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Government of Canada funds new projects at the PRAIRIE Hub for Pandemic Preparedness to further grow the domestic biomanufacturing and life sciences sector

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New multidisciplinary projects in Edmonton will prepare Canada for future health emergencies and build capacity

EDMONTON, AB, May 31, 2024 /CNW/ – Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Growing a robust, competitive, domestic biomanufacturing and life sciences sector ensures that Canada has access to critical vaccines, therapeutics and other life-saving medicines. The Government of Canada has been doing just that since the launch of Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy in 2021 with a $2.2 billion commitment to develop cutting edge biomanufacturing capabilities.

Today, Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, and Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre announced $109.9 million in funding for four projects endorsed by the PRAIRIE Hub for Pandemic Preparedness at the University of Alberta, through Stage 2 of the integrated Canada Biomedical Research Fund (CBRF) and Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund (BRIF) competition. This support is part of a nearly $574 million investment announced by the Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agencies of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, on May 6.

The PRAIRIE Hub for Pandemic Preparedness is an alliance led by the University of Alberta, and includes the University of Calgary, the University of Manitoba and the University of Saskatchewan as major partners. It aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of vaccine, antiviral and diagnostic countermeasures for potential pandemic pathogens through the following four research projects:

Developing self-amplifying (sa) RNA vaccines against pandemic virus threatsViral vector vaccine platforms for rapid response to future pandemics (administered by the University of Manitoba)Innovative techniques and diagnostic tests for pandemic preparedness and health equityFilling vials for pandemic preparedness

Through these investments in research, talent and infrastructure projects, Canadians will have access to made-in-Canada vaccines, therapeutics and other life-saving medicines and innovations. This will help strengthen the resilience of Canada’s life sciences sector by supporting leading Canadian research in innovative technologies that keep us safe and boost our economy.

Each of the 19 projects funded as part of stage 2 is endorsed by one of the five research hubs which were established in Stage 1 of the CBRF-BRIF competition. These hubs combine the strengths of Canada’s post-secondary institutions, research hospitals, industry and the not-for-profit sector to jointly improve health emergency preparedness and the overall health and well-being of Canadians. In addition, the hubs will help accelerate the translation of promising research into commercially viable products and processes. By strengthening research capacity and leveraging collaborations across the entire biomanufacturing ecosystem, Canada will be better prepared to face future pandemics.

Quotes

“With world-leading scientists and researchers established across Canadian leading research institutions, Canada is home to a competitive and robust biomanufacturing and life sciences sector. We made a promise to Canadians that we would rebuild the domestic sector. With this investment, our government is delivering on this promise by supporting the excellent innovations, collaborations and infrastructures necessary to rapidly respond to future public health threats and keep Canadians safe.”
—The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

“Today’s announcement marks another important milestone in our work to improve health outcomes for Canadians and strengthen our domestic biomanufacturing capacity. This investment will support innovative and world-leading research and science in the areas of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and surveillance to help prepare Canada for future health emergencies.”
—The Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health

“Investing in projects like the PRAIRIE Hub for Pandemic Preparedness is about strengthening Canada’s biomanufacturing sector and building on our world class medical life sciences and biomanufacturing capabilities. This investment will better position our country to fight future pandemics and provide better health outcomes for Albertans and for all Canadians right across the country.”
– The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages and Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre

“The research funded through the CBRF will position Canada as a global leader in the biomanufacturing and life sciences sector.  Most importantly, today’s investment will ensure that our nation’s brightest researchers and scientists are at the forefront of vaccine and therapeutic discoveries that will drive Canadian industry and equip Canada with the capacity to respond quickly and effectively to future pandemics.”
Ted Hewitt, Chair, Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat; President, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

“This significant investment from the Government of Canada reaffirms the world leadership of U of A researchers and the importance of their contributions to new diagnostic techniques and the development and production of vaccines and therapeutic drugs. As the lead institution in the PRAIRIE Hub, we are pleased to convene expertise from across Western Canada to advance the future of pandemic preparedness.”
Aminah Robinson Fayek, Vice-President (Research and Innovation), University of Alberta

Quick facts

This investment builds on the crucial support provided through the first stages of CBRF and BRIF that enabled the creation of five new research hubs, as well as upgrades to Canada’s biocontainment facilities.Each of the 19 projects awarded funding includes one or more of these components: research, talent development and research infrastructure. As a result, a project may receive funding from CBRF, BRIF or both.The CBRF-BRIF competition followed a two-step competitive review process that evaluated the scientific merit and strategic alignment of the project proposals with the objectives of the funding opportunity and the priorities of the Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy.The Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy includes major investments to help build Canada’s talent pipeline and research capacity. Investments include:CBRF: $250 million to create a program to support high-risk, applied research, training, and talent development partnership projects. The program is administered by the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat, housed at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), on behalf of the three federal research funding agencies: SSHRC, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. BRIF: $500 million to support the biosciences infrastructure needs of postsecondary institutions and affiliated research hospitals. This fund is administered by the Canada Foundation for Innovation.Clinical Trials Fund:  Led by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Clinical Trials Fund has supported the establishment of a clinical trial consortium, training platforms and clinical trials to support health emergency preparedness and boost the life sciences sector, aligned with the priorities of the Government of Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy.The Government is also providing targeted support to scale up Canadian biomanufacturing companies and attract investment from leading multinational firms. Since the onset of the pandemic, the Government has invested more than $2.2 billion in 38 different projects in the biomanufacturing ecosystem. Through the Strategic Innovation Fund specifically, the Government has invested in more than 16 projects since the beginning of the pandemic and the launch of the strategy.

Associated links

Government of Canada funds new projects to further grow the domestic biomanufacturing and life sciences sector
Stage 2—Award Recipients
Government of Canada establishes new research hubs to accelerate Canada’s vaccine and therapeutics production
The Government of Canada announces biomanufacturing and life sciences strategy
Canada’s biomanufacturing ecosystem gets major boost with new funding

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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

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Tucker Medical selects GE HealthCare MRI technology to advance personalized preventive care in Singapore

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Collaboration will explore clinical education, knowledge exchange and imaging excellence across Southeast Asia

Tucker Medical has installed a SIGNA™ 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging system at its Novena Specialist Center in Singapore to support its personalized, risk-informed approach to assessment and screening.Through a memorandum of understanding, Tucker Medical and GE HealthCare intend to explore clinical education, knowledge exchange, research support and opportunities to advance imaging practices across Southeast Asia.

SINGAPORE, Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — GE HealthCare (Nasdaq: GEHC) and Tucker Medical today announced a new relationship centered on advanced magnetic resonance imaging and a shared interest in supporting personalized, preventive healthcare. Tucker Medical has installed a GE HealthCare SIGNA™ 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system at its Novena Specialist Center in Singapore, adding advanced imaging capabilities to its precision prevention model.

Founded by medical oncologist Dr. Steven Tucker, Tucker Medical applies its “ASAP” (Assessment, Screening And Prevention) framework to personalize care based on individual risk, including genetics, family and personal history, prior cancer treatment, and metabolic and cardiovascular factors. Particular focus includes hereditary cancer risk, adult survivors of childhood cancer, long-term cancer survivors, and others requiring individualized long-term surveillance.

The installed system includes GE HealthCare’s AIR™ Recon DL deep-learning image reconstruction technology, Sonic DL™ for accelerated MRI acquisition, AIR™ Coil technology and Digital Expert capabilities. These technologies are designed to support high-quality imaging, workflow efficiency and the patient experience across MRI examinations.

“At Tucker Medical, we believe prevention becomes more meaningful when it is informed by a deeper understanding of each individual’s risk and health trajectory,” said Dr. Steven Tucker, Founder and Medical Director, Tucker Medical. “This applies both to individuals with increased risk who have never had cancer and cancer survivors whose disease and prior treatment may create health risks that persist for decades. Imaging is an important part of that picture. The addition of MRI allows us to further integrate imaging into our broader assessment, screening and longitudinal surveillance approach and to continue developing our model of personalized preventive care in Singapore and across the region.”

“Healthcare is increasingly moving toward more personalized approaches that bring together clinical information across the patient journey, and imaging has an important role to play in supporting that shift,” said Dede Yan, Zone General Manager, SEA6 (Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Brunei, Laos), GE HealthCare. “We are pleased to support Tucker Medical as it expands its imaging capabilities and to explore opportunities to share knowledge, strengthen clinical education and help advance imaging practices across Southeast Asia.”

Through a memorandum of understanding, GE HealthCare and Tucker Medical are establishing a framework to explore clinical education, knowledge exchange, research support and imaging excellence.

The organizations also intend to explore establishing Tucker Medical as a regional immersion training centre. The initiative could provide healthcare professionals with opportunities to experience MRI technologies in a clinical setting through activities such as workflow demonstrations, case reviews, clinical observations and peer-to-peer education.

In addition, the organizations plan to explore opportunities to gather product feedback and clinical insights and to support future educational activities, professional forums and knowledge-sharing initiatives in medical imaging and oncology.

About GE HealthCare Technologies Inc.

GE HealthCare is a leading global healthcare solutions provider of advanced medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics, and AI, cloud and software solutions that help clinicians tackle the world’s most complex diseases. Serving patients and providers for 130 years, GE HealthCare is delivering bold innovations designed for the next era of medicine across its Advanced Imaging Solutions, Patient Care Solutions, and Pharmaceutical Diagnostics segments to help clinicians deliver more personalized, precise patient care. We are a $20.6 billion business with approximately 54,000 colleagues working to create a world where healthcare has no limits.

GE HealthCare is proud to be among 2026 Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies™.

Follow us on LinkedIn, FacebookInstagram, or visit our website for our latest news and perspectives

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/tucker-medical-selects-ge-healthcare-mri-technology-to-advance-personalized-preventive-care-in-singapore-302868805.html

SOURCE GE HealthCare

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Minor Hotels partners with Checkout.com to power high-performance payments across global hospitality

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Checkout.com will support Minor Hotels’ global expansion through its global acquiring network, powering high performance payments across international marketsAI-powered payment optimization will help Minor Hotels improve acceptance rates and deliver more seamless, secure checkout experiences for guestsA global payments partner with local acquiring and expertise will help simplify operations and reduce lost revenue from failed payments

SINGAPORE, Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Checkout.com, a leading global digital payments company, today announced its partnership with Minor Hotels, a global hospitality group with more than 640 hotels across 67 countries.

Minor Hotels operates a diverse portfolio of hotels and resorts, alongside food and beverage businesses and luxury transportation services. As the group continues to expand across markets, it is consolidating its payments infrastructure to create a consistent foundation for growth and ensure high quality digital payment experiences for guests.

Through the partnership, Checkout.com will provide global acquiring and payment optimization capabilities for Minor Hotels’ resort properties across multiple markets worldwide. Minor Hotels selected Checkout.com for its global reach and local expertise, and its ability to deliver payment performance across multiple international markets while adapting to local requirements. Checkout.com’s domestic acquiring capabilities improve authorization rates and reduce processing costs through local transaction routing. Where possible, like-for-like settlement in local currencies reduce unnecessary foreign exchange conversions and simplify treasury and reconciliation as Minor Hotels scales.

The partnership will also bring together Checkout.com’s Intelligent Acceptance and Dynamic 3DS Authentication capabilities. Intelligent Acceptance is Checkout.com’s AI-driven optimization engine that enhances the performance of every transaction and is powered by global network intelligence. It maximizes first-attempt approvals and reduces failed transactions, helping to drive revenue across complex cross-border and multi-currency payment flows. Dynamic application of 3DS authentication is based on issuer preferences and local regulatory requirements, reducing unnecessary friction for guests.

Anthony Green, Global Head of Digital Marketing and Ecommerce at Minor Hotels, said: “As our portfolio continues to grow across markets, we need payment infrastructure that is reliable, flexible and able to support a premium experience for our guests. Checkout.com’s global acquiring capabilities and payments expertise will help us simplify complexity, improve performance and build a stronger foundation for our next phase of growth.”

Yao Xiang, Head of Commercial, Greater China and Southeast Asia at Checkout.com, said: “Hospitality businesses operate across complex payment flows, markets and currencies, while guests expect every payment to be simple and secure. We’re proud to partner with Minor Hotels as it continues to grow globally, bringing together our local acquiring capabilities, payment optimization technology and dedicated expertise to help its team improve performance and deliver better guest experiences.”

About Checkout.com

Checkout.com processes payments for thousands of companies that shape the digital economy. Our global digital payments network supports over 145 currencies and delivers high-performance payment solutions across the world, processing billions of transactions annually. In 2025, Checkout.com processed more than $300bn in ecommerce payments volume.

We help enterprise merchants boost acceptance rates, combat fraud, and turn payments into a major revenue driver. Headquartered in London and with 19 offices worldwide, Checkout.com is trusted by leading brands such as Spotify, HelloFresh, eBay, Uber, Pinterest, Vinted, Klarna, Financial Times, and Sony.

Checkout.com. Where the world checks out.

About Minor Hotels

Minor Hotels is a global leader in the hospitality industry with more than 640 hotels, resorts and branded residences in operation and committed development across 67 countries. The group crafts innovative and insightful experiences through its hotel brands including Anantara, Elewana Collection, The Wolseley Hotels, Tivoli, Minor Reserve Collection, NH Collection, nhow, Avani, Colbert Collection, NH, Oaks, and iStay, as well as a diverse portfolio of restaurants and bars, travel experiences, and spa and wellness brands. With over four decades of expertise, Minor Hotels builds stronger brands, fosters lasting partnerships, and drives business success by always focusing on what matters most to our guests, team members and partners.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/minor-hotels-partners-with-checkoutcom-to-power-high-performance-payments-across-global-hospitality-302868813.html

SOURCE Checkout.com

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AWOL Vision Debuts LuxVision at IFA 2026: World’s First 4K 120Hz UST with Optical Shift

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Engineered for premium home entertainment, AWOL Vision’s new flagship ultra-short-throw projector delivers 4K 120Hz performance, 6,000 ISO lumens of brightness, optical lens shift, and intelligent setup.

BERLIN, Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AWOL Vision, a global home entertainment brand delivering immersive audiovisual experiences through large-format displays, home cinema technology, and connected entertainment—makes its first appearance following a refreshed global brand identity unveiled in June 2026. Centered around its new vision, “Bring Wonder Home,” this milestone unites the AWOL Aetherion UST series and AWOL Valerion long-throw series under one cohesive AWOL Vision brand framework.

Nothing between you and the moment
At the heart of the LuxVision is 4K at 120 frames per second. It processes nearly one billion pixels per second to display fast-paced scenes with sharp, smooth, and rich detail. Gamers also benefit from an input lag of just 1 ms, ALLM, VRR, and Dolby Vision Gaming. Three HDMI 2.1 ports, a DisplayPort, and 4-channel HDMI Multiview allow you to connect multiple screens and sources simultaneously.

Maximum Flexibility and Design
A throw ratio of 0.18:1 transforms a surface into a cinema screen of up to 200 inches even at extremely short distances, while vertical optical lens shift enables precise image positioning at the touch of a button—while fully preserving true 4K detail sharpness. A motorized lens cover and a stray-light-free lens ensure a pure, precise, and distortion-free image. At the same time, customizable CMF options (color, material, finish) allow for elegant integration into any living space.

Brilliant Image Quality and Laser Technology
With 6,000 ISO lumens (RGB triple laser), the projector ensures vivid images even in bright daylight or during a movie night at home (110% Rec. 2020). Dynamic tone mapping, a 7-step iris, and support for Dolby Vision, IMAX Enhanced, Filmmaker Mode, and 3D guarantee a true cinematic experience. AWOL’s 2nd-generation Anti-RBE technology minimizes rainbow effects and visual fatigue.

True immersion removes every distraction. With LuxVision, there is Nothing Between You and the Moment.

Price and Availability

MSRP: $5,999 / €5,999 / £4,999
Launch Time: Around October
Booth: H22-113

Check out more photos of the AWOL LuxVision here.

About AWOL Vision

Founded in 2020, AWOL Vision is a home entertainment brand focused on delivering immersive audiovisual experiences through large-format display solutions, home theater technologies, and connected entertainment products. For more information, visit  www.awolvision.com.

PR contact: pr@awolvision.us 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/awol-vision-debuts-luxvision-at-ifa-2026-worlds-first-4k-120hz-ust-with-optical-shift-302867771.html

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