Improving Human Health II:
Metabolic Syndrome (pre-diabetes)

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Ag-West Bio would like
to thank the following event
sponsors:
 

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APRIL 24 - 25, 2008
Delta Bessborough Hotel, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

THANK YOU to everyone who attended the Improving Human Health II: Metabolic Syndrome workshop! Also, sincere thanks to our sponsors who made the event possible. We hope you walked away with valuable information, greater understanding and new connections.

Click here to view presentations from the workshop. Attendees will be asked to complete an evaluation survey before viewing the presentation page. If you have already filled out a survey, simply click on the link to the presentations page and use the username/password you received via email. Thank you for completing the survey!

Click here to view photos from the workshop.

If you did not attend the workshop, but would like to receive the proceedings, they are available for a fee. Please contact Ag-West Bio at 306-975-1939 for details.

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Keynote:
Canada AM nutritionist Leslie Beck

One of Canada’s leading nutritionists, media personality and best-selling author, Leslie Beck joins Improving Human Health II as an authority on nutrition and food issues.

 CLICK HERE to read Leslie's full biography

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BONUS! Laughter Yoga with Jayne Clendening
(Calamity Jayne's Monkey Business)

NOTE: Jayne was unable to attend the workshop. In her place, Deb Scherbanuik led the Laughter Yoga Workshop. A special thanks to Deb for stepping in on short notice. Jayne's 2-part slide presentation is available on the site. Click here.

Building, healthier, happier communities through laughter and play
Scientific studies show there is nothing like a good laugh to burn calories, reduce blood pressure, relieve stress and depression, and boost the immune system. Laughter comes from and heals the heart.
Join Calamity Jayne for a session of Laughter Yoga on the second
day of Ag-West Bio's Improving Human Health Workshop.

Come prepared to have fun!

CLICK HERE to read Jayne's full biography

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Venue

Book your room early to receive the special conference rate. To receive the special rate, quote Ag-West Bio when you book your room. For more information, please contact the Delta Bessborough.

Delta Bessborough Hotel
601 Spadina Crescent East
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
S7K 3G8
Tel: 306-244-5521
Fax: 306-653-2458
Toll-Free : 1-888-890-3222
http://www.deltahotels.com/hotels/hotels.php?hotelId=8

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Program
Last update: April 22, 2008 * DRAFT - Subject to change

Click here to download word document. Updated April 22, 2008.

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Registration

REGISTRATION  for Improving Human Health II: Metabolic Syndrome is now closed.

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Speakers

Please click on a name to see the speakers' biographies and presentation abstracts.

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Branka Barl
NRC-IRAP (West) Edmonton, AB
PhD Food Chemistry; M.Sc. Biochemistry; B.Sc. Biochemical Engineering

Biography:
Dr. Branka Barl  is Industrial Technology Advisor at the National Research Council - Industrial Research Assistance Program in Edmonton, where she is responsible for value-added agriculture technologies including foods and natural health products (NHP). She has over 20 years of post-graduate experience in food chemistry, phytochemistry of botanicals, and interdisciplinary collaborative research linking agriculture, nutrition and health from Canada, U.S. and Europe. Prior to joining NRC, she was a Scientific Leader of Natural Health Products and Functional Food Program at Alberta Research Council, Chief Scientist at New Era Nutrition in Edmonton, a founder and leader of the Herb Research Program, University of Saskatchewan, and a Food Scientist at Alberta Agriculture and Food. She has also consulted Canadian companies in developing products and technologies in the area of functional foods and natural health products. She authored over 50 scientific papers and two patents and was an expert advisor to Health Canada on NHP issues from 1997-2000.

Abstract:
Food industry solutions and trends in addressing metabolic syndrome: who, what and how
With escalating obesity rates and an alarming increase in diabetes in North America, there has been a surge of activity in the scientific and medical community to find solutions to these health conditions. The nutritional approach based on healthy lifestyle, combined with dietary supplements and functional food ingredients is emerging as an effective, safe and responsible approach for managing weight and reducing the risk of related chronic diseases. Furthermore, it appears to be a viable strategy to control the rising cost of health care.

This presentation will provide an overview of scientifically documented natural health products and functional food ingredients promoted to decrease insulin resistance and reduce body fat and weight, such as proprietary dietary fibres, minerals, plant extracts, and combinations thereof. Their suspected mechanisms of action, including modulation of carbohydrate metabolism, suppression of appetite, increase in satiety (feeling of fullness) and increase in energy expenditure will be included.

Market overview of food industry solutions for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes will feature functional foods such as nutritional bars and beverages with particular attention to a new wave of low glycemic products. Companies are investing heavily in research required to bring proprietary ingredients to the North American marketplace; first in documenting its safety and obtaining generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status; second by documentation of its efficacy and potentially getting rights to some form of health claim. However, the strength of evidence supporting recommended use of many dietary supplements as provided by suppliers varies widely. Publicly available scientific data suggests a need for more well designed, long-term human studies to fully document the benefit and eliminate any potential health risk of many natural health products available on the North American market.

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Leslie Beck
Registered Dietician, Nutrition Consultant

Biography:
As one of Canada’s leading nutritionists, Leslie operates a successful private practice in the heart of downtown Toronto. For the past 18 years, Leslie has helped thousands of individuals achieve their nutrition and fitness goals. Leslie operates an “integrative nutrition practice,” offering clients both dietary advice and science-based recommendations on the use of nutritional supplements.

Leslie is recognized by the media as an authority on nutrition and food issues and is an experienced communicator in television, radio and print media. She writes a weekly column in The Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper and appears weekly on CTV as Canada AM’s nutrition expert. Leslie’s nutrition advice can also be heard weekly on Montreal’s CJAD Morning Radio.

Leslie is the best-selling author of eight books on nutrition and health: Foods that Fight Disease, The No-Fail Diet, Healthy Eating for Preteens and Teens, Leslie Beck’s Nutrition Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy, Leslie Beck’s Nutrition Guide to Menopause, Leslie Beck’s 10 Steps to Healthy Eating, Leslie Beck’s Nutrition Encyclopedia, and Leslie Beck’s Nutrition Guide for Women. Her books are published by Penguin Canada.

Leslie consults with many leading businesses and international food companies located in Canada, the U.S. and Europe. She delivers nutrition seminars and workshops to corporate groups in North America. Leslie also sits on the Board of Directors for Breakfast for Learning, a non-profit organization that funds child nutrition programs in Canada.

Having a strong interest in sports nutrition, Leslie acted as nutritionist to the Canadian International Marathon and the NBA’s Toronto Raptors Basketball Club. Leslie keeps fit herself by running, cycling, and weight training.

Born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Leslie obtained her Bachelor of Science (Dietetics) from the University of British Columbia and proceeded to complete the dietetic internship program at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. She studied a Masters in Epidemiology at the University of Toronto. She is a member the College of Dietitians of Ontario and Dietitians of Canada.

Visit Leslie at www.lesliebeck.com. Her website is updated weekly.

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Paul Bélanger
Assistant Director of the Institute of Nutrition Metabolism and Diabetes
Canadian Institute of Health Research

Biography:
Mr. Paul Bélanger is the Assistant Director of the Institute of Nutrition Metabolism and Diabetes at the Canadian Institute of Health Research. His role is to advance health care research in both in the Institute's Strategic Initiative of obesity and in the Institute's broad mandate. Prior to working at the CIHR, Mr. Bélanger was employed in public health at the City of Ottawa. He has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Laurentian University in Sudbury.

Abstract:
Improving health through health research funding - CIHR INMD's contribution
Since 2001, The Canadian Institute Health Research - Institute of Nutrition Metabolism and Diabetes (CIHR-INMD) has been leading the obesity research agenda. INMD's focus is to develop and translate new knowledge on this pressing international health issue. As a result of INMD's success in this area, the Institute has become even more strategic. Come and hear about our current funding opportunities and initiatives.

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Chantal Bussiere
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan
Sessional Instructor, Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan
Scientific & Technology Consultant, Banda Marketing Group, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Biography:
Dr. Chantal Bussiere obtained a Bachelor of Science in Human Physiology from the University of Saskatchewan, a Masters of Applied Science in Biomedical Engineering from Dalhousie University and a PhD in Diabetes Research from the University of Alberta. Her current position is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, a Sessional Instructor of Metabolic Endocrinology in the Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan. She is also a Scientific & Technology Consultant with Banda Marketing Group.  Dr. Bussiere's research interests are the effects of dietary pulse consumption on diabetes mellitus. Specifically, Dr. Bussiere is studying whether eating legumes and doing regular exercise during pregnancy prevents gestational diabetes among at-risk women. Both a legume diet and exercise have been shown to improve the health of people with obesity and Type 2 diabetes. As part of this project, Dr. Bussiere will also look at whether Aboriginal women and their babies derive greater health benefits from prenatal legume consumption and exercise than their Caucasian counterparts. As a Scientific & Technology Consultant with Banda Marketing Group, Chantal's past experience and expertise lend well to her ability to translate the science behind clients' various bio-based products, and thus help them manage the process of going from basic research to product commercialization.

Abstract:
Pulses and the management of the metabolic syndrome
Dr. Bussiere will discuss pulses as functional foods and explore the research evidence that shows how pulses affect metabolic physiology and how these foods can be used for the treatment and prevention of the symptoms of the metabolic syndrome. Evidence of the physiological effects of pulse consumption from both human and animal studies will be discussed with specific focus on the impact of pulse consumption on glycemic regulation, plasma triglyceride levels and fat deposition.

Company Profile:
Banda Marketing Group (www.bandagroup.com)
Banda Marketing Group is a strategic marketing consulting firm that assists companies in making complex business decisions. It helps its clients launch new products, enter new markets, or simply refocus their marketing strategies to improve business performance. 

Banda Marketing Group has broad expertise in various industries including health & nutrition and natural products. Its services include research, such as preparation of feasibility studies, customer and employee interviews or industry profile studies, to development of Marketing or Business Plans, and providing guidance in the execution of the plans.

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Lisa Clatney
Program Director, Health Quality Council

Biography:
Lisa Clatney has been employed with the Health Quality Council since its inception in January 2003. As a Program Director, Lisa is responsible for co-leading the Saskatchewan Chronic Disease Management Collaborative, one of the province's largest quality improvement initiatives ever undertaken.

Lisa has a BA in Psychology, and a MA in Applied Social Psychology, both from the University of Saskatchewan.

Abstract:
Turning the Tide: The Sask. Chronic Disease Management Collaborative
The Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Collaborative currently involves approximately 15,000 people living with diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD), all 13 regional health authorities in Saskatchewan, more than 25% of all family physicians, and hundreds of other health care workers, all of whom are focused on improving diabetes and CAD care and improving access to family physician office visits.

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Jayne Clendening
Certified Laughter Yoga Coach, Keynote Speaker and Therapeutic Clown,
Calamity Jayne's Monkey Business

Biography:
Jayne Clendening is an internationally certified Laughter Yoga Coach, Keynote Speaker and Therapeutic Clown. She has led laughter workshops, seminars and classes with corporations, schools, health organizations and with seniors in Saskatchewan, children in Zanzibar and people of all ages throughout Western Canada. Jayne opened Saskatchewan’s first Laughter Club in Regina and is the President of the Queen City Caring Clowns Association. She is known as “Calamity Jayne” when she clowns in hospitals, senior’s homes and hospices. 

Jayne is committed to pursuing wellness through laughter and play due to her own health challenges which included depression, malignant melanoma and breast cancer. While on her healing journey, Jayne discovered that laughter and play heal the heart, body and mind. Now Jayne looks for every opportunity to tell her story with the hopes that her experience will make a difference to others. Retiring from government she started Calamity Jayne’s Monkey Business. Her mission now is “Building healthier, happier communities through laughter and play”. 

Jayne discovered laughter has proven benefits for physical and emotional well-being. Scientific studies show there is nothing like a good laugh to burn calories, reduce blood pressure, relieve stress and depression, and boost the immune system. Laughter comes from and heals the heart. Laughter yoga invites people of all ages, shapes, sizes and abilities to come play and open to their inner child. Jayne will use simple exercises that stimulate laughter without jokes or humour. Laughter yoga is fun, easy, and something everyone in the family can enjoy together.

Jayne lives in Regina with her husband Craig and her dog Simon. Everyday, giggles can be heard coming from her home.

Abstract:
Building, healthier, happier communities through laughter and play
In 1995, Dr. Madan Kataria created the first laughter club in Mumbai, India. Today, people in over 60 countries around the world gather to laugh - just for the health of it.

Research indicates that laughter reduces stress, boosts the immune system, improves heart health, lowers blood sugar levels, improves circulation and digestion, and much, much more.

Enjoy an interactive session that will benefit the body, mind and spirit. Laughter is guaranteed!


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Ahmed El-Sohemy
Canada Research Chair in Nutrigenomics
Associate Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences
University of Toronto, Canada

Biography:
Dr. Ahmed El-Sohemy earned his PhD in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Toronto in 1999 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard. He joined the faculty at the University of Toronto in 2000 to establish a research program in nutrigenomics. Dr. El-Sohemy has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles and has given dozens of invited talks around the world. He has consulted for both industry and government agencies and serves as a scientific reviewer for a number of journals, granting agencies and international expert advisory panels. Dr. El-Sohemy leads the Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals theme of the Advanced Foods and Materials Network, and is Chair of Genome Canada’s Nutrigenomics Committee. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences and holds a Canada Research Chair in Nutrigenomics.

Abstract:
Nutrigenomics and the metabolic syndrome
Nutrigenomics is a branch of nutritional sciences that uses genomic information and techniques in molecular biology and genomics to elucidate the genetic basis for variability in nutrient response. Both dietary and genetic factors have been implicated in the development of the metabolic syndrome, which is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Recent findings suggest that genes affecting inflammation modify the effects of dietary lipids on biomarkers of the metabolic syndrome.

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Michael Epstein
Managing Director of the Centre for Integrative Medicine
University of Saskatchewan

Biography:
Michael Epstein is Managing Director of the Centre for Integrative Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. The Centre is intended to build bridges between research, education, practice, and public policy across a wide spectrum of medical specialties and health-related disciplines. Dr. Epstein has been involved in the development and implementation of educational programs for a wide variety of audiences, including physicians, nurses, allied health providers, complementary health practitioners, health planners, senior executives, and community leaders. He holds a BA in Economics from the University of Saskatchewan and a PhD from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Abstract:
Phoenix Rising: Integrative Medicine and the Diabolic Syndrome
This presentation begins with a descriptive overview of complementary and integrative medicine, including definition, typology, prevalence, and principles. This is followed by a brief discussion of the evidence base for selected complementary therapies. The mechanisms through which integrative medicine may impact the individual and structural determinants of metabolic syndrome/type 2 diabetes are then explored. Implications for the design of effective interventions at the individual and societal level will be discussed.

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Melanie Gomes
The Diet Plate Canada®

Biography:
The Diet Plate® is a simple, inexpensive tool for weight management that has taken Europe by storm and is now available in Canada. Manrex Limited™ is the proud Canadian distributor for The Diet Plate®. Manrex Limited™ has been the Canadian distributor for The Diet Plate® since June, 2007.

Manrex has been designing and marketing medication delivery systems around the world for more than 30 years. Our innovative approach to medication delivery systems has changed the way pharmacists and nurses distribute medications and helped them achieve their goal of more time for patient care.

Abstract:
Throughout the presentation we will be covering the following points:

• The history of The Diet Plate®

• The presentation of The Diet Plate®

• How to use The Diet Plate®

• How The Diet Plate® program works

• Presentation of the Clinical Trial statistics and results

• How to order The Diet Plate®

• Questions and Answers

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Pierre Haddad
Director, CIHR Team in Aboriginal Antidiabetic Medicines and
Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Université de Montréal.

Biography:
Pierre Sélim Haddad obtained a B.Sc. in Physiology from McGill University in 1981 and a PhD in Pharmacology from the Université de Montréal in 1986. He then carried out two postdoctoral fellowships; the first at the Institute for General and Experimental Pathology of the University of Vienna, in Austria, and the second at the Liver Center at the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. In 1990, he established his independent laboratory in the Department of Pharmacology of the Université de Montréal, where he currently holds the position of a Full Professor with tenure.

Dr. Haddad has received research scholarships (including National Research Scholar recently ended) from the Quebec Health Research Fund (FRSQ) throughout his academic career. He has been funded without interruption since 1991 by the Medical Research Council of Canada (now the Canadian Institute of Health Research - CIHR) and by several other national and international funding agencies.

In 1998, he became interested in Natural Health Products (NHP), particularly medicinal plants used to treat diabetes. He applied his expertise in cell- and animal-based insulin and diabetes research to study the mechanisms of action of several suspected antidiabetic plants, including the Canadian low bush blueberry and the Moroccan spice nigella. In 2003, he successfully built a multidisciplinary team of researchers to study the antidiabetic potential of plants used by the Cree Nations of Northern Quebec in their traditional medicine. This group was recently awarded a five year grant to fund the “CIHR Team in Aboriginal Anti-diabetic Medicines”. Dr. Haddad is also a member of several research centres/groups, notably the Membrane Protein Study group at the Université de Montréal and the Institut des nutraceutiques et des aliments fonctionnels (INAF) at Laval university.

Dr. Haddad was one of the founding members of the Natural Health Products (NHP) Research Society of Canada that was instated in 2003 and acted as Vice President until 2006. From 2003 to 2007, he also acted as a research consultant for the Department Health Promotion of the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation, the largest philanthropic organization in Canada. He now acts on a part-time basis as Vice President Research and Development for PharmAfrican, an ethical biotech organization developing products stemming from African traditional medicine. In recent years, Dr. Haddad has become a leading figure in NHP research in Canada and is involved in several aspects of this rapidly growing field of interest.

Abstract:
Boreal and Mediterranean plants: New tools to fight the metabolic syndrome?
A natural products approach to the metabolic syndrome
Natural Health Products (NHP) have been used in several traditional health paradigms around the world to help treat diabetes, obesity and dyslipidemia. Our laboratory has based itself on ethnobotanical surveys to identify plants of Northern Africa and of Northern Quebec that have good antidiabetic potential. A platform of in vitro bioassays and in vivo animal models was established to screen for antidiabetic and antiobesity effects. A bioassay-guided fractionation approach is used to identify actives in order to develop ethical, standardized NHPs for clinical use in the metabolic syndrome.

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Bernhard Juurlink
Professor of Anatomy & Cell Biology
(former Head of the Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology and Acting Associate Dean, Basic Sciences,
College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan)

Biography:
Dr. Bernhard Juurlink's research interests lie in oxidant production & scavenging and consequences of imbalances thereof in a number of contexts. Our cells normally produce oxidants. When we are young, the ability of our bodies to scavenge oxidants matches oxidant production. There are a number of situations, for example, ageing, where our tissues do not have adequate capacity to scavenge the oxidants produced and many molecules important to the functioning of our cells become oxidized (i.e., they rust). If enough of these molecules become oxidized, signaling pathways that control gene expression are affected. Some of these changes in gene expression promote the development of chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, etc.

Pertinent to this workshop is Dr. Juurlink's interest in how certain phytochemicals affect signaling pathways and thereby influence gene expression. In particular, he is interested in phytochemicals that activate the anti-oxidant response, thereby increasing expression of phase 2 protein genes. His research has shown that increased expression of phase 2 protein genes decreases oxidative stress and its attendant problems, such as hypertension and inflammation, in rodent models of aging. It has also shown that feeding dietary phase 2 protein inducers to pregnant, spontaneously hypertensive, stroke-prone rats to decrease oxidative stress results in offspring that (as adults) have lower blood pressures and tissue inflammation than the parental generation. More recently his lab has shown that at least one phase 2 protein inducer affects signaling pathways that regulate glucose and fat metabolism in a manner that leads to healthier aging in mice. Hence, he has become particularly interested in the dictum of Hippocrates: “let food be your medicine and medicine your food.”

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Abstract 1: April 24 - Morning Session
Oxistress, Inflammation and Type 2 Diabetes

Glucose is a double-edged sword: Glucose is the major metabolic fuel for most cells of our body. But like most things, glucose is a double-edged sword. Glucose and certain of the glucose metabolites can give rise to dicarbonyls that are strong oxidants and very reactive towards amino acid residues in proteins and can form advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs). Proteins that are glycated lose their function and these AGEs will interact with a number of cell receptors that activate the respiratory burst machinery resulting in increased oxidant production. Oxidants can disrupt normal cell signaling pathways and activate a number of cellular signaling pathways that cause inflammation. Inflammation in turn increases oxidant production. A vicious feedback loop can ensue, comprised of oxidant production & inflammation – this is seen in type 2 diabetes. For the reasons outlined above it is important to ensure that basal blood glucose levels be maintained between 5 and 6 mM and that periods of elevated glucose are minimized.

Glucose Homeostasis: All cells of the body have glucose transporters, the majority of which will allow glucose movement down its concentration gradient. What regulates the amount of glucose movement into cells are: 1) the number of glucose transporters in cell membranes, 2) the concentration of glucose inside the cell and 3) the concentration of glucose in the blood. One can increase the amount of glucose entering the cells by: 1) increasing the rate of metabolism of glucose in the cells thereby lowering glucose levels, 2) increasing the number of transporters in the cell membrane, and/or 3) increasing the concentration of glucose in the blood.

Blood glucose levels are normally tightly regulated: At least three factors play an important role in governing blood glucose levels: 1) intake of glucose by the gut, 2) release of glucose by the liver, and 3) movement of glucose into tissues.

1) The rate at which glucose is taken up by the gut is dependent upon the complexity of the dietary carbohydrate source and the viscosity of the environment, the latter of which is dependent upon soluble fibre intake. Simple sugars are taken up rapidly. Starches, which are polymers comprised of glucose molecules, need to be broken down into glucose. Starches can be branched (amylopectin) or simple linear (amylose) polymers. Linear starch molecules require that glucose be cleaved off one at a time, resulting in relatively slow release of glucose. With branched starch molecules, glucose can be cleaved off the ends of each of the branches, resulting in much more rapid release of glucose. A food where there is a high amylose content (e.g., lentils) will result in a slow post-prandial rise in blood glucose while a food where there is a high amylopectin content (e.g., potatoes) will result in a rapid post-prandial rise in blood glucose.

2) The liver can synthesize glucose (gluconeogenesis) from a variety of food building blocks. When intracellular glucose levels rise higher in liver cells than in the blood there will be movement of glucose from the liver to the blood. Regulation of gluconeogenesis plays an important role in determining blood glucose levels – increased gluconeogenesis will increase blood glucose levels.

3) A rise in blood glucose levels is detected by pancreatic beta islet cells that then release insulin in response to the rise in glucose. Insulin acts on insulin receptors in a variety of tissues, particularly muscle and fat, to increase glucose intake. A major response to insulin signaling is to increase the number of glucose transporters in cell membranes. Insulin also down-regulates the expression of genes in the liver that are important in gluconeogenesis.

Diabetes: Diabetes occurs when there is a failure in the normal regulation of blood glucose. This can be due to loss of insulin release in response to high blood sugar – this is type 1 or insulin-dependent diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when there is insulin release in response to elevated blood glucose but cells have impaired responses to insulin because the insulin signaling pathway is defective. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance. Type 2 diabetes used to be a phenomenon that occurred in older adults and therefore used to be referred to as adult-onset diabetes. However, type 2 diabetes now occurs in increasing numbers in younger and younger individuals, even children, and the rate is rapidly rising in the population.

What is the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in type 2 diabetes? As pointed out above, a rise in blood glucose will increase oxidative stress and this oxidative stress will drive inflammation. There is clear evidence that there is oxidative stress and inflammation in type 2 diabetes. The question is whether these play causal roles in the development of diabetes or whether this is simply a consequence of the elevated blood glucose? The evidence that oxidative stress and inflammation is a causal factor in diabetes include the following:

1a) Low concentrations of oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide and homocysteine inhibit the insulin signaling pathway in cells in culture, and in rodents.
1b) Decreasing glutathione, a molecule that plays an important role in many oxidant scavenging pathways, results in insulin resistance in rodents.
1c) Intravenous infusion of glutathione in human type 2 diabetes increases tissue glucose uptake.

2a) Non-diabetic offspring of parents with type 2 diabetes have higher levels of blood-borne pro-inflammatory cytokines
2b) Free fatty acids activate NF-kappaB (an important inflammatory mediator) in rat liver, and this is associated with insulin resistance.
2c) Mice placed on a high fat diet develop insulin resistance; however, insulin sensitivity is retained in mice where the activity of NF-kappaB is inhibited.

Conclusions: There is clear evidence for the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in the progression of type 2 diabetes, but blood sugar levels, oxidative stress, inflammation and insulin resistance can drive a vicious interacting feedback spiral that promotes not only type 2 diabetes but also other chronic diseases. Whether oxidative stress and inflammation are immediate causal factors of type 2 diabetes or whether they simply influence the set-point at which insulin resistance arises is not clear. In either event, there is evidence that diet influences the time in one’s life that type 2 diabetes arises as well as the rate of disease progression.

We are also beginning to understand how obesity, type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, hypertension, vascular dementia and renal disease are interconnected. Diet and exercise play important roles in preventing all these interrelated diseases.

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Abstract 2: April 24 - Afternoon Session
Phase 2 Protein Inducers and the Metabolic Syndrome

Background: The metabolic syndrome is comprised of a number of metabolic disturbances that include oxidative stress, low grade inflammation and elevated tissue 11b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, an enzyme that converts inactive glucocorticoids to active glucocorticoids. These metabolic alterations give rise to atherosclerosis and renal disease, endothelial cell dysfunction that gives rise to hypertension, insulin resistance that gives rise to fasting hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels), dyslipidemia (low levels of HDL and high levels of free fatty acids in blood) and core obesity. Metabolic syndrome is driven by many positive feed-back mechanisms (see accompanying figure) giving rise to a network of vicious interactions that, unless treated, lead to greater and greater disturbances of cell signaling and gene expression and finally leading to life-threatening problems such as heart attack, stroke and renal disease.

Current treatments for type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome in general leave much to be desired. We do not know all the pertinent factors leading to any component of metabolic syndrome and physicians are reduced to treating the symptoms, sometimes one at a time, or more frequently, aggressively using multiple medications – medications for hypertension, medications for lowering plasma lipids, medications for treating insulin resistance, medications for decreasing liver glucose release, etc. Such multi-therapeutic approaches increase the risks of negative drug interactions or drug-food interactions. Curiously, we do not even know all the mechanisms of action of many of the drugs we use.

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Oxidative Stress: We all view the world through lenses of a particular perspective. In my research, my lenses are shaped by the perspective of oxidative stress. My thesis is that if we can decrease oxidative stress we will ameliorate the disorders associated with metabolic syndrome. If you examine the figure above, what is apparent is that oxidative stress can drive most, if not all, components of metabolic syndrome. The hypothesis we are testing is that decreasing oxidative stress should ameliorate the symptoms of the metabolic syndrome.

Oxidants are produced by the normal metabolism of our cells: During normal physiological function the oxidants produced are rendered innocuous by oxidant scavenging pathways. If the production of oxidants exceeds the ability of our cells to scavenge the oxidants we encounter oxidative stress, where oxidants are now damaging cellular components. Our ability to scavenge oxidants decreases with age.

A number of components can be damaged by oxidants but what I would like to focus on are some of the cell signaling pathways. Recent research by a number of laboratories have demonstrated that oxidants are also produced as a component of many cellular signaling pathways and function to shape the spatial and temporal aspects of signaling.

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Oxidants and cell signaling:. Dominating cell signaling pathways are protein kinase cascades where one protein phosphorylates (adds a phosphate group) a downstream protein and the downstream protein can phosphorylate yet another protein, etc. Protein kinase cascades often end in phosphorylation of proteins known as transcription factors. Transcription factors regulate the expression of genes, and their phosphorylation modulates their ability to increase gene expression. Which genes are expressed depends upon which signaling pathways are activated and which transcription factors are present in the cell. Normal signaling is limited in time, usually lasting only a few seconds or so. What stops the signaling is removal of phosphate groups from the protein kinases – this is done by proteins known as protein phosphatases. Protein phosphatases can be inactivated by oxidation. In many signaling pathways protein phosphatases are transiently and reversibly oxidized extending the time of signaling from, for example, less than a second to a few seconds. If the cell’s ability to scavenge oxidants decreases one of the consequences is that the cell signaling pathways can be activated for prolonged periods of time (hours instead of seconds) because of the oxidative inactivation of protein phosphatases. This prolongation of signaling will result in abnormal gene expression and development of disease.

There is evidence that disruptions of the insulin signaling pathway in type 2 diabetes is due to oxidative inactivation of that pathway. Similarly, there is evidence that oxidative inactivation of phosphatases will result in more pro-inflammatory gene expression leading to a number of problems including insulin resistance, atherosclerosis, renal disease and possibly obesity. Oxidants will also scavenge nitric oxide, a molecule produced by endothelial cells to relax blood vessel smooth muscle. Scavenging of nitric oxide results in hypertension.

Endogenous cellular mechanisms that scavenge oxidants. About 10 years ago I became interested in increasing the ability of cells to scavenge oxidants as a means of ameliorating problems due to trauma or chronic disease. Many of the oxidant scavenging pathways use the small three-amino acid molecule glutathione (GSH) as the electron donor in the scavenging. A focus on my research has been on how to increase the endogenous GSH-dependent scavenging mechanisms of cells. The reason for this interest is that if we could increase the endogenous ability of cells to scavenge oxidants, many of the disease processes driven by oxidative stress should be ameliorated. It turns out that the genes encoding for many of the proteins involved in oxidant scavenging, including all proteins involved in the GSH-dependent scavenging mechanisms, have an anti-oxidant response element (ARE) in their promoter regions. The promoter is the region of the gene to which transcription factors that regulate gene expression bind. In general, specific transcription factor complexes will bind to specific promoter elements. What binds to the ARE is a pair of proteins, one called Nrf2 and another called small Maf family proteins. This protein pair complex forms when Nrf2 moves from the cytoplasm of the cell to the nucleus. What can cause Nrf2 to move from the cytoplasm to the nucleus are chemicals called phase 2 protein inducers. These chemicals are quite diverse and some of these chemicals may be found in our diet. Over the past seven years or so, my lab has been examining the ability of dietary phase 2 protein inducers to decrease oxidative stress in animal models of disease and determining whether such decreases in oxidative stress ameliorates chronic disease.

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Dietary phase 2 protein Inducers and chronic disease. The research by members of my laboratory has found that the dietary phase 2 protein inducer sulforaphane, whether consumed as part of the diet or administered by gavage, decreases oxidative stress in the spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone rat (SHRsp). SHRsp is a model of metabolic syndrome. We have shown that the decreased oxidative stress is associated with better endothelial cell function and lower blood pressure. The lower oxidative stress is also associated with less inflammation in all tissues examined, including liver, kidney, brain and spinal cord. We have also shown that if pregnant female SHRsp consume a dietary source of sulforaphane, their offspring - regardless of the diet the offspring are on - have lower blood pressures and less tissue inflammation than their cousins whose mothers were on normal rat chow. Furthermore, the offspring of mothers who consumed sulforaphane had lower blood pressures and less inflammation than the parental generation who consumed dietary phase 2 protein inducers. These latter findings are particularly intriguing since it indicates that oxidative stress has a negative impact on fetal determinants of adult health and that this negative fetal programming can be reversed by the dietary intake of phase 2 protein inducers by the mother.

More recently we have examined the effect of another phase 2 protein inducer in aging C57Bl/6 mice and have demonstrated similar positive effects on the health of the mice. An unexpected finding was that mice on the inducer-containing diet, although eating the same amount of chow as mice on a control diet, gained less weight with age, had better locomotory function and lower blood glucose than mice on the control diet. Intriguingly, the lower blood glucose correlated with a decrease in Sirt1 protein.

Sirtuins and metabolic disorder: There is a lot of research interest in the sirtuin family of proteins, especially in Sirt1. Much of the literature on Sirt1 is interpreted to mean that it is desirable to increase Sirt1 gene expression - this is based mainly on the observations of animals that are calorically restricted. Caloric restriction has been shown to improve health and extend lifespan in animals. Caloric restriction increases the need for gluconeogenesis. Sirt1 activity increases gluconeogenesis; however, increasing gluconeogenesis in animals (or people) that are adequately nourished is not desirable.

Can oxidative stress affect the expression of Sirt1? Likely - a recent paper presents evidence that a redox-sensitive protein CtBP normally binds to the transcription factor HIC1. This protein pair then binds to the promoter region of the Sirt1 gene inhibiting its transcription. In an oxidizing environment, CtBP is released from HIC1 and there is no longer inhibition of Sirt1 gene expression. Whether our phase 2 protein inducer given to mice results in lower Sirt1 gene expression because the phase 2 proteins induced cause a more reducing environment or whether it is due to some other action of this particular phase 2 inducer is not known. However, it is clear that making an oxidizing environment in cells more reducing can have multiple - usually positive - effects.

Concluding Remarks: The research coming out of my laboratory indicates that Hippocrates was right when he said “Let food be your medicine and medicine your food”. We are in a new era of nutritional research where we are just beginning to understand how certain chemicals in our foods affect cellular signaling and gene expression. It is very possible that simple dietary interventions (plus adequate exercise) may cause metabolic syndrome to be a disorder of the past.

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Alanna Koch
Deputy Minister of Saskatchewan Agriculture

Alanna was appointed Deputy Minister of Saskatchewan Agriculture, effective November 27, 2007. 

She previously served as President of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA), an organization that advocates a more open and fair trading environment for agriculture and agri-food products.  From 2003-2007, she served as a farmer director on the board of Agricore United.  Prior to that she was Executive Director of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association for eight years; a director of the George Morris Centre at the University of Guelph; involved in the development of agricultural extension services in Atlantic Canada; a national judge for Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers’ program; and a committee member of Canadian Western Agribition. 

She also served nine years with the Government of Saskatchewan in a number of senior positions.  Alanna is a graduate of the Canadian Agriculture Lifetime Leadership (CALL) program.  In recognition of achievement in, and service to the agricultural industry, the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists awarded her an Honorary Life Membership in 1999.  She recently received her Chartered Director (C.Dir.) designation from the Directors College, a program of the Conference Board of Canada and McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Business. 

Alanna and her husband own and operate a grain farm at Edenwold, Saskatchewan.  They have two young daughters. 

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Rune Nilssen
Partner with Strategro International

Biography:
Rune G. Nilssen is a Partner with Strategro International, and is heading up the company’s Toronto office.
Strategro International is a market entry and business growth firm working with companies and organizations within the functional foods, nutraceuticals, marine biotechnology, and life science sectors. In addition, Strategro works with trade groups, governments and economical development organizations to enhance development and growth within core industry clusters, utilizing Strategro’s SectorStim™ cluster development approach.

Prior to joining Strategro, Rune was a Principal with Accelligent Management Group in San Francisco. In this role, Rune assisted European technology companies in their marketing and investment strategy towards the U.S. Before joining Accelligent, Rune was Director of International Business Development with IBA, a Silicon Valley-based consulting firm providing sales and marketing services to foreign firms looking to expand in the U.S.

Prior to this engagement, Rune was Director of European Operations and Research at EquiCo, a California-based boutique investment bank specializing in mergers, acquisitions and divestitures of middle-market enterprises. He was a member of EquiCo’s founding team and helped grow the business from a small core group to 150 people in its first year. Before joining EquiCo, Rune worked for the Norwegian Trade Council in New York, focusing on the U.S. market entry of Norwegian enterprises. He also served as economic adviser to the Mission of Norway. In that capacity, he managed all business development activities on behalf of the Norwegian governmental and industrial delegations to the United Nations.

Rune has extensive international business development experience in the areas of biotechnology and life sciences, food and health technology, financial services and information technology. Rune has lived and worked in the Middle East and Belgium and holds a Master’s degree in International Marketing from the Norwegian School of Management, School of Marketing in Oslo (NMH).

Abstract:
Let’s go to market…
The presentation will focus on current market trends for the Functional Foods and Natural Health Products sector. Based on our experience working with the commercialization and expansion of numerous companies, the presentation will also address some typical challenges and critical issues that most companies will face, including partnering, product/technology positioning, branding, and successful planning and execution. The overall objective of the presentation will be to share ideas and experiences on how technologies and products successfully can be brought to market.

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Bruce Reeder
Acting Director, School of Public Health
Professor, Dept of Community Health and Epidemiology
University of Saskatchewan

Biography:
Dr. Reeder is Professor in the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan. He received his medical training at the University of Saskatchewan, a Master's of Health Science Degree in Community Health and Epidemiology from the University of Toronto, 1986, and a Fellowship in Community Medicine from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, 1987. His research interests are in the areas of community-based cardiovascular disease prevention, physical activity promotion and the epidemiology of obesity.

At the University of Saskatchewan since 1987 he has taught medical students, family medicine residents, and served as supervisor for graduate students. He is currently serving as the Acting Director of the University of Saskatchewan School of Public Health.

Abstract:
The Changing Pattern of Abdominal Obesity in Canada
Obesity, including abdominal obesity, has become strikingly more prevalent in recent decades in Canada. This pattern will be reviewed, with a particular emphasis on trends seen in Western Canada. Multiple factors appear to underlie this change: genetic predisposition, a reduction in levels of physical activity, and alteration to both dietary habits and human environments. A major consequence of abdominal obesity is the development of the metabolic syndrome with its substantial health impact.

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Rick Stene
Manager, Chronic Disease Management - Exercise
Saskatoon Health Region

Biography:
Rick Stene is the manager of Chronic Disease Management - Exercise of the Saskatoon Health Region. Mr. Stene has 30 years experience providing exercise programs for patients with chronic disease. He served as American College of Sports Medicine “Program Director” and Associate Clinical Professor of the College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan. He is the co-author of CACR's - “Canadian Guidelines for Cardiac Rehabilitation and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention” (First Edition). Mr. Stene enjoys fishing, bike riding, carpentry and stand up comedy.

Abstract:
The Role of Physical Activity in Metabolic Syndrome
The presentation will start with a review of the varying definitions of metabolic syndrome, its prevalence, and contributing factors. This will be followed by a lighthearted historical view of the changes in physical activity habits within our society over the past 75 years and its effect on public health. This will lead into a review of the current clinical evidence involving the role of physical activity in the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome, concluding with a summary and the challenges for the future.

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Anne Wilkie
Canadian Health Food Association, Toronto, ON
Vice President & Head of Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Health Food Association

Anne Wilkie is the Vice President and Head of Regulatory Affairs for the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA). The CHFA is a national, not for profit trade association representing the interests of over 1300 retailers and suppliers of natural and organic products. Ms. Wilkie is actively involved in lobbying the government to ensure a fair regulatory environment for CHFA members. Current key regulatory files include the Natural Health Products Regulations and the Organic Products Regulations. Ms. Wilkie is currently a member of the Natural Health Products Directorate’s Management Advisory Committee - a stakeholder body tasked with providing guidance to the NHPD on the implementation of the NHP Regulations. She is also on the Board of the Natural Health Products Research Society of Canada and the Executive Committee of the International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations. Anne’s background is in regulatory affairs, with over 17 years experience with the federal government department of Health Canada and the Canadian Food inspection Agency. Anne has an Honours Bachelor of Science in Food Science & Nutrition from the University of Guelph and a Bachelor of Education, specializing in adult education, from Brock University. She is also a Hawaii Ironman finisher.

Abstract:
Health Claims: Regulatory Challenges and Opportunities
What you can and can’t say to stakeholders about the benefits of products is dependent upon the regulatory framework in which you are working. This session will provide attendees with an overview of the current regulatory environments governing health claims for foods and natural health products and what needs to be done to minimize the hurdles and increase the quality and quantity of information available to stakeholders.

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Thomas Wolever
Professor, Departments of Nutritional Sciences and Medicine, University of Toronto
Staff Member, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto.

Biography:
Dr. Thomas Wolever obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Oxford University, UK in 1980, a PhD in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Toronto in 1986 and a Doctorate in Medicine from Oxford University in 1993. His current position is Professor in the Departments of Nutritional Sciences and Medicine, University of Toronto, and Staff Member, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto. Dr. Wolever's research interests are the effects of dietary carbohydrates on human physiology and metabolism. He is perhaps most well known for work on the glycemic index which was first developed in collaboration with Dr. David Jenkins and others, while he was a medical student. He has written or co-authored over 200 papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals and recently finished a book entitled, The Glycaemic Index: A Physiological Classification of Dietary Carbohydrate (published in 2006 by CABI (www.cabi.org)). In 1997 Dr. Wolever founded GI Testing, Inc. to provide confidential GI testing services to industry. To cope with the high demand for GI testing and to enable a wider range of clinical research services to be provided, Glycemic Index Laboratories, Inc. (www.gilabs.com) was formed in 2004, a corporation of which he is president. He says that more important than anything else, he is married with three children aged 19, 17 and 10 years. He enjoys orienteering, cycling and recorder playing.

Abstract:
Role of Glycemic Index in the Prevention and Treatment of the Metabolic Syndrome
Dr. Wolever will define “glycemic index” (GI) and “metabolic syndrome” (MS), discuss whether MS affects the GI value of foods and show that the GI has a role to play in the prevention and treatment of MS. Low GI diets improve glucose metabolism by improving insulin secretion, and reduce chronic inflammation by reducing postprandial glucose. There is also evidence of modest beneficial effects on body weight, blood pressure and serum cholesterol.

Company Profile:
Glycemic Index Laboratories Inc. (www.gilabs.com)
GI Labs is the premier facility in North America for testing the metabolic responses to carbohydrate foods. GI Labs was founded to assist the food industry by providing accurate and confidential scientific research of the highest quality. GI Labs specializes in testing the glycemic index of foods, but also offers a wide range of other research services including:
• glucose and insulin responses (and other hormones and metabolites)
• evaluating satiety and food intake
• fecal bulking
• breath hydrogen
• long-term clinical trials evaluating body weight, blood lipids, insulin sensitivity, or other health outcomes
 

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Paul Wood
Senior VP Pharma R&D
Phenomenome Discoveries Inc, Saskatoon, SK

Biography:
Dr. Wood earned his B.Sc. (Honours) in Biology at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario in 1973. He went on to complete his PhD in Pharmacology at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario (1977) and Postdoctoral studies at NIMH, Washington, DC (1979).

Dr. Wood has held senior positions for many organizations, including: Director, Neuropharmacology, Falk Center for Molecular Therapeutics, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University; President and CEO, OxoN Medica Inc.; President and CEO, Centaur Pharmaceuticals; Sr. VP Research and Preclinical Development, Elan Pharmaceuticals; VP Preclinical Development, CoCensys; Associate Director, CNS Diseases, G.D. Searle; Manager, Neuroscience Research, Ciba Geigy; Director, Douglas Hospital Research Labs., McGill University. Dr. Wood has held directorships with Cutanix Corporation; GB Therapeutics; Accera; OxoN Medica; Nyxis Neurotherapies; and presently Phenomenone Discoveries Inc.

His past academic appointments include Professor of Pharmacology, Mayo Clinic; Adjunct Professor (Pharmacology), University of California, Irvine; Associate Professor (Pharmacology) St. Louis University; Associate Professor (Pharmacology) McGill University and Assistant Professor (Psychiatry) McGill University.
His research focuses on neurodegenerative diseases, neuroinflammation and the roles of excitatory amino acids in depression and schizophrenia.

Dr. Wood was editor of the first book in the field of neuroinflammation. He has
more than 230 publications and five patents and patent applications relating to drug candidates and drug screening.

Abstract:
Plasma Metabolomics in Colorectal Cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease
Plasma metabolomics represents a minimally invasive approach to the evaluation of disease risk, progression and clinical management. Metabolomics is also proving to be useful in defining new therapeutic targets in chronic disease populations. In this slide presentation we will present an overview of how metabolomics has been used to define biomarkers in colorectal cancer and in Alzheimer’s disease. In both diseases, metabolic deficiencies have been characterized, which represent disease biomarkers and potential therapeutic interventions.

Phenomenome Discoveries Inc. (PDI) is a human health research company that uses its patented metabolomic biomarker discovery platform and patented informatic research tools to discover novel metabolite biomarkers and to use these biomarkers to develop diagnostic and therapeutic products. PDI has small molecule serum biomarker discovery programs in cancer and neurodegenerative disease, and has validated and filed patents on diagnostic biomarkers in multiple human health disorders. PDI was founded in 2000 and is located in Innovation Place Research Park, Saskatoon.

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Peter Zahradka
Principal Investigator, Molecular Physiology
Canadian Centre for Agri-food Research in Health and Medicine

Biography:
Dr. Zahradka was born and raised in the city of Sudbury, Ontario, a major nickel mining centre. He completed his undergraduate (1978) and graduate (1984) Biochemistry degrees at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. He subsequently traveled to Palo Alto, California, where he completed a post-doctoral fellowship (1984-85) in Laboratory of Experimental Oncology at Stanford University under the direction of David Korn, dean of the Stanford Medical School. A second post-doctoral research fellowship (1986-89) in the laboratory of Bruce Sells (Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics) at the University of Guelph in Ontario was funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

He was appointed to a term teaching position as Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Guelph, in 1989. He subsequently moved to the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg  in 1991, where he joined the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences (Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences since 1995), Department of Physiology.

In 2006, he accepted the headship of the Canadian Centre for Agri-food Research in Health and Medicine (CCARM). Dr. Zahradka’s laboratory is located at the St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre, on the campus of Manitoba’s second largest and Western Canada’s oldest hospital, although it will shortly relocate to new space on the second floor built to house CCARM.

Dr. Zahradka has also been very active in developing new intellectual property. Patents have been issued with respect to novel pharmaceutical interventions for cardiovascular disease, and he has served as CSO for a start-up biotechnology company. More recently, his lab has begun the process of identifying novel bioactive nutraceutical compounds capable of treating diabetes, obesity and atherosclerosis, and this work has likewise led to the filing of patents.

Abstract:
Therapeutic Potential of Bioactive Compounds from Natural Sources for Treating
Obesity-Related Disease
Canadian Centre for Agri-food Research in Health and Medicine
St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Willow bark infusions were used for thousands of years by cultures in the Middle East, Europe and North America to control fever and relieve pain. However, it was not until recent times that salicylic acid was identified as the active principle, and only in 1899 that acetylsalicylic acid was marketed as an analgesic in pure form. Chinese medicine also employed plants for pain relief, but their effectiveness was derived from alkaloid compounds such as those present in poppies. These examples show that traditional plant-based treatment methods have been important for most of human history. Indeed, the first pharmacopeias (Greek, Arab & Chinese) were simply compilations of recipes that instructed the user on how to prepare herbal blends for the treatment of various ailments. The efficacy of many of these formulations indicates that understanding the chemical nature of the treatment is not necessary to achieve positive benefits. Today, the public is very accepting of these materials because they originate from “natural” sources. On the other hand, there are numerous examples of over-the-counter herbals that either lack efficacy or exhibit toxicity and produce unwanted side effects. This has led to a call for greater regulatory oversight, which is now being managed by Health Canada. As a result, the research community is organizing itself to meet this challenge by creating networks that will serve as a basis for scientific evaluation (i.e. providing the “standards of evidence” required for Health Canada approval) of both traditional and novel formulations.

Obesity has grown to epidemic proportions. In general, obesity occurs as a result of excess caloric intake. Consequently, it is reasonable to assume that slight modifications in lifestyle, particularly as they relate to our nutritional choices and levels of activity, should enable us to control this condition. On the other hand, the continuing increase in obesity levels suggests that these adjustments are not being made. Rather, Canadians seem content to wait for the introduction of new medications to treat obesity. To date, none of the pharmacological approaches have proven very successful in preventing the occurrence of obesity. Instead, an emphasis has been placed on treating the symptoms associated with obesity such as cardiovascular disease, kidney failure and diabetes. Since obesity affects many different organ systems, this therapeutic strategy will lead to treatment regimens that vary according to how each individual’s symptoms manifest, and do not address the ultimate cause.

Traditional medicines have failed to halt obesity, primarily because the most effective herbals contain ephedrine, a compound proven to have serious side effects. Consequently, there has been considerable interest in identifying novel plant-based remedies. In this presentation, several examples of plant-derived formulations will be reviewed. The application of primary and not surrogate endpoints for monitoring efficacy makes us confident that their utility in controlling obesity-induced disease will be established upon completion of the requisite preclinical and clinical trials.

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 Sponsors

If you are interested in contributing to this workshop, please contact Shelby Sluth at 306-668-2667.
 

Ag-West Bio would like to thank the following sponsors for their help in making this event a success!



           

Financial support for this workshop has been provided by the Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan through the Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food Saskatchewan (ACAAFS) program. Funding for the ACAAFS program is provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. For more information, go to www.sccd.sk.ca.

The Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation funds and facilitates health research, offering competitive funding programs for researchers and working to promote and disseminate the resulting knowledge for the benefit of Saskatchewan people.

SHRF works in partnership with organizations locally, provincially, and nationally to foster world-leading research. It is the lead agency for the province’s Health Research Strategy.

For more information, including a full listing of funded researchers and summaries of their work, visit www.shrf.ca.
 

Phenomenome Discoveries Inc. (PDI) is a human health research company that uses its patented metabolomic biomarker discovery platform and patented informatics research tools to discover novel metabolite biomarkers. PDI has small molecule serum biomarker discovery programs in cancer and neurodegenerative disease, and has validated and filed patents on diagnostic biomarkers in multiple human health disorders.

PDI is uniquely positioned within the market, offering expertise in discovery and subsequent elucidation of the biological relevance of biomarkers as well as the development of highly efficient targeted assays for validated, relevant biomarkers. PDI is located in Saskatoon, Canada, and was founded in 2000.

Since inception, PDI has conducted hundreds of successful biomarker discovery projects on a fee for service basis, in addition to growing its internal and collaborative research network. In late 2007, PDI incorporated a personalized metabolic health research and monitoring subsidiary, which will open its first research center in Saskatoon in 2008. For more information, go to www.phenomenome.com.

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Media

We welcome credentialed, working journalists of the general media to attend Improving Human Health II: Metabolic Syndrome Workshop. Media registration is complimentary for credentialed members of the news media. Public relations executives and consultants, authors, researchers, and editors of trade association publications and newsletters may not register as media.

Conference organizers will review all media registrations for authenticity and have the authority to decline registration of persons who do not meet eligibility criteria. Conference organizers will contact you concerning the status of your registration request.

For media guidelines, interview scheduling, or other information, please contact:

Deb Shutiak
Communications Director
Ag-West Bio Inc.
Email: deb.shutiak@agwest.sk.ca
Tel: 306-668-2656

Thank you for your interest and participation!

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Contact
Ag-West Bio Inc.
101 - 111 Research Drive
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
S7N 3R2
Tel: 306-975-1939
Fax: 306-975-1966
E-mail: agwest@agwest.sk.ca

Visit the Ag-West Bio Inc. website:
www.agwest.sk.ca


Ag-West Bio, at the forefront of Saskatchewan ’s bio-economy, works as a catalyst for partnerships and industry growth through investments, aiding strategic alliances, providing regulatory advice and communications.

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Funding for Ag-West Bio is provided by Saskatchewan Agriculture.