Royal Canadian Institute for Science
6 Queen's Park Cres #9 M5S 3H2 Toronto, ON, Canada

With #WorldCancerDay right around the corner, cancer researcher and hockey fanatic Wes Wilson is helming our Instagram account for a peek behind the curtain of cancer research. Wes is a Canadian cancer researcher, science communicator, amateur hockey player and host of the Mostly Science podcast. His research involves developing new therapies for hard-to-treat cancers. He has studied and worked in 3 continents, 5 countries, and 6 time zones. We’re jet-lagged just thinking about it! Stay tuned to learn more about cancer research and therapy development in Canada www.instagram.com/rciscience

RCIScience is so passionate about science communication, we award Canadians & Canadian organizations for promoting the public understanding of science. This year’s nominations for the Sandford Fleming Medal & the William Edmond Logan Awards are due March 15. Learn more https://www.rciscience.ca/scholarships-awards

We can’t talk about stress without equipping ourselves with science-backed ways to manage it. We’re relieved to have @RyersonU Associate Professor of #Psychology Dr. Alexandra J. Fiocco to help us do just that for #NewYearNewYou: Your Brain on Stress, this Sunday from 2PM EST/1PM CT/11AM PT https://fb.me/e/4pGfmE967 Dr. Fiocco is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Ryerson University and member of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging... (CCNA). As Director of the Stress and Healthy Aging Research (StAR) Laboratory, Dr. Fiocco’s research examines predictors of cognitive aging and wellbeing in later adulthood, and lifestyle factors that support healthy aging. Recognizing the potential toxic effect that chronic stress may have on the brain, one of Dr. Fiocco’s current research programs focuses on the practice of mindfulness meditation on indices of stress and wellbeing among family caregivers of persons with dementia. How do you manage stress? Let us know in the comments below and join us this Sunday to expand your arsenal of stress management tools!

Stress. In the midst of a global pandemic, it permeates our lives. Juggling working from home, wrangling children, endless Zoom calls, caring for loved ones, worrying about job security or stocking up on toilet paper and hand sanitizer has left us worn out. Throw in the holidays coupled with the uncertainties of a New Year, and we think it’s time we examined stress through our scientific lens. What is stress? How does it affect our brain and body? And what on Earth can we do to manage it?

Did you know stress can be infectious?! Dr. Jaideep Bains joins our #NewYearNewYou: Your Brain on #Stress to share his research in detecting & transmitting stress to others. Tag the friends you stress out the most & join us live on YouTube on Sunday January 31 from 2PM EST/1PM CT/11AM PT https://fb.me/e/4pGfmE967 Dr. Jaideep Bains is a Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology at @ucalgary and a member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute. His research seeks to understand how the brain processes, remembers and adapts to stress. Recently, his lab has discovered a mechanism through which stress can be transmitted to others. He is the founder of #ThinkBigYYC, a series that increases engagement between neuroscientists and the public.

Our #NewYearNewYou series is back this month with a look at Your Brain on Stress To get us in the zone, our Science of Scary expert Jen Chan is taking over our account next week to talk about stress and health! Jen is a PhD student at University of Toronto Mississauga studying stress and health in first responders and other high-risk occupations. Using physiological measurements like heart activity, stress hormones, and saliva, Jen studies how stress impacts our physical and mental health, and #immunity. Save yourself the stress of #FOMO by following us www.instagram.com/rciscience

Join RCIScience for a special evening with Professor Timothy Caulfield, winner of this year’s Fleming Medal for Excellence in Science Communication! You might recognize Tim from his popular TV series 'A User’s Guide to Cheating Death', his numerous talks and appearances on television, radio and podcasts, or his many books, including RCIScience Fall Reads pick 'Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?' Following presentation of the medal, Professor Caulfield will join science communicator and influencer Science Sam for an intimate conversation about his career to date, sharing his experiences on the front lines of the war against misinformation. Get your questions ready as we try to highlight how you can combat the spread of misinformation in an era of fake news, hype and anti-science sentiment.

TONIGHT we're chatting with author Timothy Caulfield about how we can all inoculate ourselves against misinformation! Live on YouTube from 7PM EST https://youtu.be/iRJ5HpodRZ0

RCIScience explores age-related research into eyesight and cognitive function, and how that can help to improve navigating the modern world as we get older.

Tomorrow night, RCIScience awards Professor Timothy Caulfield with the Fleming Medal for excellence in science communication, so-named after our founder Sir Sandford Fleming. DID YOU KNOW: A direct descendant of Sir Sandford Fleming volunteers on our Board?! Jock Fleming considers RCIScience ‘kind of like the family business’ and has been a member of the charity since he was a child! An investment and asset manager by trade, Jock is particularly fascinated by the decades of h...istory associated with RCIScience and his family tree. Join us tomorrow night to hear from Jock, LG Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Science.Sam and recipient Timothy Caulfield about the importance of clear science communication and how YOU can help win the war against misinformation. https://fb.me/e/5WqdLNGAB

Today is #WorldDiabetesDay. In Fall 2018, diabetes researcher Dr. Krishana Sankar spoke to us about some of the cutting-edge scientific research being done to combat diabetes, outlined why treatments often take so long to reach patients and busted some myths associated with the disease along the way. https://youtu.be/rJa9y5CHwKc Since 2017, Dr. Sankar has been challenging everyone to complete 150 minutes of physical activity each week during #DiabetesAwarenessMonth (November)... - that could be walking, yoga, dancing, gardening, whatever you like to do to be active! Why? The American Heart Association guidelines recommend 150 mins of moderate-vigorous exercise weekly is key to maintaining good health. Exercise in people with pre-diabetes is instrumental in preventing an onset of diabetes (with the added caveat that onset is also dependent on other factors eg. genetics). Follow Krishana @Dr.KrishanaSankar for details of how you can get involved in her #150mins campaign and let us know in the comments how you’re staying active in these pandemic times