Signing of the Okanagan Charter confirms Sheridan’s establishment as a health-promoting institution
Immediate Release: January 26, 2021
(Oakville, ON) Jan. 26, 2020: At a virtual ceremony earlier today, Sheridan announced its participation as a signatory of the Okanagan Charter, which calls on Canadian postsecondary institutions to embed health into all aspects of campus culture and to lead health promotion action and collaboration locally and globally. Wellness and health promotion have long been prioritized at Sheridan, and the signing of the Charter accompanied by the launch of a campus-wide wellness strategy, affirms its commitment to ongoing action to improve wellness for employees and students.
In attendance at the virtual event was Associate Director of Health Promotion Jennifer McCorriston from the University of Waterloo – a Charter institution. She welcomed Sheridan to the collective of universities and colleges across Canada that are similarly committed to infuse health into their everyday operations, business practices and academic mandates.
The wellness strategy, Sheridan Wellness: Our Strategy for Community Wellbeing,will serve as a roadmap for the college to fulfill tenets of the Charter. It was developed using a consultative and collaborative process with multiple opportunities for employees and students to contribute their voices. Its components include a whole systems approach, healthy supportive environments, promoting lifelong wellness, and inclusive wellness services, each with corresponding one-year action items.
“It’s a momentous day on Sheridan’s years-long journey to meaningful wellness action and impact,” says Dr. Janet Morrison, President and Vice Chancellor. “Fostering community wellness is foundational to delivering ground-breaking, standard-setting educational experiences for our learners and to remain an employer of choice. It’s particularly significant that we’re concretizing this commitment during a pandemic, when wellness is of utmost concern.”
The virtual ceremony also included keynote speaker, David Ip Yam – a higher education professional and leadership educator. He currently serves as the Director of Career Education and Development at York University and will soon be Dean of Students at Centennial College. His remarks drew from his years of experience helping professionals feel energized about their craft and clear about their process. He spoke to Sheridan employees about how energy management plays a key role in fostering wellness and how we can all learn to take a step back, replenish and renew our energy to enable greater wellbeing at work.
Throughout Bell Let’s Talk Week, which runs from Jan. 25 to 29, Sheridan is hosting a variety of events in conjunction with its Counselling and Health Promotion team, Human Resources team and the Sheridan Student Union. These include a Gratitude Webinar, Let’s Talk Mental Health and a Mindset Makeover webinar.
Founded in 1967, Sheridan has grown from a local college of 400 students to one of Ontario’s leading postsecondary institutions, educating approximately 23,000 full-time and 20,000 continuing and part-time studies students every year, on three campuses in Brampton, Mississauga and Oakville. An award-winning institution, Sheridan attracts students from across Canada and around the world. Sheridan’s more than 190,000 alumni play a critical role in shaping the future of our society in the fields of arts, business, community service, health, technology, and the skilled trades. In January 2020, Sheridan was listed among the top 100 in the Forbes Magazine’s list of Canada’s Best Employers.
Photo caption: Sheridan Bruins volleyball players smiling on the court.
The Great American Reset: Changes to Make in 2021 (and Beyond) The past year showed us exactly how our lives aren’t working. Steve Cook says 2021 is our chance to go back to zero and start over the right way. Here’s how.
Knoxville, TN (January 2021)—No doubt about it: 2020 got our attention. As the world fell apart around us it revealed the cracks in the façade of our life. Partly it’s about money. Some of us lost jobs or had hours cut, but even those who didn’t felt the fragility and uncertainty of our financial circumstances like a gut punch. Partly it’s about family. In many cases, forced togetherness revealed strained relationships with spouses and showed us that we don’t know our kids at all. Mostly, 2020 was a wakeup call on the fleeting nature of life itself.
“We’ve seen loved ones get sick or even die,” says Steve Cook, author of Lifeonaire: An Uncommon Approach to Wealth, Success, and Prosperity (Lifeonaire Promotions, LLC, 2018, ISBN: 978-0-9863228-7-7, $14.99). “We’ve come face to face with our own mortality. And perhaps for the first time we’re asking ourselves: Are we REALLY happy with the life we’ve established up until now?”
He calls it The Great American Reset. Our life decisions have been brought into focus and we can clearly see the choices we’ve made: the excesses, the shortfalls, the flaws in judgement. And more and more of us are realizing the old paradigm (the one that built the lives of our parents) is no longer viable. While we are working harder than ever, we aren’t living the life we want to live.
Cook—a life and business coach, speaker, trainer, and author who helps people opt out of the American Dream culture that glorifies “busy, the grind, and the hustle”—says 2021 is the perfect time to shake your life down to its foundation and revamp everything.
“Change scares us and that’s understandable—but what should scare us more is continuing to live by default, by other people’s rules, even when it makes us unhappy,” he says. “What should scare us is missing out on what matters most in the pursuit of money, possessions, and status.”
Here is Cook’s recipe for upending your (old, exhausting, frustrating) life in the upcoming year to make room for the meaningful and richly satisfying one you should be living.
Don’t think in terms of “back to normal.” How many times did you hear this in 2020? Cook says people want to go “back” because from today’s vantage point it feels familiar and comfortable. They forget that they were unhappy with what they had a short time ago. As he writes in this blog post, “Don’t spend your energy going back to the place you were hoping to get away from. Give that same energy to something new.”
When you’re willing to wind up back at zero you get a surge of power. Most of us know on some level that what got us here won’t get us to where we want to go. Yet we don’t have the courage to let go. Cook says to get your life back you need to be willing to call a halt to what’s draining you, even if it (hypothetically) costs every cent you have now. The good news is that once you shift your mindset you can move forward quickly.
“When you try to work with trying to fix a broken system, you have to fight from weakness,” he writes. “But from zero, you get to fight from strength.”
Rethink how you measure prosperity. It’s not about having a lot of money, Cook asserts. It’s about having abundant life. It’s about freedom—the freedom to experience life as we see fit. Too often what we think of success comes at the expense of broken marriages, broken families, broken health, and broken peace. In Lifeonaire, Cook lays out four stages to prosperity:
Stage 1: Lay the foundation. Come up with a plan rather than living life by default. Stage 2: Meet your needs. Start living as simply as possible. Stage 3: Generate excess cash. Stage 4: Invest in income producing assets.
“When you reframe prosperity this way and start seeing results, you may still work but it’s a choice, not an obligation,” asserts Cook.
Stop letting the world tell you what your life should look like. “People spend their lives keeping up with the Joneses and may not even realize it,” notes Cook. “It’s amazing how many think they have to have a big house in the ‘right’ neighborhood or a prestigious job just because that’s what they see others doing. Yet these things are sucking the life out of them. Lifeonaires live by intention, not by default. They literally create a blueprint and follow it.”
Forget what you’ve heard about long hours as the key to success. In 2021, find a way to cut your work hours by 10 percent. Cook insists the most successful people work less, often make more, and love their life. Their business complements instead of competes with their personal life. They experience freedom and independence with their time, finances, and choices.
“Years of conditioning have us believing that hard work means working a lot,” he reflects. “The truth is, short periods of efficient hard work are much more productive than ‘overdrive’ 60-hour work weeks. Maybe you need a new career, or maybe you just need to learn to focus so you can do your best work in a shorter time frame. Regardless, this is the year to make the change.”
If you don’t love your job, start preparing to quit right now. Are you truly happy with what you do? Does it energize and bring you joy? Do you feel you’re at the mercy of others and have no control over your life? If you don’t like your answers you might be happier as an entrepreneur.
“I’m not saying to quit your job today,” Cook asserts. “I am saying start preparing today. Part of it is about soul searching. The other part is revamping how you think about money.”
Call a family meeting and revamp your finances. Together, set some long-term goals and figure out how you’re going to get from here to there. Talk about what truly brings you joy. It’s okay to spend some of your money on these things! Making a lifestyle change this drastic can’t be all austerity and strict rules. If everyone isn’t on board and committed, it won’t work.
Blow up your budget and start over with a focus on saving. When trying to get a handle on their money, many people start with budgeting. They look at their current bills and figure out how to handle what’s left over. Cook says rather than saving around the edges, recalibrate around the goal of saving. It’s about ruthlessly slashing and burning what you don’t really need.
“You’re not looking to save just for the sake of accumulating a pile of money,” he says. “It’s about building a safety net so you can quit the job and start the business—and life—you’ll love.”
Figure out what you can live without. For many of us, 2020 showed us we can live much more simply (and it’s not even that painful). We don’t have to spend a lot of money on restaurants, gym memberships, and fancy vacations. While we’re staying home more is the perfect time to cut extras out of our life. Later, when things are more normal we’ll have excess cash to spend on travel or other experiences that make us happy—if we choose to.NOTE: See tip sheet below.
“You may realize that what sound like extreme changes, like downsizing to a smaller house or getting rid of a car, makes sense,” notes Cook. “Now that more of us are working virtually we’re realizing we can live anywhere. Why not move to a less expensive part of the country? Why not trade the pricey car in for a no-frills version since everyone is working at home now anyway?”
Get intentional about paying down debt. Any time you owe a debt to someone else, you’re under their power, at least to an extent, says Cook. In fact, he fundamentally disagrees with the “good debt/bad debt” construct. He believes there is no such thing as good debt.
“I don’t say people should never incur debt,” he clarifies. “I’m saying there are consequences to all debt and we should carefully weigh this truth against our desire to possess something. When making decisions based on freedom and prosperity it’s always better to own something outright. At the very least, don’t take on any more debt in 2021. Better yet, commit to paying it off.”
This year, find an income-producing asset you can invest in. (Just don’t go into debt to do it.) This is the “Stage 4” action explored in Lifeonaire. Once you start generating excess cash, you can either buy “free and clear” property, lend money, build a business that makes you cash, or invest in an already existing business.
“This does NOT mean going to the bank and getting a loan on rental property—because if a tenant moves out or becomes unable to pay for some other reason then suddenly you have to pay the lender,” says Cook.
Shift your focus: Family NOW, work LATER. Most entrepreneurial or career-driven types believe that they need to work really hard during their “prime earning years” so they can relax and enjoy The Good Life later. Cook says that’s exactly backwards. When our kids are young we should live now and work later. No amount of rationalizing that you’re “doing it for the family” can make up for missing those precious formative years.
“This is precisely why we need to keep our needs low,” he says. “The less you need, the less you have to work. Yes, you must work some, but if you don’t have a big mortgage and two car payments you will be able to put in a lot fewer hours and spend a lot more time with your children now, while they need you. Your business can grow slowly and organically over time.
Get intentional about restoring your damaged marriage. Too many couples work hard at their job, come home exhausted, and go sit in front of two separate TVs. They may pursue separate hobbies and interests. Over time, they drift apart and lose their passion for each other. But Cook says when a couple sits down together and creates a vision to work toward—one that includes making their marriage a priority—their relationship shifts almost overnight.
“I’ve seen it happen over and over,” he says. “Creating the vision is the key. When we’re clear on what we want, the steps to making it happen become obvious.”
Get rid of relationships that aren’t working. You know who these people are. They’re the toxic “friends” or business partners or family members who drag you down with their negativity, controlling behavior, one-upmanship, etc. Over time we end up feeling “stuck” with people who drain us and sabotage our efforts to build a better life. We’re not reallystuck except in our minds, asserts Cook—and we can make 2021 the year we break up with them for good.
Go on an information-and-media diet. Most of us spend too much time surfing the Internet, watching upsetting news stories, and scrolling through social media. Overconsumption of information makes us anxious and unhappy—and it creeps up on us slowly and insidiously. Without realizing it we become screen addicts, filling our minds with mental “junk food” that clouds our thinking, breaks our focus, and keeps us from far more meaningful pursuits.
“Make this the year you get mindful about the knowledge you want to pursue and purposely cut out the rest,” suggests Cook. “Not only will you be happier and more focused, you may get physically healthier as well as you stop sitting in front of screens all the time.”
Connect (or reconnect) with your spirituality. For many people, the pandemic has put life in perspective, notes Cook. Despair often forces us to reach out to our Higher Power. And while most of us would prefer to skip the despair part, many studies have shown that strong spiritual grounding makes us happier, less anxious, more fulfilled, and imbued with a sense of belonging.
“Even if you can’t physically attend worship services you can join online,” he says. “You can read spiritual texts. You can pray or meditate. Or you can find a way to serve others—and many are in need right now—because giving often opens the door to a more spiritual way of life.”
When you think about the changes Cook is suggesting you make in 2021 it may seem overwhelming. Maybe even impossible. But Cook says once we get focused and intentional, solutions have a way of presenting themselves to us.
“I’ve seen this truth play out many times,” he says. “Once we reset our values, we become incredibly creative. We see the world in different way. New opportunities rise to the surface. New life flows in, almost as if by magic. If you do these things, or even just some of them, by the end of 2021 you’ll look back amazed at the difference a year has made.”
One cornerstone of Lifeonaire founder and author Steve Cook’s path to prosperity is cutting life down to the basics. By cutting out the things we don’t need—the giant mortgage, the shiny new cars, the pricey data plans, the lavish vacations—we free up money to fund income producing assets. Yet there are many other benefits to dramatically simplifying your life.
For example:
1.You’ll quickly amass an emergency fund. If the water heater breaks you’ll be able to replace it without going into debt. 2. You’ll set the right example for your kids. You can tell kids all day not to be materialistic, to avoid debt, to conserve and recycle, to save for the future—but if you don’t practice it all your preaching is meaningless. We believe what we live every day. 3.You’ll be more likely to be able to afford college… If your kids choose to attend a four-year-college (not a necessity, by the way), you can help them do so without racking up major debt. 4.…And maybe retire someday yourself. If you choose to, that is. Hopefully part of your simpler life involves work that’s not so soul-crushing. You might choose to keep working for a long time and that’s great. True prosperity is about freedom to do what you want. 5. You’ll get to know your community. When we’re not spending thousands on big vacation getaways (in the post-COVID future of course!) we’re more likely to explore local parks, libraries, and other close-to-home attractions. This, in turn, can make us more engaged and involved citizens. 6. You’ll spend more time with family. Without expensive distractions to, well, distractyou, you might find yourself going on hikes or bike rides, playing board games at home, or volunteering at the local food pantry or animal shelter together. 7. You’ll find a new sense of peace. Ask anyone who has started controlling their money rather than letting it control them: Instead of feeling deprived, you feel good. You won’t have the low-grade hum of anxiety that comes with overspending and racking up debt. 8. You’ll get more mindful and grateful. Consumerism creates a desire for more, more, more. In the quest for what we can buy and where we can go tomorrow, we miss out on the present. When we refocus, we may start noticing sunsets, birds at the feeder, or the simple pleasures of baking cookies or throwing a football with our kids. 9. You’ll get more generous and giving. The less you spend on yourself, the more you’ll free up to spend on others. And as the way you see the world changes, you’ll want to give. It feels good to be able to help—and even better to see your kids discover the joys of caring and sharing.
“Making the decision to live simply and sanely changes everything,” says Cook. “It’s not just a change in spending habits. It’s a shift in values and priorities. It changes who you are as a parent, a partner, a neighbor, and a human being.”
Why Protecting Your Skin is Important When Working Out
We all know that exercise is great for your health. From lifting weights to hitting the treadmill, every aspect of a properly planned workout has positive effects on your body. With that being said, there are certain risks that come with exercising as well. One of the most common problems that gym aficionados face is skin irritation. All that contact with clothes and equipment can cause rashes and other issues, especially when sweating causes excess moisture. This is why it’s so important to limit the extent of the damage to your skin.
Unsightly Rashes and Blisters
From blistered hands to skinned knees and everything in between, working out can leave a lot of marks on your body. A rash on your legs could make you dread bikini season, despite all those months of effort to get the body you’ve always wanted. Taking care to avoid skin issues will help you look and feel your best.
Negative Mental Associations With Working Out
If you want to develop a lifelong passion for working out, then the gym should become your happy place. You should fantasize about the weight room at work and dream about the treadmill at night. When your workout is harming your skin, however, you’ll associate the gym with your painful and unsightly condition. This, in turn, will make you hesitant to keep up your exercise routine.
Recurring Pain While Exercising
Not only are rashes and blisters grim to behold, but they can also be highly painful. Those pushups and crunches will bring more discomfort than satisfaction if you’re dealing with irritated or burning skin. Once you’ve dealt with your skin issues once and for all, you’ll be able to enjoy all the benefits of working out without any of the painful distractions.
Dermatology
Dermatology refers to the branch of science that studies and cares for the epidermis (or the skin, which constitutes the body’s largest organ). It’s a major branch of medicine, helping people with all sorts of skin issues from rashes to cysts. If you’re a regular at the gym, you might find yourself frequenting a dermatologist’s office to combat regular flare-ups of persistent skin issues. While dermatologists are incredibly knowledgeable and skilled at healing their patients, you probably don’t want to get to the point where you’re spending more time at the doctor’s office than at the gym.
When it comes to working out, taking care of your skin is more than just an ancillary concern. Protecting your epidermis is key to a healthy, exercise-filled lifestyle.
New laboratory (in-vitro) study provides coronavirus insight: A.Vogel's Echinaforce demonstrates anti-viral activity against SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
MONTREAL, Jan. 26, 2021 /CNW/ - An article titled "In vitro virucidal activity of Echinaforce®, an Echinacea purpurea preparation, against coronaviruses, including common cold coronavirus 229E and SARS-CoV-2" was recently published in the renowned Virology Journal. The study was carried out by researchers of the Spiez laboratory in Switzerland.
According to the laboratory (in-vitro) study, A.Vogel's Echinaforce was shown to be effective against coronaviruses in cell experiments, including the SARS-CoV-2 which is commonly known as COVID-19. Despite the promising results, the extent to which the results of the cell experiment can be transferred to humans is still unknown. While authors conclude that 'Echinaforce, could be effective as preventative treatment for all CoVs due to their structural similarities',* these results have yet to be confirmed in human clinical trials.
Further scientific studies must be performed to support the preliminary assessment. We are continuing our research in this field on a large scale (human) controlled clinical trial and hope to have results as to the effect on humans in the next year.
Echinaforce is officially approved by Health Canada for the following:
Echinaforce® is clinically shown to help prevent and relieve the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), such as the common cold and the flu. Shortens the duration of URTI. It is also used to support the immune system, especially in times of stress, lack of sleep and for smokers.
It can be taken up to 4 months daily for prevention and there are formulations that are approved for children ages 2+ as well as pregnant and nursing women.
*This is preliminary research and does not suggest a clinically applicable therapeutic benefit. A.Vogel follows and supports Health Canada guidelines in the battle against COVID-19.
About A.Vogel® A.Vogel® is Canada's leading health brand with a wide range of science based natural products. It was founded in Basel, Switzerland in 1923 by Swiss pioneer Alfred Vogel and entered the Canadian market in 1956. A.Vogel's commitment to organic farming methods means the company uses its own carefully selected seeds, knowing the history of each plant and having full traceability. The efficacy of A.Vogel's fresh plant preparations has been proven by over 30 clinical studies.
Optometrists ready to roll up their sleeves to help vaccinate Ontarians
TORONTO, Jan. 26, 2021 /CNW/ - Ontario optometrists are willing to step up to assist with the rollout of the government's vaccine implementation plan.
"We know that the Ontario government is looking to increase the public's access to the COVID-19 vaccine," says Dr. Sheldon Salaba, President of the Ontario Association of Optometrists (OAO). "Optometrists can help with this by providing vaccinations in-office or in vaccination centres."
Just as Quebec is actively marshalling optometrists and other allied healthcare professionals to increase its pool of potential labour, Ontario can look to optometrists as an accessible force to administer vaccinations safely. Many optometrists already have had injection training as part of their professional curriculum, and those who need additional training can receive it through a course at the University of Waterloo.
"We've been training optometrists for a decade on the use of injectables here at the University of Waterloo and our trained optometrists would provide the Ontario government with the extra much needed resources to help increase access to vaccinations to Ontarians," says Dr. Stan Woo, Director, University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science.
Ontario optometrists do not currently have the authority to administer injections. The Optometry Act would need to be amended. However, doing so would bring quick and easy access to the vaccine to a large portion of the population, including the province's most vulnerable patients.
"Optometrists are the most accessible eye health and vision care professionals, and are available at the local level across the province," added Dr. Salaba. "We can make a difference to help keep Ontarians safe."
ABOUT THE ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF OPTOMETRISTS: The Ontario Association of Optometrists (OAO) is the leading professional organization, representing over 1,700 optometrists. We are dedicated to helping our members provide the highest standard of eye health and vision care for Ontarians while driving the profession of optometry forward. For more information: www.optom.on.ca.
SOURCE Ontario Association of Optometrists
Post-Traumatic Thriving
Los Angeles, CA, January 26, 2021 — Is there a science to survival, or are some people simply born with elastic emotional exoskeletons that bounce back readily following even the most traumatic of experiences?
To uncover the answer, world-renown expert on disasters and trauma Dr. Randall Bell undertook unprecedented research, juxtaposing outcomes of scientific studies with stories of real people who have not just survived, but have used their trauma as their fuel to thrive to uncover common denominators. He shares his remarkable insights in his new book, Post-Traumatic Thriving: The Art, Science, & Stories of Resilience.
Dr. Bell sits down with survivors of the Holocaust; murder-victim’s families; crime victims; suicide survivors; and those who’ve experienced homelessness, disasters, addictions, depression, death, divorce, disabilities, defeats and disease to explore the rare mindset of the post-traumatic thriver.
He shares with readers stories of remarkable resilience, including the following:
• A deaf man with a glass eye invented the electric guitar and became a household name, remarkably wealthy and most importantly, happy.
• A convicted murderer took responsibility for the damage he caused, graduated with honors from college, became a minister and turned around the hearts of the most hardened criminals.
• A girl born with cerebral palsy landed the world’s first starring role on national television and spoke at the White House three times.
• A woman hid in a basement for years and lost her entire family in the Holocaust. She eventually found true love and paints stunning artwork.
• The sister of a murder victim helped millions of women in toxic domestic relationships.
• A woman’s car crash resulted in an addiction to prescription drugs, a divorce, a loss of her children and a cot in a homeless shelter. She has rebuilt it all back and more.
• A man set to go to the Olympics had his hopes dashed by Jimmy Carter and went on to build a worldwide business empire.
Ultimately, Dr. Bell documents the science of happiness, as well as the individual styles and common thread that all post-traumatic thrivers have to emerge with a fulfilling life. When trauma hits, your most significant decision will be to dive, survive or thrive. If you choose to thrive, this book is for you.
As an economist, Dr. Randall Bell has consulted on more disasters on earth than anyone in history and is widely considered the world’s top authority in the field of post-traumatic thriving. His clients include the Federal Government, State Governments, International Tribunals, major corporations and homeowners. Dr. Bell believes that “the problem is not the problem — the problem is how we react to the problem.”
Often called the “Master of Disaster,” Dr. Bell is squarely focused on authentic recovery and resilience. His research has been profiled on major television shows and featured in numerous magazines and the international media. More information can be found at www.posttraumaticthriving.com.
Post-Traumatic Thriving: The Art, Science, & Stories of Resilience
Precision Medicine Leader Caprion-HistoGeneX Rebrands as CellCarta
MONTREAL, Jan. 26, 2021 /CNW/ - Caprion-HistoGeneX, a leading global provider of specialized precision medicine laboratory services to the biopharmaceutical industry, is pleased to announce its new corporate name, CellCarta, and brand identity.
The new name for the Montreal-headquartered company stems from the 2019 combination of contract research organization Caprion Biosciences, which specializes in immunology and proteomics services, and HistoGeneX, a provider of histopathology and genomics services based in Antwerp. Recently, CellCarta further expanded its scientific capabilities and geographic presence through the acquisitions of Nova Scotia-based Clinical Logistics Inc. and California-based Mosaic Laboratories LLC. As a result, CellCarta is well positioned to serve the global clinical trial requirements of its pharmaceutical and bio-tech clients with state-of-the-art facilities in the United States, Canada, Europe and China. CellCarta is backed by Arsenal Capital Partners.
The name CellCarta is inspired by the Magna Carta, a symbol of individual liberty, and is meant to evoke the company's mission of mapping the content and function of human cells to enable and accelerate the evolution of personalized precision medicine.
"Our mission is to be the global partner of choice for biopharmaceutical companies seeking precision medicine solutions to help ensure a healthier future for us all," said Martin LeBlanc, CEO of CellCarta. "By uniting our diverse teams of scientists across the world under a common brand identity, we aim to articulate a single message aligned with our shared set of fundamental values focused on scientific excellence, a collaborative mindset and a commitment to deliver high quality results to our partners. It also further reinforces our commitment to provide our clients with a broad and integrated set of services under a single organization."
The new brand identity was developed in conjunction with BrandBourg, a Canadian consultancy firm specializing in brand strategy and brand identity.
CellCarta's visual identity is intended to be reminiscent of a map or puzzle representing the distinctions between human cells. It is further meant to convey a brand personality that is innovative, trustworthy and embodies scientific leadership.
"We wanted to create a brand that is unique in the market, relevant to our clients and inspiring to our employees around the world," said Nick Wright, President and COO of CellCarta. "CellCarta embodies everything we do, which is about mapping differences between cells and ultimately between individuals, so that our partners can develop better and more targeted therapies."
David Spaight, Executive Chairman of CellCarta and an Arsenal Operating Partner, added, "By uniting under a single brand identity, CellCarta is sending a signal that its rapid expansion through acquisitions and organic growth has resulted in a market-leading enterprise that is greater than the sum of its parts. The ongoing success of CellCarta exemplifies Arsenal's 'Strategic Company Building' approach that focuses on expanding a company's solution offering, elevating its market position, and compounding its growth."
The following video further describes CellCarta's new brand identity: www.cellcarta.com
About CellCarta CellCarta is a leading provider of specialized precision medicine laboratory services to the biopharmaceutical industry. Leveraging its integrated analytical platforms in immunology, histopathology, proteomics and genomics, as well as related specimen collection and logistics services, CellCarta supports the entire drug development cycle, from discovery to late-stage clinical trials. The company operates globally with with over 700 employees in its nine facilities located in Canada, USA, Belgium, Australia, and China. For more information: www.cellcarta.com
About Arsenal Capital Partners Arsenal is a leading private equity firm that specializes in investments in middle-market healthcare and industrials companies. Since its inception in 2000, Arsenal has raised institutional equity investment funds of $5.3 billion, has completed more than 200 platform and add-on investments, and achieved more than 30 realizations. Arsenal healthcare companies focus on improving critical healthcare processes and scientific requirements leading to improved outcomes for patients. The firm works with management teams to build strategically important companies with leading market positions, high growth and high value-add. For more information: www.arsenalcapital.com
SOURCE Caprion Biosciences
Five exercises to warm up for winter activities
If there’s ever been a winter to brave the winter temperature and embrace outdoor activities, this is the one. Skis, skates and snowshoes are in high demand as more Canadians venture outdoors to get some exercise. Outdoor exercise is good for your cardiovascular health and can improve your balance, as well as your mood.
Winter Health and Fitness Week is February 1 to 7, a great time to get outside and get moving. Kathleen Fursey, a personal trainer and group fitness instructor with GoodLife Fitness, suggests doing winter warm up exercises that work the muscles you’ll need for your favourite outdoor activities. She adds it’s a good idea to put in some time up front to get ready to hit the snow and ice and minimize the risk of injury. These exercises are also perfect workout moves for those who want to get the effect of winter activities, but don’t want to brave the cold!
Speed skater. If you’ve gone skating yet this year, you’ll remember how much work it was for your glutes and quads. Skating also requires cardio endurance to keep up your forward momentum, and balance to stay upright on ice. The speed skater move, where you jump sideways, back and forth in a crouch, is clearly designed to copy the moves of skating – and helps you work the right muscles and get your heart pumping, while forcing you to use your core muscles to stabilize as you move from foot to foot.
Mountain climber. When it comes to sledding, there is a LOT of walking uphill. If there’s a child in the sled, you’re also adding resistance training. While the downhill runs are fun, the uphill climb is more challenging for cardio endurance, but also requires leg and core strength to protect your back as you walk at an upward angle, and arm strength to pull the sled behind you.
Ironically, mountain climbers are the perfect exercise to ‘train’ for your next sled run. Holding yourself in plank position works your arms and core, while running with your knees boosts cardio quickly.
Alternating lunges. For fans of cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, it’s important to strengthen your glute muscles, as well as your hip flexors, quads and other muscles in your legs. Depending on how quickly you move, these outdoor activities are also great for building cardiovascular strength. Fursey recommends alternating lunges to work the right muscles. While it’s best to start with the basic move, you can make the exercise more challenging by adjusting the tempo, adding a jump as you switch legs, or holding weights while you lunge.
Pivoting squats. Snowboarding and downhill skiing require you to hold a squat position and pivot your hips and shoulders as you traverse down the hill. Fursey suggests standing in a squat position, then jumping to pivot and land in a squat, facing the other way. This kind of plyometric exercise is very good for quads and glutes, as well as core muscles required to pivot your body and stabilize.
Fast feet shuffle. Walking or running outdoors at this time of year can be considered a winter sport, and can be hazardous when the sidewalks and trails are icy. Agility and balance are important to be able to recover and stay upright. The fast feet shuffle is a familiar exercise from gym class, and a great way to reinforce mind-body connection, improve agility and boost your heartrate.
Kathleen Fursey is available to talk more about winter exercise and ideas to stay healthy indoors and out. She can demonstrate these winter sport warm up moves and talk more about how to do them safely and effectively for the best possible benefits. She teaches regular online Cardio Circuit classes on Instagram @goodlifefitness
Precision Biomonitoring Selected as a Future Canadian Economic Powerhouse by MaRS Momentum Program
Precision Biomonitoring on track to reach $100 million in expected revenue over the next five years
GUELPH, ON, Jan. 26, 2021 /CNW/ - Precision Biomonitoring is proud to announce it has been accepted by the MaRS Momentum program as one of Canada's future economic powerhouses. The MaRS Momentum program is a multi-sector, exclusive program designed to support the executives of high-growth companies on their way to reaching $100 million in revenue in the next five years.
Precision Biomonitoring is a first mover in rapid, mobile diagnostic and detection kits in Canada. Its unique technology can be applied to any living organism, enabling customers to detect an organism or pathogen at the point-of-need and get a result immediately. Most recently it's being used for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Being able to supply a test that uses simple RNA extraction, runs at room temperature and is portable with real-time, on-the-spot results via a smartphone is game-changing. Precision Biomonitoring currently has 12 additional tests in R&D, and is in clinical validations for a rapid, non-invasive COVID-19 antigen test that uses saliva samples and a microsensor to detect very low levels of infection, thereby extending its product platform to appeal to a broader market.
"We are incredibly honoured to be included in this prestigious MaRS program. Our team has dedicated endless hours throughout the pandemic to develop tools that contribute to the scientific community and human health," says Dr. Mario Thomas, CEO, Precision Biomonitoring. "Our dedication to innovative testing solutions is steadfast and we look forward to the opportunities at home in Canada, and abroad, that will help fuel our continued growth. In fact, we've already grown from a team of just five, to over 30 employees in less than one year."
"We are thrilled to welcome Precision Biomonitoring to MaRS Momentum. Their growth, accomplishments and significant potential have qualified them to join this exclusive group of high-growth Canadian companies," said Krista Jones, Founding Executive, Momentum & VP, Venture Services. "We are proud to support their continued growth and global expansion and believe that they will create outsized economic impact for Canada."
Precision Biomontoring has two Health Canada and one European approval – making it the first and only Canadian-made solution to support Canada's pandemic response. The Company's advanced TripleLock™ qPCR test is based on three core principles that are designed to maximize accuracy and confidence in qPCR results, reduce costs, and deliver results in real-time.
About Precision Biomonitoring
Founded in 2016 by a team of scientists from the University of Guelph's Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, Precision Biomonitoring provides TripleLock™ onsite eDNA surveillance platform solutions that give customers rapid earlier detection of organisms. The Company's portfolio includes available qPCR field tests for animal, plants and microbial species. Precision Biomonitoring is now applying this technology into the human health field which increases the potential and application for various other tests, as seen with our COVID-19 mobile tests. The Precision Biomonitoring team is at the forefront of technological innovations in the genomics industry. Our vision is a world where we can identify any organism on the spot, in an instant, anywhere on the planet. Learn more about Precision Biomonitoring at: https://precisionbiomonitoring.com/about-us
SOURCE Precision Biomonitoring
HEALTH AND WELLNESS INDUSTRY CAN GET BACK TO WORK SAFELY
BY ADOPTING REGULAR RAPID MASS TESTING STRATEGY
Holding back on rapid mass testing is now a public health emergency extending the war against COVID-19, say experts, and the Health and Wellness sector can potentially create safer back-to-work environments and negate the need for future lockdowns through public health adoption of regular use of easy-to-use rapid lateral flow tests in the workplace.
The UK was first to recognise the large-scale potential and is now deploying 400 million lateral flow rapid antigen test kits alongside the strategy for vaccinations as well as public guidance on masks, hand cleansing and social distancing.
Image – Generic example of a Rapid Lateral Flow antigen test
But the lateral flow test (LFT) message is fast going global with World Health Organisation Special Envoy on COVID-19, David Nabarro, now commenting:
"We’ve seen it (rapid mass testing) used in many different locations, particularly for example in trying to keep aircraft free of people who’ve got COVID or looking after major events.”
Using LFTs will keep economies open, health systems safe and allow audiences to attend entertainment and sporting events, he added.
A leading US mass testing expert, Dr Michael Mina of Harvard University, insisted rapid mass testing had been misunderstood by some: “The UK is one of the only countries that genuinely listened to the science and I spoke with Downing Street about the value of getting mass testing right.”
The UK Government initiative led the way offering LFTs, to essential health workers, the education sector, and local authorities. This mass rapid testing approach to suppressing transmission has now been extended to the workplace, via private sector and industry groups. Early adopters in the UK include the Royal Mail, DVLA and Tate & Lyle Sugars. This is expected to be significant in reducing the need for future lockdowns. Slovakia, like the UK, uses rapid lateral flow antigen tests with great success in their mass testing initiative, with extremely positive results.
Britain’s Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that around one in three infected people do not show symptoms, so testing was vital to break the chains of transmission; workplace testing offers peace of mind to those unable to work from home during lockdown.
He added: “LFTs have already been hugely successful in finding positive cases we would not otherwise find, and I encourage employers and workers to take up this offer to help protect essential services and businesses.”
Globally renowned journal, The Lancet, supports this approach after publishing an exhaustive study of quarantine and testing measures, and leading UK scientists and clinical experts have added their weight.
Senior researchers at Oxford University found that most sensitive LFTs detected 83-90% of all infectious cases of COVID-19 and, with the UK investing more than £1.5bn in these test kits so far, Oxford’s Regius Professor of Medicine Sir John Bell underlined the benefit of these removing infectious people from high-risk environments: “They’ve found 25,000 cases just in healthcare, which may have prevented tens of thousands of cases of the disease.”
Tim Peto, Professor of Medicine, Infectious Disease, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Oxford University addressed the contrasts between PCR (polymerase chain reaction) swab testing and lateral flow kits:
“PCR is very good at telling you’ve had the virus or got the virus, but it doesn’t tell you whether you are infectious or not and the other problem about the swab test is that it takes a day or two…to get the answer back. The LFT has the enormous advantage of giving you an answer in about 30 minutes.”
He said this allows immediate self-isolation and individuals can also quickly advise their contacts so, “within a few hours, a local outbreak can be detected. This can’t be done with the swab (PCR) tests” adding that LFTs “detect people with high viral loads…the very people who are infectious.”
The World Nano Foundation (WNF) promotes healthcare technology and has modelled this form of technology, predicting that mass testing is central to future pandemic protection.
The not-for-profit organisation’s Co-founder Paul Sheedy said: “Our research shows how healthcare diagnostics technology will shift dramatically to a more decentralised community early intervention model, against potential epidemics and pandemics.
“Our own COVIDlytics™ modelling shows that an intensive front line ‘Test to Suppress’ campaign using rapid test kits available to the individual will allow early detection and immediate isolation, reducing the need for lockdowns.
“And our simulation maps how consecutive daily tests for three days can rapidly identify and isolate infectious people. Weekly testing can then sustain a low infection rate even in a large population.
“A key point previously missed by some experts is that high quality rapid lateral flow tests are not for people who already think they have COVID-19; it’s about everyone else testing frequently to check they are not infectious.
“Used alongside vaccines, hand-cleansing, and social distancing, these simple tests are a vital component in the battle to defeat COVID-19, future variants or other viruses.
“Rapid community testing is simpler, faster, cheaper, ultimately more effective and mobilises everyone to help themselves and their relatives, friends, and colleagues – we can all play a part in keeping everyone safe.
“As West Africa reeled under the impact of Ebola (2014-16) the world watched with bated breath to see if the ‘beast’ would go global, but frequent mass rapid testing was deployed at community level multiple times over a few weeks - stopping that terrible disease in its tracks.
“With the work that we do, we know that there are even more exciting technologies on the way that will be central to the world’s fight for pandemic protection and future healthcare.
“We have already seen the danger from not being on our guard against renewed viral threats. Spanish Flu struck in 1918 and ultimately killed up to 50 million people in four successive waves, the last two being most deadly because public health warnings were not adhered to.
“The UK Government’s foresight in being first to secure large stocks of rapid lateral flow antigen test supplies by Innova Medical (USA) and SureScreen Diagnostics (UK) may prove to have been a human and economic lifesaver.”
Ends
The World Nano Foundation is a not-for-profit membership organisation with 75,000 subscribers and users in 40 countries working on international commercialisation of nanoscale technologies in 16 industry sectors and collaborates with a wide variety of partners, maximising support and funding bringing advanced technology to the world and commerce. This is supported by many industry and academic groups developing and creating a legacy for nanotechnology innovation.
INNOVA Medical Group leads in the manufacture and distribution of rapid antigen and antibody test kits for COVID-19 disease detection.INNOVA’s integrated solution provides a best-in-class portfolio of diagnostic and screening tests. QMC HealthID™ secure app captures test results and creates a “health passport” for the user. Analytics, powered by real-time data, assist in tailoring protocols to individual use cases: entertainment, government, manufacturing, nursing and care homes, schools and universities and transportation.
The four pillars of success: TIME – Testing, Implementation, Monitoring, and Engagement
https://innovamedgroup.com/
SureScreen believes that early, accurate diagnosis is better than waiting for problems to arise, and a proactive approach greatly benefits people's health, identifies issues early in their development, prevents accidents from happening and has a positive effect on performance, productivity and reputation.
institutions to embed health into all aspects of campus culture and to lead health promotion action and collaboration locally and globally. Wellness and health promotion have long been prioritized at Sheridan, and the signing of the Charter accompanied by the launch of a campus-wide wellness strategy, affirms its commitment to ongoing action to improve wellness for employees and students. 
