Cell Biology

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Macrophage Biology job with KINGS COLLEGE LONDON | 274566 – Times Higher Education (THE)

Job description

An exciting new opportunity has arisen within the Laboratory of Macrophage Biology at Kings College London, headed by Dr Subhankar Mukhopadhyay, based within the Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology at Guys hospital campus. This is a full-time post, initially for 18 months, with a potential for extension.

The project will utilise a human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derived macrophage model to study the molecular control of human macrophage function in health and disease. First, the project will develop novel protocols for generating various tissue-resident and activated macrophage populations. Secondly, it will investigate how natural genetic variations, especially the disease-causing rare mutations, influence macrophage function during infection, inflammation and cancer.

The project will utilise a variety of cutting edge cellular and molecular techniques, including modern genome editing techniques, patient cohorts/CRISPR based large scale functional genomics screens, coupled with in-depth mechanistic assays. There will be ample scope for training, developing novel techniques, improving publication portfolio, and career development through new line of research.

We are looking for a highly motivated early-career post-doctoral researcher who has a keen interest, strong technical background and publication record in innate immunity/ macrophage biology. This position is ideal for future fellowship applicants who will be soon ready to apply for external fellowships.

Informal discussion to learn more about this position before application is strongly encouraged.

This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract for 18 months

This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent

Key responsibilities

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

The successful candidate must have in-depth knowledge and demonstrable technical skills in primary human/murine macrophage culture and associated functional assays. In addition, technical knowledge in multi-colour flow cytometry, QPCR, Western blot, immunofluorescent/confocal microscopy is required.

Experience in iPSC derivation, maintenance and differentiation into immune cell lineages, CRISP/Cas9 based genome editing and bioinformatics skills for large scale transcriptomic and proteomic data analysis will be highly advantageous but not essential. Necessary training will be provided for these techniques.

Essential criteria

1. PhD in innate immunity, stem cell biology or related field

2. Demonstrable technical skills common immunology, cell biology and molecular biology techniques related to macrophage biology, innate immunity anjobd inflammation

3. Strong publication track record

4. Ability to perform experiments independently with minimum supervision and generate high-quality and reproducible data

5. Excellent written and verbal scientific and non-scientific communication skills are essential, and these must be clearly demonstrated through specific examples during application and interview

6. Excellent record keeping and time management skills and ability to work under tight deadlines and rapidly changing priorities

7. Ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a friendly, collegial manner promoting the collective goal of the team

Desirable criteria

1. Experience in human iPSC models, gene editing, functional genomics screen

2. Experience in handling patient blood and generation of primary macrophages

3. Experience in in vivo macrophage function in murine models and Home office personal license

4. Bioinformatic skill and large scale data analysis

*Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6.

Further information

This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service and Occupational Health clearance.

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Postdoctoral Research Associate in Macrophage Biology job with KINGS COLLEGE LONDON | 274566 - Times Higher Education (THE)

Cell Biology

Oxford Spin-out Alethiomics launches to advance its multi-omics target discovery pipeline in blood cancer, as highlighted in ASH plenary – PRNewswire

- Spin-out from University of Oxford built on a decade of world-leading research on blood cancers and breakthrough innovation in single-cell multi-omic analysis by founders Professor Adam Mead and Professor Beth Psaila

- 6m seed financing from science business builder Oxford Science Enterprises

- Novel therapeutics, based on targets discovered using the TARGET-seq platform, will be developed to address unmet need in blood cancers

- TARGET-seq highlighted in a plenary session at the American Society of Haematology (ASH) meeting on 12 December

-Led by pharma/biotech experienced Board and Management, Dr Mark Throsby, Chairman and Dr Edward Ainscow, CSO

OXFORD, England, Dec. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Alethiomics, a drug discovery company focused on developing targeted therapies to treat a family of blood cancers called myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), launched today, backed by 6m seed financing from Oxford Science Enterprises.

A spin-out from the University of Oxford, the company is based on world-leading discoveries in clinical haematology and single-cell multi-omics by its founders, Professor Adam Mead and Professor Beth Psaila. Mark Throsby Ph.D. has been appointed as Chairman and Edward Ainscow Ph.D. has joined as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO).

MPNs are a group of chronic blood cancers that begin with mutations occurring in cancer stem cells in the bone marrow. Currently available treatments, for example JAK2 inhibitors, provide symptomatic benefit, but do not tackle the underlying disease drivers meaning that many patients have a persistent burden of disease and remain at risk of disease progression.

Identifying new drug targets within these mutant cells is critical to developing targeted and curative therapies. Alethiomics' founders have pioneered the use of single-cell multi-omic approaches to better understand the biology of mutant-positive stem cells in MPNs and to discover novel molecular targets as the basis for drug discovery. They have also developed bespoke platforms for target validation to accelerate successful translation to the clinic.

Prof. Mead said:"Despite tremendous advances in oncology, the quality of life and outcome for patients with many aggressive cancers remains poor. It is now clear that precision treatments targeted at specific driver mutations in cancer-initiating cells are required. Current approaches to single-cell tumour analysis are unable to resolve both cellular and mutational heterogeneity. The Alethiomics TARGET-seq platform simultaneously detects DNA mutations, the RNA transcriptome and cell surface proteins from individual cells to provide a holistic understanding of pathologies and more intelligent target identification.

Prof. Psaila added:"Our initial focus is on the most sinister MPNs, for which current treatments are really inadequate and many of our patients still suffer very poor outcomes. We are really excited to have founded Alethiomics and to be recruiting an experienced and dynamic team, enabling us to translate our discoveries in novel target identification into precision medicines to improve the lifespan and quality of life for the patients we care for in the clinic."

The breakthrough potential of the founders' research is underlinedby the fact that work using TARGET-seq, led byProfessor Mead,was selected for the Plenary Session at one of most prestigious scientific presentations in haematology; the American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting1.

The seed financing will be used to establish Alethiomics' research operations at the Oxford BioEscalator, to advance its pipeline of programmes in MPNs, and to industrialise the company's proprietary TARGET-seqdrug discovery and target prioritisation platform.

Claire Brown, PhD, MBA, Life Sciences Partner at Oxford Science Enterprises said:"We are tremendously impressed by the unparalleled expertise in haematological cancer of Prof. Mead and Prof. Psaila, and their passion for bringing new therapies to the clinic to benefit patients. We look forward to buildingon their foundational discoveries and to developing clinical programmes and new therapies that deliver on the early promise of the technology."

Co-founders, Adam and Beth, will act as consultants to Alethiomics and serve on the Scientific Advisory Board, whilst continuing to lead their research groups at the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Universityof Oxford alongside their clinical practices in the Department of Haematology at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Chairman Dr Mark Throsby is a biopharmaceutical executive with extensive research experience and a track record of innovation and execution. He is an expert in antibody engineering and immunology with over two decades of commercial experience gained in pharma and biotech at Crucell NV and Merus NV. Alongside his role at Alethiomics he acts as COO/CSO of Gadeta BV and serves on the Board of Ona Therapeutics.

CSO Dr Ed Ainscow brings two decades of experience working on innovative approaches to early drug discovery in both pharma and biotech. He joins from Carrick Therapeutics Ltd where he has been Chief Technology Officer for the past five years.

Alethiomics foundational research has been supported by academic and charitable grants including the support of Cancer Research UK, which becomes a minority shareholder in the company.

1. ASH Plenary Session Information

Title:Single-Cell Multi-Omics Reveals the Genetic, Cellular and Molecular Landscape ofTP53Mutated Leukemic Transformation in MPNPlenary Scientific Session:Hematology Disease Topics & Pathways:Fundamental Science, Genomics, Translational Research, Hematopoiesis, Biological ProcessesPresenter: Dr Rodriguez-MeiraTiming:Presented on Sunday, December 12, 2021, 2:00 PM-4:00 PM ESTPaper:https://ash.confex.com/ash/2021/webprogram/Paper150191.html

Notes to Editors:

About Alethiomics

Alethiomics Ltd is a pre-clinical biotech company harnessing the power of single cell multi-omic technology to discover and develop life changing treatments for patients with blood cancer. A spin-out from the University of Oxford, Alethiomics was co-founded with support from Oxford University Innovation in 2021 by Prof. Adam Mead and Prof Bethan Psaila, both academic clinicians and expert haematologists.

With R&D facilities in Oxford UK, the company is financed by seed investment from Oxford Science Enterprises.

Find out more: http://www.alethiomics.com | LinkedIn| Twitter

About Oxford Science Enterprises

Oxford Science Enterprises is a Science Business Builder, committed to helping solve the world's toughest problems for more people, in more places, faster.The companydoes this by transforming world-leading science into world-changing businesses, partnering the best scientists from the world's best university with the best business brains. Oxford Science Enterprises grows its companies with care and expertise, investing for real-world impact, not only financial returns, and re-investing proceeds back into the next generation of original research and world-changing businesses.

Since 2015, the company has received an automatic stake in all Oxford University science spinouts and has taken a leading role in creating and building enterprises that addressproblems that affect people in life-changing ways: theirhealth, the availability of food, the survival of the planet.

Find out more:oxfordscienceenterprises.com|Twitter|LinkedIn

MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine(MRC WIMM)

The MRC WIMM was founded in 1989 by Sir David Weatherall, and was the first institute of its kind in the UK to link basic research in molecular and cell biology with clinical research. The MRC WIMM is a strategic partnership between theMedical Research Counciland theUniversity of Oxford. The institute brings together over 500 researchers, staff and students now focusing on five research areas: rare genetic diseases, haematology, immunology and infection, stem cell and developmental biology, and cancer biology.

Find out more:https://www.imm.ox.ac.uk/

Radcliffe Department of Medicine (RDM)

The RDMis one of the two main departments of medicine at the University of Oxford, and aims to tackle some of the world's biggest health challenges by integrating innovative basic biology with cutting edge clinical research. The RDM has internationally renowned programmes in a range of areas including cardiovascular sciences, diabetes and endocrinology, immunology, haematology and pathology.

Find out more:https://www.rdm.ox.ac.uk/

About Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research UK is the world's leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research. It's pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives. Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival in the UK double in the last 40 years. Today, 2 in 4 people survive their cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK's ambition is to accelerate progress so that by 2034, 3 in 4 people will survive their cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses. Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

Find out more:www.cancerresearchuk.org

Follow us on Twitterand Facebook.

For Further information, please contact:

At the CompanyEd Ainscow, CSO, [emailprotected]

Media EnquiriesSue Charles, Charles Consultants, [emailprotected], +44 (0)7986 726585

SOURCE Alethiomics

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Oxford Spin-out Alethiomics launches to advance its multi-omics target discovery pipeline in blood cancer, as highlighted in ASH plenary - PRNewswire

Genetics

Unlocking the genetic code of congenital heart disease – Cosmos Magazine

One in every 100 babies is born with a congenital heart disease (CHD), which is a major cause of death in newborns. Despite this, the genetics of the disease are not well understood, which hinders accurate prenatal genetic testing.

Now, researchers from Monash University have uncovered more than 1,300 genes that are linked to CHD, included some that were previously unknown. This may help improve prenatal genetic testing for foetuses.

[Previous methods] focused on screening genes that are present in the heart only an approach that often overlooks genes that are present in other tissues as well, despite still playing important roles in heart development, says Dr Hieu Nim from Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, the first author of the study, published in Genome Biology, the team expanded the repertoire of genes that are potentially at play in heart development and/or CHD.

These could comprise many of the missing congenital heart disease genes, but have been, to date, discounted because they are not unique to the heart, says Associate Professor Mirana Ramialison, also of Monash Universitys Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute.

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Once the gene repertoire had been identified, the team used the fruit fly a well-established model organism in biology to determine the impact of the novel genes. This is because 75% of the disease-causing genes in humans are also found in a similar form in the fruit fly, so we can get a quick snapshot of the consequences of mutated genes.

The fruit fly experiments revealed a long list of high-quality candidate genes for causing heart abnormalities in humans, giving real insight into just how susceptible this organ is to genetic mutations, says Dr Travis Johnson from Monash Universitys School of Biological Sciences.

Understanding genetic screening and disease is incredibly complex, so Johnson cautions that the new information isnt ready for use yet in prenatal genetic screening for CHD.

We now need to conduct functional studies on all of these genes in animal experiments to determine what they actually do, so its early days, he explains. But we now have an excellent starting point.

Theres never been a more important time to explain the facts, cherish evidence-based knowledge and to showcase the latest scientific, technological and engineering breakthroughs. Cosmos is published by The Royal Institution of Australia, a charity dedicated to connecting people with the world of science. Financial contributions, however big or small, help us provide access to trusted science information at a time when the world needs it most. Please support us by making a donation or purchasing a subscription today.

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Unlocking the genetic code of congenital heart disease - Cosmos Magazine

Genetics

Predictive Genetic Testing and Consumer/Wellness Genomics Market Analysis and Forecast to 2025 – BioSpace

Predictive genetic testing are used to identify gene mutations pertaining to the disorders that surface at a considerably later stage in life after birth. These tests are particularly beneficial for people from a family with a history of genetic disorder, although they themselves show no symptoms of the disorder at the time of testing. Genetic testing promises to revolutionize the healthcare sector, providing crucial diagnostic details related to diverse verticals such as heart disease, autism, and cancer. As the healthcare sector touches new peaks, the global predictive genetic testing and consumer/wellness genomics market is projected to expand at a healthy growth rate during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025.

This report on the global market for predictive genetic testing and consumer/wellness genomics analyzes all the important factors that may influence the demand in the near future and forecasts the condition of the market until 2025. It has been created using proven research methodologies such as SWOT analysis and Porters five forces. One of the key aspect of the report is the section on company profiles, wherein several leading players have been estimated for their market share and analyzed for their geographical presence, product portfolio, and recent strategic developments such as mergers, acquisitions, and collaborations.

Get Brochure of the Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1274

The global predictive genetic testing and consumer/wellness genomics market, on the basis of test type, can be segmented into predictive testing, consumer genomics, and wellness genetics. The segment of predictive testing can be sub-segmented into genetic susceptibility test, predictive diagnostics, and population screening programs, whereas the segment of wellness genetics can be further divided into nutria genetics, skin and metabolism genetics, and others. By application, the market can be segmented into breast and ovarian cancer screening, cardiovascular screening, diabetic screening and monitoring, colon cancer screening, Parkinsons or Alzheimers disease, urologic screening or prostate cancer screening, orthopedic and musculoskeletal screening, and other cancer screening. Geographically, the report studies the opportunities available in regions such as Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and the Middle East and Africa.

Global Predictive Genetic Testing and Consumer/Wellness Genomics Market: Trends and Opportunities

Increasing number of novel partnership models, rapidly decreasing cost of genetic sequencing, and introduction of fragmented point-solutions across the genomics value chain as well as technological advancements in cloud computing and data integration are some of the key factors driving the market. On the other hand, the absence of well-defined regulatory framework, low adoption rate, and ethical concerns regarding the implementation, are expected to hinder the growth rate during the forecast period. Each of these factors have been analyzed in the report and their respective impacts have been anticipated.

Currently, the segment of predictive genetic cardiovascular screening accounts for the maximum demand, and increased investments in the field is expected to maintain it as most lucrative segment. On the other hand, more than 70 companies are currently engaged in nutrigenomics, which is expected to further expand the market.

Get Table of Content of the Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1274

Global Predictive Genetic Testing and Consumer/Wellness Genomics Market: Regional Outlook

Owing to robust healthcare infrastructure, prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, and high adoptability rate of new technology makes North America the most lucrative region, with most of the demand coming from the country of the U.S. and Canada. Several U.S. companies hold patents, which further extends the outreach of the market in the region of North America.

Companies mentioned in the research report

23andMe, Inc, BGI, Genesis Genetics, Illumina, Inc, Myriad Genetics, Inc, Pathway Genomics, Color Genomics Inc., and ARUP Laboratories are some of the key companies currently operating in global predictive genetic testing and consumer/wellness genomics market. Various forms of strategic partnerships with operating company and smaller vendors with novel ideas helps these leading players maintain their position in the market.

TMR Research is a leader in developing well-researched reports. The expertise of the researchers at TMR Research makes the report stand out from others. TMR Research reports help the stakeholders and CXOs make impactful decisions through a unique blend of innovation and analytical thinking. The use of innovation and analytical thinking while structuring a report assures complete and ideal information of the current status of the market to the stakeholders.

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The reports offer answers to the top 7 questions that revolve around the growth of the market

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Predictive Genetic Testing and Consumer/Wellness Genomics Market Analysis and Forecast to 2025 - BioSpace

Genetics

Professor Ross Houston to join BMK Genetics in 2022 – The Fish Site

Professor Houston is well known in the aquaculture genetics and animal breeding communities. He began his career with a PhD in pig genetics at the University of Aberdeen in 2004 before moving into salmon genetics in a postdoc position at Roslin. Ever since, he has built an international reputation in the field, including discovering a major QTL associated with resistance to Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis in 2008, which remains an exemplar of using genetics to help control disease and improve health.

Houston leads several high-profile international aquaculture research projects focussing on application of genomics and genome editing technologies to improve disease resistance. He has authored and co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and has received several awards for his contributions to the scientific community.

In the role of Director of Innovation, he will lead BGs strategic development of innovation and R&D to support business growth and secure the companys competitive advantages. He will also develop and lead collaborative projects both internally and externally, including harnessing synergies on innovation across the field of genetics, health, and nutrition within the Benchmark Group as a member of Benchmarks cross-divisional Innovation Board.

The new role will also involve product development for the Benchmark Genetics in-house breeding programmes in salmon, shrimp, and tilapia. Finally, Ross will assist in expanding the portfolio of external clients for the applied genetics consultancy services, of which Benchmark Genetics has been in the forefront for more than three decades.

Dr Morten Rye, Director of Genetics in Benchmark, says: Getting Ross Houston on board significantly strengthens our genetics R&D capacities and is also a great acknowledgement to the reputation of our organisation. Genetics technologies are rapidly advancing, and I am convinced that having Ross to lead our strategic development of innovation and R&D will place Benchmark in the forefront of this progress.

Ross Houston is excited about the new position and adds: I have been collaborating with Benchmark scientists for several years, and I am impressed about how the genetics business area has developed during this time. Im very motivated by translating the latest scientific developments into commercial practice, to benefit the organisation as well as enhancing the sustainability of the industry.

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Professor Ross Houston to join BMK Genetics in 2022 - The Fish Site

Genetics

Entourage Health Enhances Cultivation Platform with Tissue Culture IP and Introduces New Genetics for Premium Adult-Use and Medical Product Lineup in…

Company also confirms its certification as an Ontario Living Wage Employer, becoming one of only three cannabis cultivators with this distinction

TORONTO, Dec. 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Entourage Health Corp. (formerly WeedMD Inc.) (TSX-V:ENTG) (OTCQX:ETRGF) (FSE:4WE) (Entourage or the Company), a Canadian producer and distributor of award-winning cannabis products and brands, announced today it has upgraded its cultivation platform to include a unique Company-wide standardized system rooted in tissue culture propagation that is expected to drive commercial growth for premium products in 2022. In addition to the introduction of new Plant Empowerment practices and new genetics geared at optimal canopy management, the Company is also pleased to confirm it recently received certification as an Ontario Living Wage Employer.

We officially implemented tissue culture propagation across our Strathroy facility to align with our Guelph craft production site and it is now at the heart of Entourages horticultural program - which we fully expect will result in a balanced, consistent canopy that produces higher potency, cannabinoid and terpene-rich cultivars and products, said Patrick Scanlon, Head of Cultivation, Entourage. In our drive to produce the very best for our patients and consumers, we are nurturing and mentoring a world-class cultivation team that together will elevate cannabis products and experiences in Canada. Our balanced approach is already seeing benefits with exciting new genetics for highly sought premium flower products coming in 2022 across all our commercial channels.

Tissue culture propagation is widely recognized as a superior way of growing and preserving agricultural root health and has been primarily used across agricultural channels over the last 60 years. Entourages Guelph facility has developed a proprietary tissue culture program SteadyStem Solutions for the cannabis industry using bio-technology techniques aimed at plant cell growth in a clean, scientific-data driven environment. Its Plant Empowerment approach is a precision agriculture, data-driven philosophy based on environmental monitoring, integrated rootzone management, plant response data and KPIs centered around excellent donor stock that minimizes contamination, promotes genetic integrity and the growth of vigorous, prolific plants.

Story continues

The Company recently regenerated some of its prized cultivars and genetics unique to Entourages brands: Color Cannabis, Saturday Cannabis, Royal City Cannabis Co., and Starseed Medicinal with the goal of meeting evolving consumer preferences for premium products. The full suite of new products is expected to be rolled out starting in early 2022.

Ontario Living Wage Employer Certification

Entourage also announced it has been officially certified as an Ontario Living Wage Employer. A living wage is defined as the income needed for a worker and/or family to meet basic expenses and considers the true costs of living, and participating in their community. It is higher than the provincial minimum wage and draws on community-specific data to determine the rate.

We are proud to be a leader in the living wage movement within the cannabis industry. It is widely proven that businesses like Entourage - who offer a living wage, comprehensive benefits packages, shares programs, merit programs and mentorship opportunities - are more likely to retain and attract talent as well as encourage higher productivity and job satisfaction within their talent pool, said Deborah Sikkema, Chief People Officer, Entourage. Ensuring our workplace is conducive to positive employee engagement is a key measure of success for us, particularly as we look to increase our cultivation and production talent in 2022. We also recognize that a higher standard of living will bring positive change in Ontarios cannabis community as a whole and were thrilled to be at the forefront of this movement.

Visit Entourage Healths newly launched website here. To access our corporate video, visit us here and to access our latest investor presentation and corporate deck here.

About Entourage Health Corp.

Entourage Health Corp. (formerly WeedMD Inc.) is the publicly traded parent company of WeedMD RX Inc. and CannTx Life Sciences Inc., licence holders producing and distributing cannabis products for both the medical and adult-use markets. The Company owns and operates a 158-acre state-of-the-art greenhouse, outdoor and processing facility located in Strathroy, ON as well as a fully licensed 26,000 sq. ft. Aylmer, ON processing facility, specializing in cannabis extraction. With the addition of Starseed Medicinal, a medical-centric brand, Entourage has expanded its multi-channeled distribution strategy. Starseeds industry-first, exclusive partnership with LiUNA, the largest construction union in Canada, along with employers and union groups complements Entourages direct sales to medical patients. In October 2021, Entourage closed the acquisition of craft cultivator CannTx Life Sciences Inc. which operates out of its state-of-the-art micropropagation and specialty extraction facility in Guelph, Ontario. Craft brand Royal City Cannabis was added to Entourages elite product portfolio that includes adult-use brands Color Cannabis and Saturday Cannabis sold across eight provincial distribution agencies. The Company also maintains strategic relationships in the seniors market and supply agreements with Shoppers Drug Mart. It is the exclusive Canadian producer and distributor of award-winning U.S.-based wellness brand Marys Medicinals sold in both medical and adult-use channels. Entourage recently announced an exclusive collaboration with The Boston Beer Company subsidiary to launch cannabis-infused beverages in Canada.

For more information, please visit us at http://www.entouragehealthcorp.com

Follow Entourage and its brands on LinkedIn

Twitter: Entourage, Color Cannabis, Saturday Cannabis, Starseed & Royal City Cannabis Co.

Instagram: Entourage, Color Cannabis, Saturday Cannabis, Starseed & Royal City Cannabis Co.

For further information, please contact:

For Investor Enquiries:Valter PintoManaging Director KCSA Strategic Communications1-212-896-1254entourage@kcsa.com

For Media Enquiries:Marianella delaBarreraSVP, Communications & Corporate Affairs416-897-6644marianella@entouragecorp.com

Forward Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation which are based upon Entourage's current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs and views of future events. Forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expect", "likely", "may", "will", "should", "intend", "anticipate", "potential", "proposed", "estimate" and other similar words, including negative and grammatical variations thereof, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "would" or "will" happen, or by discussions of strategy. Forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, information in respect of the manufacture and distribution of cannabis-infused beverages pursuant to the development, supply, manufacturing, sales and marketing agreements entered into by the Company and the prospects thereof.

The forward-looking information in this news release is based upon the expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and views of future events which management believes to be reasonable in the circumstances. Forward-looking information includes estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, targets, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Forward-looking information necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation, risks associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; loss of markets; future legislative and regulatory developments; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; the cannabis industry in Canada generally; the ability of Entourage to implement its business strategies; the COVID-19 pandemic; competition; crop failure; and other risks.

Any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and, except as required by law, Entourage does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Entourage to predict all such factors. When considering this forward-looking information, readers should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in Entourages disclosure documents filed with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com. The risk factors and other factors noted in the disclosure documents could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those described in any forward-looking information.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE

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Entourage Health Enhances Cultivation Platform with Tissue Culture IP and Introduces New Genetics for Premium Adult-Use and Medical Product Lineup in...

Genetics

Global Forage Seed Industry Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Growth Forecast 2021-2026 Featuring Profiles of Leading Players Allied Seed, Brett-Young…

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Forage Seed Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021-2026)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global forage seed market is projected to register a CAGR of 7.5%, during the forecast period (2021-2026).

The COVID-19 has led to severe restrictions on the movements of people and goods imposed in the initial months are having widespread negative effects on the industry across the globe with international forage seed trade particularly affected. The forage seed trade is highly international with large volumes of seed shipped across borders to meet farmers' demand across the globe. Yet shipments are affected by lockdowns imposed by governments across the region to stem the Covid-19 pandemic.

Although many governments have since recognized seeds and other agricultural inputs as essential items effectively exempting them from lockdown restrictions seed companies have been reporting a number of supply-chain challenges. However, the market is anticipated to bounce back in the coming months.

The major factors driving the forage seed market are the increasing demand for dairy products, the increasing demand for animal products, consumer preference for organic food and feed products, shrinkage of open land for animal grazing, and increasing specialized feed requirement due to the introduction of high yielding cattle.

Some of the restraints identified in the studied market are adverse climatic conditions, time-based incentive returns requiring significant investments, and the unwillingness of farmers to pay for high-quality forage seeds. The major share in the forage seed market is occupied by North America, followed by Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Africa.

Key Market Trends

Growing Demand for Meat and Meat Products

Livestock is among the world's largest users of land resources, with grazing land and cropland dedicated to the production of feed representing nearly 80% of the total agricultural land. According to FAO, feed crops are grown in 1/3rd of the total cropland, while the total land area occupied by pasture is equivalent to 26% of the ice-free terrestrial surface. Around 80% of the world's grazing lands are open lands, i.e., pastures devoid of forests or dense human settlements. Pastures have always been and will continue to be, a source of forages and nutrients for dairy cattle, including heifers, dry cows, and the milking herd.

Livestock is a major factor responsible for the growth of global agriculture. The world food economy is being increasingly driven by the shift in diet and food consumption patterns toward livestock products. There has been an increased dependency of livestock animals on feed and forage resources. Furthermore, changes in production and quality of feed crop and forages potentially impacts the livestock. The growth in livestock production is likely to create a demand for better forage crops, as people are extremely concerned about the quality of meat they consume. The growth in the demand for forage crops can only be supported with better quality forage seeds.

North America Dominates the Forage Seed Market

Currently, North America is the largest forage seed market. Alfalfa is the largest traded seed among all the categories, and in the United States alone, it accounted for a major share of the market value in 2020. Currently, the United States occupies the largest market share (48%). Favorable weather conditions and an ever-increasing domestic and international demand are driving the growth in the North American forage seed market.

Weather in the North American region is a major reason behind the decline of demand in the forage seed market. To counter this effect, in December 2017, Grassland Oregon, a seed company based in Salem, Oregon, launched FIXatioN Balansa and Frosty Berseem clovers, making them available to producers in Canada. Both varieties are capable of withstanding temperatures as cold as -26C and -5C, respectively.

Competitive Landscape

The global forage seeds market is a fragmented market with the presence of various players in the market. In the forage seed market, AgReliant Genetics, Brett-Young Seeds Limited, Corteva Agri Science, Barenbrug Holding B.V and DLF Seeds A/S are some of the players in the market These players are investing heavily in this market, in order to develop new products.

Key Topics Covered

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Study Assumptions & Market Definition

1.2 Scope of the Study

2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4 MARKET DYNAMICS

4.1 Market Overview

4.2 Market Drivers

4.3 Market Restraints

4.4 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5 MARKET SEGMENTATION

5.1 Crop Type

5.1.1 Cereals

5.1.1.1 Forage Corn

5.1.1.2 Forage Sorghum

5.1.1.3 Other Cereals

5.1.2 Legumes

5.1.2.1 Alfalfa

5.1.2.2 Other Legumes

5.1.3 Grasses

5.2 Product Type

5.2.1 Fresh Forage

5.2.2 Stored Forage

5.2.2.1 Silage

5.2.2.2 Hay

5.3 Geography

5.3.1 North America

5.3.2 Europe

5.3.3 Asia-Pacific

5.3.4 South America

5.3.5 Africa

6 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

6.1 Most Adopted Strategies

6.2 Market Share Analysis

6.3 Company Profiles

6.3.1 Allied Seed LLC

6.3.2 Brett-Young Seeds Limited

6.3.3 AgReliant Genetics

6.3.4 DLF Seeds AmbA

6.3.5 Foster's Seed and Feed

6.3.6 Northstar Seeds Ltd.

6.3.7 Hancock Farm & Seeds Co.

6.3.8 UPL Limited

6.3.9 Corteva Agriscience

6.3.10 The Royal Barenbrug Group

6.3.11 Blue River Hybrid Organic Seeds

6.3.12 AMPAC Seed Company

6.3.13 PGG Wrightson

6.3.14 S&S Seeds, Inc.

6.3.15 Rivard's Turf & Forage

6.3.16 Johnston Seed Company

6.3.17 Silver Falls Seed Company

7 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS

8 IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE MARKET

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/e87l8

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Global Forage Seed Industry Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Growth Forecast 2021-2026 Featuring Profiles of Leading Players Allied Seed, Brett-Young...

Genetics

Ohio sheep farmers focus on improved flock genetics at 2021 symposium – Farm and Dairy

WOOSTER, Ohio Isabel Richards, of Gibraltar Farm, in central New York, knows what shes looking for in her sheep herd good body condition, ewes that are good at raising their lambs with minimal help, parasite resistance, to an extent. Not all of the sheep born on her farm make the cut to stay.

But different farms might have different goals for their flocks, Richards said at the 2021 Buckeye Shepherds Symposium, Dec. 3-4, in Wooster, Ohio. She encouraged sheep farmers to focus on whatever traits they want to encourage on their farms.

The big thing is just to see what makes sense for you to select for, she said.

Speakers at the symposium focused on genetics and reproduction. Richards isnt afraid to cull ewes that dont fit her operation.

Our ewe lambs get tough love, she said.

Body condition score is one of the big factors she culls for. There are performance things that she looks for ewes that produce a good number of lambs for their size, ewes that are good at mothering but she also needs them to be able to maintain their body condition scores.

She also selects for growth, to some extent. In New York, hay is expensive. So, Richards tries to raise lambs that can grow to market weight before she has to start feeding hay in the winter.

Mike Stitzlein, who raises club lambs in Ashland, Ohio, considers things like temperament, as well, when he is working on improving his flocks genetics. And as someone who raises lambs for the show ring, hes noticed what the show ring wants isnt always whats best for the sheep industry as a whole.

What pushes club lamb is whats popular in the show ring whats popular in the show ring is just fads, sometimes, Stitzlein said.

But also essential to improving genetics and reproduction is record keeping.

You cant manage what you dont measure, said Brady Campbell, an assistant professor focused on small ruminant management with Ohio State University.

On her farm, Richards tracks things including birth weights, estimated breeding values, mothering ability for ewes, body condition scores, weights at 60 days and 120 days and fecal egg counts for her livestock. The estimated breeding values come from the National Sheep Improvement Program, an organization that offers a system for genetic selection to help sheep farmers improve their herds.

Those things take time, and can be expensive being part of the national program costs Richards about $1,200 per year. But the numbers help her compare how well individual animals, and the herd are doing.

We can measure all day long but we also need to understand that we shouldnt just collect data to collect data, if were not going to use it, Campbell said.

The Ohio Sheep Improvement Association recognized award winners and scholarship recipients at the symposium Dec. 4. The Charles Boyles Master Shepherd Award went to Roger and Jan Cox, of Morrow County.

Roger and Jan Cox raise Katahdin sheep. The Cox family has a long history of sheep farming Rogers father raised sheep, and his ancestors, from Scotland and Ireland, also raised sheep. Roger Cox got his start in sheep with registered Hampshires in 1958, and later shifted to more commercial sheep, getting his first Katahdins in 2005.

Weve been so blessed, Roger Cox said. We had an opportunity to work hard, manage well, and see things come together.

The Distinguished Service Awards went to Gary Wilson, of Jenera; Don Hawk, of Danville; Jordan Beck, of Wauseon; Lori Shroyer, of DeGraff; and Robert Hunter, of Pickerington, all of whom have served on the Ohio Sheep and Wool Program board. Mike Stitzlein, who retired as the president of the association in 2019, received the Presidents Award.

The Friend of the Sheep Industry Award went to Amy Hurst, who assists with keeping track of membership records, checkoff accounting, newsletters and more for the association.

Youth recognized included Rachel Berk and Jim Stickley, with the Ralph H. Grimshaw Memorial Scholarship; Brandon Zuercher, with the Dr. Jack Judy Memorial Scholarship; Chelsea Graham, with the High Family Memorial Scholarship; and Emma Peters, Linsey Eddy and Ian Johnson, with the OSIA LEAD Council Scholarship.

The association also recognized Zoe Parrott, of Northmor FFA, as the state and national FFA sheep production proficiency winner, and Olivia Rinesmith, as the Ohio Lamb and Wool Ambassador.

2021 Buckeye Shepherd's Symposium awards

Representatives of the American Lamb Board gave an update on the checkoff program. Because of the pandemic, said Don Hawk, of the American Lamb Board, the program shifted its strategy to focus less on fine dining, and more on retail and consumer education.

Through partnering with food blogs and getting lamb into new recipes, the program estimates it reached four million or more people in 2020. It is also helping fund several research projects, including one at Michigan State University that looks at the sheep industrys environmental impact.

At the state level, the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association came up with a new strategic plan this year. Three broad goals in the plan are to ensure and maintain effective management, better serve members in Ohio and to provide relevant programming for the Ohio sheep industry.

With strong markets for lamb and wool and a strong base of farmers in the state, the association believes it is well-poised for the future.

We probably have the greatest potential for growth, Hawk said, about the sheep industry east of the Mississippi River.

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Human Behavior

Study uncovers a feedback loop effect between attachment anxiety and manipulative mate retention behaviors – PsyPost

People who fear abandonment and have an excessive need for approval become more likely over time to use manipulative tactics to keep their romantic partner in a relationship. But men and women who engage in such tactics end up becoming more anxious about their relationship. Those are the findings from new research published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior.

Although mate retention had been researched for decades in the field of evolutionary psychology, it had yet to be connected to the large research area of attachment theory, which to me seemed like an obvious intersection, said study author Nicole Barbaro, an adjunct professor at Utah Valley University and research scientist at WGU Labs.

Attachment theory describes how people bond to others and maintain their relationships. People can be secure or insecure in their attachments, and insecure individuals can be either anxious or avoidant. People with an anxious attachment style are fearful of rejection and abandonment, while people with an avoidant attachment style tend to distrust others and shun intimacy.

Theoretical frameworks of mate retention were also historically male-centric, for example sperm competition theory, and I wanted to explore frameworks that could explain both male and female mate retention behavior in any type of relationship, Barbaro said.

Previous research has indicated that anxiously attached individuals tend to engage more frequently in cost-inflicting mate retention strategies (such as snooping through a partners phone or talking to another person at a party to make a partner jealous.) Barbaro and her colleagues replicated those findings with a study of 104 young adults who were currently in a sexually active relationship that had lasted at least three months.

But one area that has been left unclear is whether cost-inflicting mate retention strategies lead to anxious attachment or whether anxious attachment leads to cost-inflicting mate retention strategies. To better understand this, the researchers examined two waves of data from 489 heterosexual couples who had participated in the Processes in Romantic Relationships and Their Impact on Relationship and Personal Outcomes (CouPers) study, longitudinal research conducted at the University of Basel.

Barbaro and her colleagues found that cost-inflicting strategies predicted higher attachment anxiety 18 months later. But the reverse was also true: higher attachment anxiety predicted more frequent use of cost-inflicting strategies. In other words, those who engaged in more frequent cost-inflicting mate retention behaviors tended to become more anxiously attached and those who were anxiously attached tended to become more likely to use cost-inflicting behaviors.

The findings indicate that high anxious attachment is a strong risk factor for negative and manipulative partner-directed behavior for both men and women, Barbaro told PsyPost. This relationship appears to be reciprocal, meaning that high attachment anxiety can lead to negative behaviors, which in turn appear to also predict later attachment anxiety.

The study provides new insights into how mate retention behaviors and attachment orientations interact over time in romantic relationships. But the study like all research includes some limitations.

This line of work is still, overall, in early stages, Barbaro said. Research in this area still needs to evaluate these behaviors using more than self-report survey measures. We still want to know the mechanisms underlying these associations between attachment and mate retention behavior, for example, what triggers are activating the attachment system and motivating specific types of behaviors? We still want to know how these processes impact other aspects of relationship functioning. For example, other research shows the impact of negative mate retention on relationship satisfaction how does this connect with attachment orientations?

This is a line of research that I developed as a graduate student in an effort to develop a single evolutionary framework that explained both mens and womens mate retention behavior and its great to see that a broader interest in this area has taken off in recent years, and Im excited about the new insight researchers will uncover.

The study, The (bidirectional) associations between romantic attachment orientations and mate retention behavior in male-female romantic couples, was authored by Nicole Barbaro, Rebekka Weidmann, Robert P. Burriss, Jenna Wnsche, Janina L. Bhler, Todd K. Shackelford, and Alexander Grob.

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Study uncovers a feedback loop effect between attachment anxiety and manipulative mate retention behaviors - PsyPost

Human Behavior

At least 2 bipedal human species lived nearly 3.7 million years ago – NPR

On the left is a nearly 3.7 million-year-old fossil footprint now believed to have been made by an early human. On the right is the rear footprint of a young black bear. Left: J. DeSilva/Right: E. McNutt hide caption

On the left is a nearly 3.7 million-year-old fossil footprint now believed to have been made by an early human. On the right is the rear footprint of a young black bear.

The early humans who walked the Earth nearly 3.7 million years ago were not walking alone. Fossil footprints in Tanzania reveal that two human species once lived in the same place at the same time.

Scientists had long thought that one set of unusual prints there was left by a bear walking on its hind legs, but a new analysis published in the journal Nature suggests that's not right. Instead, it appears that the tracks were left by some unknown early human species that was strolling around that spot at the exact same time as Australopithecus afarensis the species of the famous partial skeleton "Lucy."

Australopithecus afarensis has long been assumed to have been the only human species living way back then, and scientists have considered it an ancestor of modern humans. But recent discoveries of other remains, such as jaws, skulls and foot bones, have hinted that an unexpected diversity of hominins may have lived during this period.

At this particular prehistoric site, at Laetoli in northern Tanzania, all the footprints were made in the same layer of mud. That means individuals from these two early human species must have passed through within hours or days of one another, says Ellison McNutt, a biological anthropologist at Ohio University's Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.

It's possible that the unknown species that made the weird footprints "looked up across the landscape and saw an Australopithecus afarensis walking somewhere else," she says. "It's really cool that we may have two hominin species, at least, living at the same place."

McNutt studies bipedalism because walking on two legs is a unique and distinctive human trait. "It's a very strange way of kind of moving through the world, and it's very different from other animals," she notes, adding that how and why humans evolved to do this is still a mystery. "This seems to be one of the things that sort of makes hominins and our lineage very different from the other living primates."

And walking upright seems to go way back in human evolution. Millions of years ago, a volcano erupted and covered Laetoli in ash. That ash turned to mud, and all kinds of creatures left tracks; when the volcano erupted again, another layer of ash preserved the tracks. In the 1970s, paleontologists uncovered tracks from animals including ostriches, giraffes, hyenas and, of course, what was later identified as Australopithecus afarensis.

At the same time, the workers uncovered another set of tracks that also seemed to show bipedal walking, but those didn't look so distinctively human. Eventually, scientists decided they must have been left by a young bear, given that bears lived in Africa back then. A bear's hind feet can look somewhat human, bears can walk bipedally, and they don't always leave distinctive claw-prints.

"It was kind of a reasonable thing, sort of," says McNutt, who adds that the more instantly recognizable footprints from the human species were so exciting that these other ones got ignored for decades.

She came across a reference to these forgotten footprints, however, while studying bear bipedalism when she was a graduate student at Dartmouth College. She realized that she and her colleagues could test the bear hypothesis with the help of a nearby rehabilitation center for black bears in New Hampshire. It had young bears with paws of a comparable size to the footprints.

"We ended up with four little juvenile bears that we had stand up and walk through mud for either applesauce or maple syrup, which was very cute, as their reward at the end of it," she explains.

By examining the paw prints left by the bears and by comparing them with the mysterious fossil footprints as well as human footprints and chimpanzee footprints, the research team determined that the fossils' features looked more humanlike. It looks like the feet must have had a relatively large "big toe," for example.

What's more, the walking pattern preserved in the tracks shows a kind of cross-step, with the foot crossing in front of the midline of the body. People sometimes cross-step while walking over uneven surfaces or regaining their balance.

"That actually is one more piece of evidence that it's not a bear," says McNutt, "because bears don't have the anatomy at their hip and their knee to allow them to stand up and maintain their balance while cross-stepping."

The researchers also looked at more than 50 hours of videos taken of wild black bears and found that they hardly ever walk on their hind legs. "When a bear stands up, he's usually holding on to a tree," says McNutt. "Or maybe he'll take a step or two, but he doesn't usually take four or more, which is what you'd really need to get to the five we have preserved at this site."

All of this evidence has convinced Stephanie Melillo, a paleoanthropologist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, who was not part of the research team. "They do a very convincing job of showing that the prints are not made by a bear," she says, and adds that the prints' shape does suggest that they were made by an unknown early human.

"If it's the case that this is a second species, this discovery shows that Australopithecus afarensis and something else were really in the same time, at the same place," says Melillo, who notes that this kind of link is harder to make with such precision when fossilized bones are found at other sites.

And it means that bipedalism didn't necessary evolve once and proceed in an ever-progressing straight line to how modern humans walk today, but rather that different versions could have existed simultaneously in different branches of the family tree.

Footprints, unlike bones, capture an actual behavior of early humans and let scientists imagine these distant but familiar species strolling across the land at Laetoli.

"This site is unique," says Melillo. "It's not just these two hominins. We see these hominins together with birds, and with antelopes and hyenas, an entire African ecosystem of animals. It really does give you a really good image of what kind of environment the hominins were occupying."

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