Here is a list of the 9 Projects approved for this years SBCC Competition
1. Wind Turbine Noise Stress and Immune Function – Simon Trivett, Hayley Whelan, Charlottetown Rural High School, Mentor Dr. James Johnston, NRC-INH
2. Altered Veggies – Brynn McCarthy, Mary-Lynn MacFarlane, Three Oaks High School, Mentor Dr. Chris Kirby, AAFC
3. Polyphenols of the Vaccinium vitis-idaea – Smrithi Santosh, Jenna MacKinnon, Amanda Rundle, Janelle Bradley, Three Oaks High School, Mentor Dr. Jeff Chisholm NRC-INH
4. Hydrogen Production from Green Algae – Brandon Neale, Taylor Arsneault, Emily Oftedal, Three Oaks High School, Mentor Dr. Angela Riveroll
5. Nitrogen Concentrations in PEI Soils – Andrew Farag, Alex DesRoches, Zachary Phillips, Three Oaks High School, Mentor Dr. Vernon Rodd, AAFC
6. Effects of Antioxidants Beta Carotene and Lycopene – Megan Arsneault, Brooke Drover, Montague Regional High School, Mentor Dr. Jamie Nickerson, Chemaphor
7. The Mitigating affects of Bioactives in Natural Products on Neurodegenerative Diseases – Ellen Holland, Lillian Klein, Montague Regional High School, Mentor Dr. Andrew Tasker, UPEI
8. Comparison of Cryopreservation and Fresh Milt in Atlantic Salmon – Alysia Docherty, Bryce Stewart, Montague Regional High School, Dr. Debbie Plouffe, Aquabounty Farms
9. The Effect Of Bioactive Compounds On Electrical Activity In An Electrophysiology Simulation of the Hippocampus – Sherri Wood, Cassy Powers, Westisle Composite High School, Mentor Dr. Andrew Tasker, UPEI

BioSciencePEI ~ an interactive community was launched this past week in PEI in support of government, industry and academia to assist with the growth and development within the bioscience sector in Prince Edward Island. One of the ongoing initiatives in PEI is the Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada competition. BioSciencePEI is an ideal toolset to support the research and work of our SBCC group and teams as they carry out their projects this year. All the school teams, teachers and mentors will be connected within the BioSciencePEI community to assist by providing an online virtual environment to further enhance the supports required to carry out their SBCC research.

BioSciencePEI is an online resource which can help bring industry, government and academia together to connect, share and collaborate on activities.

BioSciencePEI will serve as a private online interactive community for any interested members within the BioScience cluster in PEI. Access is gained by invitation only or request to join pending approval. Within the BioSciencePEI online community you can:
*work in teams and groups
*discuss, share and collaborate
*communicate with emails, texts and voice messages
*create, edit and share documents
*host virtual meetings and conference calls
*manage events and meetings in a shared calendar
*create to-do lists and assign tasks

Members of the interactive community will have access to all the resources required to connect, meet, share, discuss, exchange information and collaborate. By offering these resources to the BioScience community in PEI, we hope to show that there is a need for and value in having this type of virtual support resource.

We welcome everyone who has an interest in and a role to play within the BioScience cluster on PEI to join. We look forward to meeting many of you inside our interactive community gaining feedback in support of the growth and development of BioScience here in Prince Edward Island.

Visit us at www.biosciencepei.com

Regards
Keith Tompkins
SBCC PEI Coordinator 2011-12
BioSciencePEI Founder
Twitter @biosciencepei
www.biosciencepei.com

Teacher and Students
Please note that we have extended the SBCC application deadline from its previous date of October 28th until November 14th. We hope this will allow those who have already started their applications a bit more time to complete them and for those students still giving the program consideration a bit more time to make their decision.

If you have any questions or comments please contact me.

Regards
Keith Tompkins
SBCC PEI Coordinator
902.439.3797
email – pei@sanofibiogeneiuschallenge.ca

Need a “proposal idea” these websites can help – Science Buddies and SMARTS

Want to view the 2010-11 Video Presentations from the National Competition held in Ottawa last May, go here

View the Proposal Writing Workshops held last year (2010-11) at Three Oaks and Charlottetown Rural High School. Thanks for the contributions of both facilitators Ms. Charmaine Noonan, MSc in Veterinary Science and Molecular Biology, NRC-INH and Dr. William Whelan, MSc, Phd, P.Phys Associate Professor UPEI, Canada Research Chair in Biomedical Optics.

Charlottetown Rural Presentation ~ Dr. Bill Whalen

Three Oaks Presentation ~ Ms. Charmaine Noonan

Join our SBCC facebook group for the 2011-12 competition year. Keep in touch with the latest updates and happenings…

The Sanofi BioGENEIUS Challenge Canada in Prince Edward Island is administered by Innovation PEI (PEI Business Development Inc.) a crown agency of the Department of Innovation and Advanced Learning in the Province of PEI.

How Do I Get Involved? Talk with your high school Biology or Science teacher about entering the program or contact the provincial coordinator directly. Presentations will be made available to all schools in early October 2011, but it’s never too early to get started.

Student Eligibility 1) Students must be attending classes at a public or private high school in the province of Prince Edward Island. 2) Any individual or team of up to four high school students may submit a project for this competition.

Registration Dates:
Online applications can be submitted utilizing the link on our contact page under Regional Competitions PEI
Applications are now open for the 2011-12 school year.
Application deadlines: October 28th, 2011

Competition date – April, 2011, University of Prince Edward Island

For more information on the sanofi-aventis BioTalent Challenge continue to review this website at sanofibiogeneiuschallenge.ca or contact:

Keith Tompkins
SBCC Regioanl Coordinator PEI
PH: 902-439-3797
email:ktompkins@edtechlabour.com
Skype edtech.keith
Virtual Office – Meet online, contact me as to when you would like to meet

For Immediate Release
May 4, 2011

Identification of local fungi capable of survival on PAH’s wins Grade 12 students from Summerside, entry to National BioTalent Challenge Student Finals

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI — Ground-breaking research by 17 and 18-year-old Summerside, Prince Edward Island students that contributes to the global search for ways to solve PAH Contamination. PAH contamination takes place when oil spills occur. Many different compounds are released into the environment. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons are among those of greatest concern because of their ability to bioaccumulate and carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic properties. This project has earned top regional prize in the 2011 Sanofi-Aventis BioTalent Challenge (SABC).

Grade 12 students Samuel Mundy and Hardy Strom won the top regional prize with a study into Identification of Local Fungi Capable of Survival on PAH’s and will compete for Summerside, PEI at the national SABC competition May 9, to be judged by a panel of experts at the National Research Council, Ottawa. The national winners will be announced at a ceremony in Ottawa, Tuesday, May 10.

They found several species worth investigating: Hypocrea lixii, Hypocrea SP, Hypocreales SP. 011, Acremonium mumorum, Tricoderma hamatium, and Emercilliopsis maritima. The next step in the research would be to assess the ability of the fungi to actually break down PAH, or similar molecules, using dyed gel plates.

The top regional runners-up:

2nd place:

Caleigh Aitken, Megan Arsenault and Brooke Drover, Montague Regional High School, Montague for a project that looked at Neuroprotective Properties of Natural and Synthetic Food Dyes.

3rd place:

Matthew and Kristopher Rice, Three Oaks Senior High, Summerside for a project that seeks to Evaluate Maltodextrin as a Drying Carrier for Cranberry Puree. Matthew and Kristopher also won the “Commercialization Award” and a prize of $1,000.

4th place:

Jenna Gaudet and Ylber Gashi, Three Oaks Senior High, Summerside for a project that seeks a way for Neem and Tea Tree Oils t o act as Natural Treatments for Verticillium dahlia.

5th place:

Simon Trivett, Charlottetown Rural High School, Charlottetown for a project that looked into Compression Testing of Equine Third Metacarpal Bones.

At the regional announcement ceremony, Keith Tompkins, SABC Coordinator stated that, “This was the closest competition in the 7 year history of the program when it came to scoring, with the top 5 projects within just a few marks of each other.”

This was the first year for both Samuel and Hardy in the competition. They learned about the program through their advanced biology class and teacher Mr. Chris Higginbotham.

This year, Sam and Hardy were inspired by the work and support of their mentor Dr. David Overy, University of Prince Edward Island. Dr. Overy’s lab is focusing on the discovery of natural products originating from marine fungi.

“The entire thing has just been wonderful. The best part was definitely the opportunity to work a t such a high level more than what I’m used to. Every single day we were in the lab, it was as interesting as the last, it was all awesome,” says Sam.

Encouraged by Chris Higginbotham, teacher advisor and under the guidance of Dr. David Overy of the University of Prince Edward Island, Samuel and Hardy’s project involved over 30 trips to the lab to carry out their research.

They expect the research to eventually find or have engineered a species of fungi and bacterium which can work together to break down petroleum, or even petroleum-based plastics or foams.

“It was really interesting to do actual research. To get a feel for what it’s really like. So many high school “labs” are really just demonstrations of principles, this was very different,” says Hardy.

The students both plan to study science at university before moving on, and in Sam’s case to study bioremediation, and eventually be back working in a lab environment.

“Phyterra Yeast Inc. is a strong supp orter of efforts such as this to raise public awareness, especially among students and educators, about emerging sciences and to encourage more students to consider careers in biotechnology,” said COO, Garth Greenham. Shona Whyte, who served as one of the judges stated “If I was a science teacher, I would most definitely advertise and encourage this in my school. I think this was a great opportunity for the students to experience what research can be like. The students in this competition represent some of the brightest young scientists in Canada and I congratulate them all on their outstanding achievements.”

The Provincial Government of Prince Edward Island, represented by S. Forrest (Bush) Dumville, MLA for District 15: West Royalty – Springvale, also thanked competition sponsors sanofi pasteur and BioTalent Canada for helping foster an appreciation of science and engineering education.

National Competition, Ottawa, May 9-10

All 14 regional winners become national finalists, who will present their projects for judging by federal public service and private sector experts at the National Research Council in Ottawa, Mon. May 9. The regional finalists are flown to Ottawa for the event.

At 1 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 10, Canada’s top student projects in biotechnology will be announced at National Research Council headquarters, 100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa. Media are invited to hear the announcement live via teleconference: dial 1-303-664-6043, conference ID 8309014. Short, informal descriptions of each project are also available online at http://sanofibiogeneiuschallenge.ca/

Backgrounder

Now in its 18th year, the Sanofi-Aventis BioTalent Challenge is a high-level competition that introduces students to the real world of biotechnology by carrying out research projects of their own design.

The competition drives students to broaden their horizons and challenge their intellect. Each of the student teams wo rk with a mentor in their community who provides expert advice and access to equipment and supplies. Many of the students who compete go on to careers in biotechnology, healthcare, agriculture, and the environment.

More than 100 organizations Canada-wide are partnered in this educational outreach initiative.

Regional competition sponsors:

• PEI Department of Innovation and Advanced Learning

• University of Prince Edward Island

• Atlantic Veterinary College

• PEI BioAlliance

• Innovation PEI

• Prince Edward Island Food Technology Centre

• PEI Department of Education and Early Childhood Development

• National Research Council Institute for Nutrisciences and Health

• Agriculture Agrifood Canada

• Holland College

• Phyterra Yeast Inc.

• Solarvest (PEI) Inc.

• Nautilus Bioscience

• Maritime Pulse Drying Inc.

National competition supporters:

• Sanofi aventis

• Sanofi pasteur

• BioTalent Canada

• National Research Cou ncil of Canada

• Genome Canada

• Canadian Institutes for Health Research

• the Canadian Louis Pasteur Foundation; and

• the Government of Canada’s Sector Council Program.

The national competition offers top prizes ranging from $5,000 to $1,000 plus a special prize for the project deemed to have the greatest commercial potential.

Winning student teams share their cash prize with their school. In some cities, winning students also receive university scholarships or summer jobs.

The competition mirrors the real world of scientific research by:

• Requiring students to submit research proposals for evaluation by a scientific evaluation committee;

• Providing up to $200 in advance funding to approved student projects;

• Assigning mentors to each team to provide expert advice and access to equipment and supplies; and

• Having each student project judged by fellow students (peer review) and by judges representing government, business, academia and t he education community.

A distinguishing characteristic of the competition is the emphasis judges place on the competitors’ communication of science ideas.

Many regional competition events include lectures by leading local biotechnology researchers, science workshops for students and teachers, and exhibits on biotechnology.

For more information or to book an interview:

Regional coordinator Keith Tompkins

Phone: 902-439-3797 (mobile);

Email: ktompkins@edtechlabour.com

About BioTalent Canada

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

About Sanofi Pasteur and sanofi – aventis

Sanofi-aventis, a leading global pharmaceutical company, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions to improve the lives of everyone.

Sanofi-aventis is represented in Canada by the pharmaceutical company sanofi-aventis Canada Inc., based in Laval, Quebec, and by the vaccines company Sanofi Pasteur Limited, based in Toronto, Ontario. Together they employ more than 2,000 people across the country. With combined R&D investments of $181.6 million in 2009, they are leaders in Canada’s biopharmaceutical sector, a critical knowledge-based industry that generates jobs, business and opportunity throughout the country.

Sanofi Pasteur has a long history of supporting science education at the post-secondary level in Canada. In 1994, it recognized the need to engage younger students in biotechnology education, and the initial SABC program was born. Since then, the program has expanded to 14 events across Canada and has involved thousands of students. As lead sponsors of the SABC, sanofi pasteur and sanofi-aventis is proud to collaborate with partners in government, industry and academia to get high school students engaged in biotechnology. For more information: www.sanofi-aventis.ca or www.sanofipasteur.ca.

Issued at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island by Island Information Service. For more information, please contact Ron Ryder , Innovation PEI by email at rrryder@gov.pe.ca or phone (902) 620-3774.

From giant tankers to industrial sites to your own backyard, oil spills have an adverse effect on the environment that can be deadly to almost all living things.

Certain types of micro-organisms (essentially various fungi) can safely “digest” the petro-contaminants and for some years microbes have been used to remediate soil, but only on land-based oil spills. The high concentration of salt in a marine environment inhibits the growth and performance of land-based fungi.

Until now soil contaminated by oil washing ashore from ocean spills could only be stored in hazardous materials dumps. But two Grade 12 students from Three Oaks Senior High School in Summerside, PEI, say that dismal picture may be changing for the better.

Samuel Mundy, 18, and Hardy Strom, 17, have identified strains of fungi that may work to “eat” oil-tainted material from marine spills. Working with mentor Dr. David Overy at the University of PEI, they spent as many as 12 hours a week since early January collecting samples of different kinds of fungi from across the province and trying to “grow” them in solutions of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs – toxic elements in petroleum).

Then they extracted the DNA from the survivors so they could be identified through genetics.

After that, they narrowed the fungi down to six that might have possible roles in the bioremediation of soil.

“I can’t even begin to describe the coolest part,” says Samuel Mundy, “Maybe it was injecting a chemical so toxic that it ate through a container we had tried to store it in, or maybe the excitement at seeing the results.”

Dr. Overy is optimistic about the results. “The application of fungi for the potential bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated soils has been researched in the past, and several commercial businesses have ‘spun out’ of the discoveries,” he says. Now it seems that bioremediation of oil-contaminated soil in a marine environment is possible too.

The project has had an immediate effect on Samuel. He had applied to study English at University and become a teacher. Now he’s waiting to hear if Dalhousie University will switch him into science. His partner Hardy is still weighing options.

Samuel Mundy and Hardy Strom, Three Oaks Senior High, receive their prize from Danny Pendleton, Sales Manager, sanofi-aventis Canada

Three Oaks Senior High Teacher Chris Higginbotham accepts the School Appreciation Prize from PEI MLA Bush Dumville

Megan Arsneault, Caleigh Aitken and Brooke Drover receive their prize from Jim Smith, BioTalent Board Member

3rd Place
Matthew and Kristopher Rice – Three Oaks Senior High School
Project: Evaluation of Maltodextrin as a Drying Carrier for Cranberry Puree (Mentor ~ Jessica Swanson, Maritime Drying Inc.)
4th Place
Ylber Gashi, Jenna Gaudet – Three Oaks Senior High School
Project: Neem and Tea Tree Oils as Natural Treatments for Verticillium dahliae (Mentor ~ Dr. Bud Platt, UPEI)
5th Place
Simon Trivett – Charlottetown Rural High School
Project: Compression Testing of Equine Third Metacarpal Bones (Mentor ~ Laurie McDuffee, Atlantic Veterinary College, UPEI)
Merit Awards
Trisha Chaudhuri – Three Oaks High School
Project: Turmeric and Salt as Food Preservatives (Mentor ~ Vanessa Beale, Food Technology Centre)
Alex Johnston – Colonel Gray High School
Investigating attachment behaviours in L. salmonis to TSA plates treated with host mucous (before and after receiving hydrogen peroxide treatment) and non-host mucous (Mentor ~ Dr. Mark Fast, UPEI)

Matthew and Kristopher Rice accept their Commercialization Award from Danny Pendleton, Sales Manager sanofi-aventis Canada

Studentguide- Rules and Regulations of the SABC Program

Elevator Pitch – 2 minute presentation to get your points across

Presentation Videos from the National Competition in Ottawa 2010..

Presentation-Tips-April-2011, SABC Presentation Tips for creating poster board and powerpoint presentations. Slides includes samples of things to do correctly and incorrectly. Pictures are included with the slides.

8 Projects have been approved with participants representing 4 PEI high schools.

Following is the list of this years projects:
*Therapeutic or Toxic Properties of Compounds ~ Megan Arsenault, Brooke Drover and Caleigh Aitken, Montague Regional High School
*Factors affecting sea lice settlement on Atlantic salmon ~ Alex Johnston, Colonel Gray High School
*Compression Testing of Equine Third Metacarpal Bones ~ Simon Trivett, Charlottetown Rural High School
*Identification of Aquatic Species with a Natural Resistance to Labyrinthula zosterae ~ Matthew and Kristopher Rice, Three Oaks High School
*Using Cobalt and Phosphorus to maintain Solar Energy ~ Brian MacKay, Chris Thompson and Greg McGuire, Three Oaks High School
*Isolate and characterize fungal strains from environmental sources capable of applications in the bioremediation of petroleum contaminated soils ~ Hardy Strom and Samuel Mundy, Three Oaks High School
*Turmeric as a Food Preservative ~ Trisha Chaudhuri, Three Oaks High School
*Natural Oils as a treatment for Verticillium Dahliae ~ Jenna Gaudet and Ylber Gashi, Three Oaks High School