Newsletter Archive

Oct 2011

	CCIC NEWSLETTER	OCTOBER 2011

DIRECTOR'S NOTE	Dear colleagues, The CCIC continues to work hard to stimulate research and education on cannabinoids. We have several members sitting on Health Canada's Expert Advisory Committee on medical cannabis in January 2012, we are working to convene a research panel on cannabinoids later in 2012, and we continue to seek core funding from key partners and stakeholders. We were delighted to see CCIC member Jon Page from Saskatchewan publish the cannabis genome earlier this month and we congratulate his team on this milestone effort. Please keep us informed of your own work and developments and stay tuned!
ANNOUNCEMENTS	Lower Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines for Canada Benedikt Fischer, Victoria Jeffries, Wayne Hall, Robin Room, Elliot Goldner, Jürgen Rehm. Canadian Journal of Public Health
	CCIC Researcher in Cannabis Genome Publication. Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan, University of Toronto and the National Research Council of Canada published “The Draft Genome and Transcriptome of Cannabis Satvia” in Genome Biology, 20-Oct-2011. We would like to congratulate CCIC Member, Jonathan Page, PhD, Biology Department, University of Saskatchewan, on his contributions to this project. The researchers expect that sequencing the Cannabis sativa genome will help answer basic questions about the biology of the plant as well as furthering development of its myriad applications. These include strains for pharmaceutical production, high-producing industrial hemp plants, and hemp seed varieties to produce high-quality edible oil. Hemp seed oil is rich in omega 6, an essential fatty acid, and its fibre is used in the production of textiles. The authors conclude: “The Cannabis sativa genome enables the analysis of a multifunctional plant that occupies a unique role in human culture. Its availability will further the development of therapeutic marijuana strains with tailored cannabinoid profiles and provide a basis for the breeding of hemp with improved agronomic characteristics.”. To access the full article online visit the BioMed Central Open Access Journal: www.genomebiology.com Abstract and link to full text Editorial This research has been highlighted by various new agencies across the country, links to these articles can be found at: CBC.ca, Vancouver Sun, Star Phoenix, Le Devoir (en français).

CONFERENCES & EVENTS	Conferences with CCIC presence: ● Family Medicine Forum - Nov 3-5, Montreal, QC, Canada ● Canadian Pain Society - May 23-26, Whistler, BC, Canada ● CAPM&R - June 20-23, Toronto, ON, Canada ● ICRS 2012 - Jul 22-27, Freiburg, Germany ● Cannabinoids and Pain 2012 - Aug 25, Milan, Italy ● 14th World Congress on Pain - Aug 27-31, Milan, Italy Conferences which may be of interest to you: ● Society for Neuroscience - Nov 12-16, Washington DC, USA ● American Psychiatric Association - May 5-9, Philadelphia, USA ● American Pain Society - May 16-19, Honolulu, USA ● Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers - May 30-Jun 2, San Diego, USA ● American Society for Clinical Oncology - Jun 1-5, Chicago, USA

SURVEY	We would like your input about the CCIC - what members are interested in, what members find useful and how the CCIC could better serve its membership. If you have not yet done so, please take a few moments to complete our first ever member survey. Data from this survey will be used to make recommendations for changes within the organization and we hope to analyze the results at the end of November 2011.	Click Here to complete the Member Survey

MEMBER PUBLICATIONS	The mediating role of pain in substance use and depressive symptoms among Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) participants.. Tsao JC, Stein JA, Ostrow D, Stall RD, Plankey MW. (2011: Sep 29). Pain. Endocannabinoids gate state-dependent plasticity of synaptic inhibition in feeding circuits. Crosby KM, Inoue W, Pittman QJ, Bains JS. 2011 Aug 11, PMID: 21835348 The draft genome and transcriptome of Cannabis sativa. van Bakel H, Stout JM, Cote AG, Tallon CM, Sharpe AG, Hughes TR, Page JE. 2011 Oct 20, PMID: 22014239
We welcome your contributions to the monthly newsletters. Please send any recommended articles, share your research news, suggest a conference or provide feedback and suggestions to info@ccic.net.


@CCICtweeter	CANADIAN CONSORTIUM FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF CANNABINOIDS 3777 Cote-des-Neiges, Suite 208, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3H 1V8	info@ccic.net