GlycoNet community members honoured at 2024 ASTech Awards
Congratulations to GlycoNet startup PanTHERA CryoSolutions and GlycoNet researcher Lara Mahal on being recipients of the 2024 ASTech Awards.
Posted: 8 November, 2024
Innovation of the Year Award
GlycoNet startup PanTHERA CryoSolutions received the Innovation of the Year award, which recognizes outstanding leadership in the innovation ecosystem by leveraging new thinking, new solutions, and a new path to create global impact in a science or technology-driven sector.
A pioneering leader in cryopreservation technology, PanTHERA CryoSolutions was honoured for its groundbreaking work in developing Ice Recrystallization Inhibitors (IRIs)—a first-of-its-kind advancement that is set to revolutionize the field of cryobiology. IRIs effectively prevent the growth of ice crystals during freezing and thawing processes, addressing a key challenge in cryopreservation. This innovation significantly minimizes cellular damage, enhancing the viability and functionality of cryopreserved materials for a wide range of applications, from biomedical research to biobanking.
GlycoNet researchers Jason Acker (University of Alberta) and Robert Ben (University of Ottawa) co-founded PanTHERA CryoSolutions. Their leadership and commitment to advancing cryopreservation technology have had a transformative impact on the field. Their company was also recently recognized with the 2024 Technology Innovation Award from BioAlberta.
Medical, Healthcare, and/or Pharmaceuticals — Research Award
GlycoNet researcher Lara Mahal received the ASTech Award in the category of Medical, Healthcare, and/or Pharmaceuticals, recognizing leadership and significant contribution through the discovery, application, and/or implementation in the medical or healthcare/management sectors that advances science or technology.
Mahal is the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Glycomics at the University of Alberta. One of her significant contributions involves developing lectin microarray technology and advancing high-throughput profiling of complex glycan structures, providing critical insights into glycosylation—how sugars are added to proteins and lipids—and its impact on disease. Her lab’s work has impacted the incorporation of glycosylation into biomedical research and is currently also enhancing our understanding of microRNA. This research is reshaping our understanding of how sugars drive disease progression and present novel treatment opportunities in areas including cancer, multiple sclerosis, influenza, bovine respiratory disease and more.
