. Thanks to my team Jasmine Jing, Rodrigo Reyes Feregrino, and Amirfaham Fallahpour. We're holding 3D-printed viruses in this picture. 😆 GitHub: https://lnkd.in/eXxtxkm9 Devpost: https://lnkd.in/eUhCAKTd #pHix #pun #TorontoBioinformaticsHackathon

338

29 Comments

A Vancouver biotech working on bioprinted tissue therapeutics has reeled in $115 million via a Series B. The capital will support Aspect Biosystems' in-house programs in endocrine and metabolic disorders while also working on diabetes with partner Novo Nordisk. Nan Li, a managing partner at the round's lead investor Dimension and new Aspect board member, called it a “modality that’s too elegant to ignore.” “It’s one of these modalities that the industry continues to invest in because of its promise. We’re kind of chipping away at the problems bit by bit but even with some recent clinical challenges in regenerative medicine, a lot of large pharma companies continue to make bets there and put it on their 10-year roadmap for where they see the industry going,” Li told Endpoints News More below from my interviews with Aspect CEO Tamer Mohamed and Li: #aspectbiosystems #novonordisk #tissuetherapeutics #bioprintedtissue #metabolicdisorders #endocrinedisorders #biotechvc #biotechfunding #canadianbiotech

144

4 Comments

174 PAGs have provided input in HTA submission to Canada’s Drug Agency since 2014. Here are 4 key facts worth checking out 👀 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝟭: Only 56% of “Do Not Reimburse” recommendation contained patient input versus 65% of "Reimburse" recommendations 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝟮: 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝟭𝟬 𝗣𝗔𝗚 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 1. GI Society – 30 2. Canadian Skin Patient Alliance – 28 3. Diabetes Canada – 28 4. Lung Health Foundation – 26 5. Canadian Liver Foundation – 25 6. Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders – 24 7. Arthritis Consumer Experts – 22 8. Canadians Living with HIV – 22 9. Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance – 19 10. Arthritis Society Canada – 17 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝟯: 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝟭𝟬 𝗣𝗔𝗚𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 1. Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders – 21 2. Canadian Liver Foundation – 19 3. Canadian Skin Patient Alliance – 16 4. Lung Health Foundation – 8 5. Muscular Dystrophy Canada – 8 6. Eczema Society of Canada – 8 7. Spondylitis Association of America – 8 8. Canadian National Institute for the Blind – 8 9. Myeloma Canada – 6 10. GI Society – 6 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝟰: 𝟭𝟬 𝗣𝗔𝗚𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 1. Peer Outreach Support Services and Education 2. Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange 3. Africans in Partnership Against AIDS 4. HIV Edmonton 5. Procure Cancer - Prostate 6. Canadian Migraine Society 7. Alagille Syndrome Alliance 8. Lipodystrophy Canada 9. Breast Cancer Canada 10. Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation of Canada What else are you curious about? I’ll be publishing the full analysis soon and would love to dig into other questions that are on your mind! Raise your ✋in the comments to receive a copy directly. PS: if you’re attending the Canada's Drug Agency Symposium 2024 this week, I'd love to connect! DM me 💬 #HTA #PatientAdvocacy #DrugReimbursement #CanadianHealthcare

41

27 Comments

Immunotherapy is a promising treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (#AML). Researchers at Wisnovsky Lab at The University of British Columbia have identified a new molecular target to inhibit the immune response to AML. Read more about ST3GAL4 and its implications as a driver of Siglec-9 expression: https://lnkd.in/gKFJWsEU

24

Just accepted! A new Journal of Infectious Diseases publication from our collaborators at The University of British Columbia, Vancouver Coastal Health, Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, and BC Centre for Disease Control, members of our team, and funded by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). "Validation of an automated, end-to-end metagenomic sequencing assay for agnostic detection of respiratory viruses". We coupled a rapid and automated mNGS laboratory workflow with BugSeq’s cloud-based bioinformatics platform to deliver a complete agnostic sequencing solution that can deliver results within 12-hours and overcomes many translational barriers.   “We report that our mNGS assay is highly precise, semi-quantitative, with analytical limits of detection ranging from 10^3 -10^4 copies/mL. Our assay is highly specific (100%) and sensitive (...86.8%; RT-PCR Ct < 30).” Check out the full article to learn more! https://lnkd.in/gx9bwNcH

28

Some really insightful points to consider as a Sponsor. We are having some thorough and strategical conversations with our current and prospective customers. Would love to hear from my network on how you may be embracing modernized study design to accelerate your trials. #clinicaloperations #DCT #modernstudydesign #clinicalinnovation #clinicaltrials #pharmaceuticals #patientrecruitment #global

3

Learn all about Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (aka TIL) therapy with Dr. Simon Turcotte! Dr. Turcotte is a surgical oncologist at the CHUM Research Centre in Montreal, Quebec, who has a keen interest in TIL therapy. Listen in as we discuss things such as what TIL therapy is, what types of cancer it's been approved for, the TIL therapy scene within Canada, and what Dr. Turcotte researches and how he hopes to bring TIL therapy to Canada through a clinical trial! https://lnkd.in/euaRnyZU

11

Loved talking about how to best train people for the bioeconomy. Thanks for the opportunity Ontario Genomics. A few things I spoke about and also learned: - Project and financial management skills are crucial. 💲📊 - In the design-build-test-learn cycle, skills in "test" are the most important. A lot of "build" will be, or already is, automated 🤖 - Experiential projects and team-based learning are key. Find every opportunity to try this out. No "real world" project is done alone. 👍 - Advocate for yourself! 🙂

45

2 Comments

As part of my PhD, it was necessary to validate observed mass spectrometry protein ids with western blots and immuno affinity precipitation. Non specifiy of antibody reagents was a issue. Here Diana Kwon summarize the issue with some antibody reagents 🔍When Laflamme began his postdoctoral fellowship at the Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, he looked for information about a specific protein but found conflicting studies about its location in the cell. 🎯 Summary He suspected that the antibodies used to detect this protein might be the issue. Testing 16 commercial antibodies, he discovered that only three worked correctly, while several published studies used ineffective antibodies and were heavily cited. This situation highlights a broader problem, as many commercial antibodies often fail, leading to wasted resources and slowing scientific progress. 🔗 Check out the full paper here 📌 #massspectrometry #massspec #science #scienceandtechnology #chemistry #pharma #antibodies #qualitycontrol #biopharmaceutical

133

14 Comments

A recent announcement from Vancouver-based Aspect Biosystems caught my eye—particularly because I studied at McGill in Montreal and always enjoy seeing Canadian biotech success stories. Aspect Biosystems just announced a US$115 million Series B financing, led by Dimension, to advance their bioprinted tissue therapeutics. This development arrives at a time when regenerative medicine is evolving with increased pace, exemplified by Vertex and Sana’s work on type 1 diabetes, Bluerock's work with iPSCs, and Humacyte’s recent FDA approval. What makes Aspect’s deal interesting is the non-dilutive funding that complements the US$115 million raise. In addition to the Series B, the Canadian and BC governments are contributing CA$72.5 million (~US$50.75 million), presumably non-dilutive but likely repayable. Novo Nordisk previously committed US$75 million in upfront, research, and convertible note investments, plus up to US$2.6 billion in additional milestones. Assuming ~50% of that US$75 million is non-dilutive, Aspect’s total financing reaches about US$203 million—multiplying each dollar of the US$115 million raise by roughly 1.75x. Deal structure is a concept that is often less appreciated but has come into sharp focus during these lean times in biotech. Finding ways to find or create asymmetrical advantages for an investors' portfolio is an incredibly useful tool: see the increased use of specialized financial transactions such as PIPEs in the public markets as an example. Non-dilutive funding is especially compelling in areas like regenerative medicine by helping hedge the financing risks inherent in these capital-intensive, high-stakes scientific endeavors. I’m curious to see if it becomes a trend for certain therapeutic areas, effectively widening the “Overton Window” for life science funding by lowering the initial financing risk -- biomanufacturing, vaccines, rare disease are other areas that could see outsized benefits. Organizations like ARPA-H and the Gates Foundation offer comparable support to fund platform development and manage risk and have been deploying in the U.S. It’s an exciting time for biotech, and these innovative financing structures may well accelerate the next wave of transformative healthcare breakthroughs. Congratulations to Aspect Biosystems, Nan Li, the broader Dimension team, and the other investors—including Novo Nordisk, Radical Ventures, InBC Investment Corp., Pallasite Ventures Inc. , Pangaea Ventures, Rhino Ventures , and T1D Fund—on this funding round, excited to see what's next! https://lnkd.in/ggYttTNR https://lnkd.in/ghkPa8YM https://lnkd.in/gryQwHbi

32

The authors at Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre in Vancouver investigated genome-wide nanopore sequencing as a singular test without trios, which is beneficial when parental samples are not available. By simultaneously detecting the DNA level variations and methylation they accurately subtyped cases of Prader-Willi and Angelman syndromes including uniparental heterodisomy, mixed iso-/heterodisomy, type 1 and 2 deletions, microdeletion and UBE3A indels.   This work demonstrates the potential of nanopore sequencing to resolve different subtypes of PWS and AS. https://lnkd.in/eJTr3U5A

14

We continue updating the new mechanisms to explain and diagnosis Meniere disease subtypes: time for genetic and immunolocal testing @KollingINST @CanalUGR @syd_health @ibsGRANADA

24

Share your research! 2nd wave of submissions closes June 1 for presentation as a poster in our 20th Anniversary: International Clinical & Scientific Congress for Restorative Reproductive Medicine, hosted in Vancouver, BC, Canada this August 9-10, 2024. 👉 Submission Information @ https://lnkd.in/gpnF8pgG Research will be on display throughout the conference, with dedicated time in the schedule for authors to present and discuss their work in our poster gallery. Abstracts should reflect work in process or work completed but not yet published, and are welcome in any area relevant to Restorative Reproductive Medicine (RRM). Some areas of interest include: ✔️ infertility & sub-fertility ✔️ integrated systems of Restorative Reproductive Medicine ✔️ reproductive endocrinology ✔️ andrology ✔️ women's reproductive health management ✔️ reproductive epidemiology ✔️ reproductive anatomy and physiology ✔️ psychosocial dimensions of human reproduction ✔️ fertility awareness ✔️ environmental factors impacting human reproductive health ✔️ research comparing restorative and non-restorative approaches to reproductive medicine ➕ other topics relevant to restorative reproductive medicine #femtech #rrmresearch #restorativereproductivemedicine #medicinareproductivarestauradora #rrmcongress #ICSC2024 #rrmresearch #ResearchAbstract #fertilityawareness

9

A team led by University of Toronto researchers has created a platform, called SIMPL2, that revolutionizes the study of protein-protein interactions. SIMPL2 can fast-track drug discovery for targeted treatment of diseases like #cancer. #UofT Learn more 👉 https://uoft.me/SIMPL2

57

Reflecting on my enriching journey as a Canadian participant, representing the Fragile X Research Foundation of Canada, in the EURORDIS-Rare Diseases Europe Open Academy Training on Scientific Innovation & Translational Research with support from CIHR Institute of Genetics , I'm eager to share what stood out to me: 1. The power of patient organizations is unparalleled in the rare disease realm. Witnessing firsthand how these groups lead the charge in research, advocacy, and support illuminated their pivotal role in driving progress. We are are a driving force behind rare disease progress 2. In the quest to initiate or sustain impactful projects, family support is not just beneficial but transformative. Engaging family members not only amplifies efforts but also instills them with unwavering dedication and purpose. 3. Rare diseases present multifaceted challenges, yet navigating this complex terrain is made more manageable with the guidance and resources provided by organizations like EURORDIS-Rare Diseases Europe and CIHR Institute of Genetics. Their unwavering support underscores the collective commitment to improving outcomes for those affected. Collaboration emerges as the cornerstone of success. Whether forging alliances with fellow patient organizations, collaborating with researchers to advance therapeutic approaches, engaging policymakers to shape supportive policies, or securing funding from supportive partners, the adage 'strength in numbers' resonates deeply. I could not be more inspired by the many new initiates happening across Canada such as #RareKidsCAN, One Child Every Child, Canadian Rare Disease Network (CRDN) and many more organizations and individuals working towards a meaningful future. Together, we are not just agents of change but catalysts for a brighter future. Let's continue to unite, advocate, and innovate in our shared pursuit of progress. #RareDisease #ScientificInnovation #TranslationalResearch #PatientAdvocacy #Collaboration #FragileXsyndrome P.S. A swim in the sea at sunrise with those in the community around you is one of the best ways to start a day

39

1 Comment