How do drugs know where they’re needed to do their job in the human body? The University of Victoria-Genome BC Proteomics Centre is closer to being able to provide an answer to that complex question thanks to more than $620,000 in funding from Western Economic Diversification Canada.

The grant is paying for new technology that will allow scientists to see two-dimensional images of drugs travelling within the tissues of the body and to track how that tissue reacts to medication and to the environment.

"We're delighted to have this support,” says Dr. Howard Brunt, UVic’s vice-president research.  “It provides UVic students and researchers with the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology and ultimately influence human and environmental health.”

Tissue imaging using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization technology, known as MALDI imaging, will aid in mapping the chemical reactions of the human body. This new imaging technique will lead to more rapid and accurate diagnosis of patients and more effective treatments.

MALDI imaging allows for two-dimensional spatial resolution of proteins and small molecules in tissue. In this technique, a thin slice of tissue is placed onto a MALDI target plate and coated with a matrix. The plate is then placed into a mass spectrometer and data is acquired under a fine laser beam. The result is a two-dimensional optical image of the tissue slice that shows the distribution patterns of proteins, peptides, lipids and drugs at the molecular level.

“This new instrumentation will allow us to explore further into human health states, disease development and treatment efficacies,” says Proteomics Centre Director Dr. Christoph Borchers. “Working with collaborators we will transform molecular images into proteomic and metabolomic information. This will be used to develop a 4-D virtual reality atlas of the human body and improve a clinician’s ability to diagnose and treat disease. Of particular interest is the diagnosis of specific heart diseases that are currently very challenging to accurately diagnose.”

The new technology may well help researchers determine the pathways drugs take in the human body and how they react chemically at the locations they reach. This would aid with the diagnosis and treatment of hundreds of illnesses as well as with the development of new, more effective pharmaceuticals. For more information visit www.proteincentre.com/services/maldi-imaging.

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Media Contacts:

Jennifer Reid (Project Manager, UVic- Genome BC Proteomics Centre) at 250-483-3222 or Jreid@proteincentre.com

Maria Lironi (UVic Communications) at 250-721-6139 or lironim@uvic.ca

UVic media releases and other resources for journalists are available at communications.uvic.ca/media

BACKGROUNDER

MALDI IMAGING AT THE UVIC PROTEOMICS CENTRE

The University of Victoria- Genome BC Proteomics Centre, a not-for-profit entity, is a state-of-the-art proteomics research and service laboratory located at UVic’s Vancouver Island Technology Park in Victoria.

The term ‘proteomics’ (its root a combination of PROTEin and genOME) designates the specific study of proteins, particularly how they’re built (structure) and what they do (function). Proteins are highly complex nitrogen-containing compounds found in all animal and vegetable tissues. They are made up of amino acids and are essential for growth and repair in the body.

Established in 1982, the centre is the longest operating proteomics core facility in Canada, serving academia, industry and government, both collaboratively and on a fee-for-service basis.

The laboratory is supported by a collaborative relationship between Genome BC and UVic. The centre offers a wide array of services in addition to MALDI imaging, including biomarker discovery and validation, and comprehensive metabolomics profiling. It currently houses more than $10 million dollars in cutting-edge analytical equipment and is the largest lab of its kind in Canada.

Vigil Health Solutions Inc. (“Vigil”) announces the results of operations for the fiscal year (FY09) and the fourth quarter (Q4FY09), ending March 31, 2009.

“We are pleased to report positive Adjusted Operating Income in each of the last two quarters of the fiscal year.  We also happy to report strong revenue growth again this year especially given the weak state of the economy in Canada and the USA.  These results underscore the strength of our business model which serves the growing community of senior citizens which will continue to expand steadily over the long term.”  stated Troy Griffiths, President & CEO, Vigil Health Solutions.

Business highlights

·         Increased revenue 50% to $4.51 million from $3.00 million in FY08 and a 92% increase in revenue for Q4FY09 compared to Q4FY08

·         Secured two consecutive quarters of positive Adjusted Operating Income in Q3 and Q4

·         Achieved positive cash from operating activities for the current fiscal year. 

·         Completed 50 projects in FY09 compared to 34 in FY08, an increase of 47%

·         Product and Feature Releases:

o        New wireless products and processes to improve efficiency and quality of installations as well as subsequent service and support particularly in large multi-storey facilities.

o        Developed new products to meet state and regional requirements including hardwired multicoloured corridor lights previously only available for the wireless system and a duty station device with audible notification.

o        Improved Vigil Remote to include compatibility with Microsoft Terminal Server enabling integration with customer's existing information technology configurations.

o        Latest software release, Vigil Locate, displays the location of select devices in a graphical/map format developed to facilitate improved customer response times.

Financial Results

Bookings for FY09 were solid at $4.38 million compared to $4.38 million in FY08.  Sales bookings for the quarter were also solid at $1.14 million compared to $1.12 million in the Q4FY08.  Management believes the overall flat bookings are the result of the significant downturn in the US (and global) economy most notably during the last two quarters of the fiscal year.  This macro-economic situation has resulted in a lack of funding for the development of new senior housing projects.

At March 31, 2009 Vigil had a backlog of approximately $3.56 million (including $1.65 million in deposits and progress billings, recorded as deferred revenue on the balance sheet) as compared to $3.45 million (including $1.12 million in deposits and progress payments, recorded as deferred revenue on the balance sheet) at March 31, 2008.

Revenue for FY09 was $4.51 million compared to $3.00 million in FY08, an increase of 50%. This revenue resulted from the commissioning of 50 projects in fiscal 2009 (compared to 34 in fiscal 2008).  The increase in revenue reflects the growth in sales bookings seen in prior periods. In addition, one off sales, and service and maintenance revenue grew by 41% to $612 thousand. Revenue for Q4FY09 was $1.53 million compared to $796 thousand in Q4FY08.  The 93% increase in revenue in the quarter was primarily attributable to an increase in the average value of the installations, from $66 thousand to $96 thousand and the completion of 14 installations in Q4FY09 compared to 10 in Q4FY08. 

The gross margin percentage for FY09 was 43% compared to 45% for FY08, in line with management’s expectations of annual margins of between 42% and 47%.  Gross margin for the fourth quarter was below expectations at 40% compared to 39% in Q4FY08, due to a number of large installations completed for corporate clients where the product mix resulted in a lower margin.

Expenses for FY09 were $2.38 million, up 6% from $2.22 million in the prior year.  The increase can be primarily attributed to increased general and administration costs including insurance costs, payroll, and telephone costs, all in support of the Company’s growth.  Expenses were $605 thousand in the fourth quarter, down 10% compared to $669 thousand in the prior year.  This decline relates primarily to a decrease in sales and marketing expenses from $254 thousand in the last quarter of fiscal 2008 to $206 thousand in the last quarter of fiscal 2009.  This was mainly due to lower fiscal year end commission bonus payments to the sales department in fiscal 2009 compared to fiscal 2008, along with decreased advertising and marketing and market research expenses.

The net loss for FY09 was $389 thousand, or $0.004 per share, compared to $973 thousand, or $0.011 per share, for the previous year.  The 60% decrease in losses is primarily attributable to the increase in revenue and maintaining stable operating expenses.  The increase in revenue and reduced expenses resulted in a 93% decrease in losses in the fourth quarter (from $331 thousand for Q4FY08 to $24 thousand in Q4FY09).

A summary of our financial performance for the year ended March 31, 2009 follows below. For further information relating to the financial results of the Company, please refer to the Company’s financial statements and MD&A filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or detailed financial statements available on the Vigil web site (http://www.vigil.com/?Investors:Financial_Statements).  Financial information will be mailed to entitled security holders on June 30, 2009. Or, upon notice to the Company, entitled security holders may request a copy of financials in advance.

Victoria, British Columbia, June 11, 2009 – Dale Gann is the new president of UVic Properties Investments Inc., the organization which manages the Vancouver Island Technology Park (VITP) in Saanich and the Marine Technology Centre (MTC) in North Saanich.

“Dale Gann has had a pivotal role at VITP since the university acquired the property,” says Gayle Gorrill, director of UVic Properties and UVic’s vice-president of finance and operations. “The Board is extremely pleased that in his new role as president, Dale’s expertise and passion for the parks will continue to provide benefits to UVic and the broader community.”

UVic’s technology parks facilitate the growth of technology on Vancouver Island by providing physical infrastructure that links provincial, national and international resources with emerging or growing technology companies. Many of the tenants at VITP employ UVic graduates and co-op students. VITP has the greatest concentration of high-tech companies and workers on Vancouver Island. The two parks are home to a total of 41 tenants and employ more than 1,350 knowledgeable workers.

 “It is extremely rewarding to be involved with a project that not only creates significant economic benefits for our community, but also provides an atmosphere that melds academia, government and businesses in a manner that can transform an idea into a commercial success,” says Gann.

“Dale has long been recognized as a leader in the Victoria technology community and was instrumental in helping establish a ‘critical mass’ of technology-based companies in Greater Victoria,” says Art Aylesworth, board chair of the Vancouver Island Advanced Technology Centre (VIATeC). “His efforts provincially and nationally have helped stress the importance of technology parks and the pivotal role they play in advancing our nation’s science and technology strategy.”

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Media contact:

Av Hundle (Manager, Business Development & Marketing, VITP and MTC) at 250-812-6446 or ahundle@vitp.ca

Victoria, British Columbia, June 11, 2009 – Dale Gann is the new president of UVic Properties Investments Inc., the organization which manages the Vancouver Island Technology Park (VITP) in Saanich and the Marine Technology Centre (MTC) in North Saanich.

“Dale Gann has had a pivotal role at VITP since the university acquired the property,” says Gayle Gorrill, director of UVic Properties and UVic’s vice-president of finance and operations. “The Board is extremely pleased that in his new role as president, Dale’s expertise and passion for the parks will continue to provide benefits to UVic and the broader community.”

UVic’s technology parks facilitate the growth of technology on Vancouver Island by providing physical infrastructure that links provincial, national and international resources with emerging or growing technology companies. Many of the tenants at VITP employ UVic graduates and co-op students. VITP has the greatest concentration of high-tech companies and workers on Vancouver Island. The two parks are home to a total of 41 tenants and employ more than 1,350 knowledgeable workers.

 “It is extremely rewarding to be involved with a project that not only creates significant economic benefits for our community, but also provides an atmosphere that melds academia, government and businesses in a manner that can transform an idea into a commercial success,” says Gann.

“Dale has long been recognized as a leader in the Victoria technology community and was instrumental in helping establish a ‘critical mass’ of technology-based companies in Greater Victoria,” says Art Aylesworth, board chair of the Vancouver Island Advanced Technology Centre (VIATeC). “His efforts provincially and nationally have helped stress the importance of technology parks and the pivotal role they play in advancing our nation’s science and technology strategy.”

-30-

Media contact:

Av Hundle (Manager, Business Development & Marketing, VITP and MTC) at 250-812-6446 or ahundle@vitp.ca

By Pete Engardio

Read the BusinessWeek Special  Report on Research and Technology Parks here.

The Research Universities’ Council of British Columbia today confirmed that the Council’s president, Don Avison, will be leaving the organization in September of this year to pursue other opportunities.

“This is the best job I have ever had,” said Avison, “but the time has come to explore new challenges.” Avison was appointed President of the University Presidents’ Council of BC in 1999 and later became the first president of the Research Universities’ Council which now represents the interests of the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, the University of Victoria and the University of Northern British Columbia. 

Before joining British Columbia’s research universities Avison held many senior public service positions.  These included Deputy Minister positions in Health, Education, Advanced Education and Crown Corporations in British Columbia, the Deputy Minister of Justice in the Northwest Territories and several senior level positions with the federal Department of Justice where he was a Regional Director, General Counsel and also served as the Director General of the Aboriginal Justice Initiative.

President Stephen Toope of UBC, who also serves as Chair of RUC, said “Don Avison has been a superb leader for the Research Universities’ Council of BC, and an articulate and passionate voice for higher education in Canada.  I am sorry to see him leave, and wish him well in his future endeavors”.

The RUC will be initiating a search to replace Avison.

Information Contact:
250-480-4859

The Canadian Association of University Research Parks / Association Canadienne des Parcs de Recherches d'Université (AURP Canada) is pleased to announce the release of their inaugural issue of CanadaNOW Magazine.  AURP Canada represents a membership of twenty-six university related research and technology parks across Canada.  This publication brings together the collaborative interests of the parks, government, business and academia spanning the breadth of the country.

Canada has a strategy for its technological future. An important part of that plan, both provincially and federally, includes university research parks. Canada’s parks play an integral role in helping government meet its economic objectives.

The very fabric of research and technology parks reaches from coast to coast by providing the nation with focal points of technological innovation. These parks represent more than just buildings; each park provides a playing field that melds the explorations of academia, the interests of government and the market savvy of business. The parks provide a physical place for the value-added activity required to grow ideas into commercial entities and drive our economy forward.

Every nation is searching for the tools and engines that can stimulate a knowledge-based economy. To stay on top demands an environment that encourages, supports and retains creative thinkers while providing access to the business acumen necessary to convert ideas into tangible enterprises.

“Since the incorporation of AURP Canada, the parks are working together like never before”, says Dale Gann, president of AURP Canada. “Our parks contribute in a meaningful way to technology transfer, commercialization and the facilitation of collaborative partnerships, key priorities of our country and our Association.”

Today, Canada’s twenty-six research and technology parks are already home to over 950 hi-tech companies and research centres. AURP Canada stands ready to join with all levels of government in creating opportunities for policy-makers, industry and academic leaders to engage with each other in the common purpose of creating jobs and improving the quality of life through the stimulation of economic development.

The first annual issue of Canada Now will introduce you to each of these parks, their targeted industries, key initiatives underway and the clients they serve. The collective work of these parks and the communities they represent act as important engines in keeping the Canadian economy relevant and at the table of change.

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About AURP Canada

The Association of University Research Parks Canada (AURP Canada) is the first chapter of the Association of University Research Parks (AURP), a North American non-profit organization that represents the 155 university research parks across the United States and Canada. AURP Canada was founded in June 2007 with a mandate to work with provincial and federal governments to support innovation within Canada. The mission of AURP Canada is to act as the united voice of Canadian university research parks to build awareness in support of science and technology infrastructure enabling all stakeholders to achieve future growth and sustainability while nurturing the economic prosperity of these knowledge-based communities. AURP Canada currently represents 26 Research and Technology Parks from Truro, NS to Victoria, BC.

The Canadian Association of University Research Parks / Association Canadienne des Parcs de Recherches d'Université (AURP Canada) is pleased to announce the release of their inaugural issue of CanadaNOW Magazine.  AURP Canada represents a membership of twenty-six university related research and technology parks across Canada.  This publication brings together the collaborative interests of the parks, government, business and academia spanning the breadth of the country.

Canada has a strategy for its technological future. An important part of that plan, both provincially and federally, includes university research parks. Canada’s parks play an integral role in helping government meet its economic objectives.

The very fabric of research and technology parks reaches from coast to coast by providing the nation with focal points of technological innovation. These parks represent more than just buildings; each park provides a playing field that melds the explorations of academia, the interests of government and the market savvy of business. The parks provide a physical place for the value-added activity required to grow ideas into commercial entities and drive our economy forward.

Every nation is searching for the tools and engines that can stimulate a knowledge-based economy. To stay on top demands an environment that encourages, supports and retains creative thinkers while providing access to the business acumen necessary to convert ideas into tangible enterprises.

“Since the incorporation of AURP Canada, the parks are working together like never before”, says Dale Gann, president of AURP Canada. “Our parks contribute in a meaningful way to technology transfer, commercialization and the facilitation of collaborative partnerships, key priorities of our country and our Association.”

Today, Canada’s twenty-six research and technology parks are already home to over 950 hi-tech companies and research centres. AURP Canada stands ready to join with all levels of government in creating opportunities for policy-makers, industry and academic leaders to engage with each other in the common purpose of creating jobs and improving the quality of life through the stimulation of economic development.

The first annual issue of Canada Now will introduce you to each of these parks, their targeted industries, key initiatives underway and the clients they serve. The collective work of these parks and the communities they represent act as important engines in keeping the Canadian economy relevant and at the table of change.

-  30 - 

About AURP Canada 

The Association of University Research Parks Canada (AURP Canada) is the first chapter of the Association of University Research Parks (AURP), a North American non-profit organization that represents the 155 university research parks across the United States and Canada. AURP Canada was founded in June 2007 with a mandate to work with provincial and federal governments to support innovation within Canada. The mission of AURP Canada is to act as the united voice of Canadian university research parks to build awareness in support of science and technology infrastructure enabling all stakeholders to achieve future growth and sustainability while nurturing the economic prosperity of these knowledge-based communities. AURP Canada currently represents 26 Research and Technology Parks from Truro, NS to Victoria, BC.