New Wave

Walk down the supplement aisle and you're faced with rows of promises, but who is proving them? This episode follows Nature's Way Canada's quiet rebellion: swapping hype for evidence, marketing for education, and fishy burps for something people actually want to take.Guest bios & credentials:- Tsege Gebreyohannes - Director of Brand & Digital, Nature's Way Canada. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the next medical cannabis breakthrough wasn't in a lab but in a basement with 3,000 koi? In this episode we trace how Aqualitas created an aquaponic ecosystem that caught the eye of a global cannabis distributer and helped them transform their business.Episode breakdown & timestamps:00:00 — Opening: The unlikely origins of big medical innovation (intro to the central mystery and stakes).02:20 — From hockey rinks to hedge funds to cannabis: Josh Roberts' journey and why Wellford pursued Aqualitas (founder & investor perspective).06:30 — Meet the scientist: Danielle Maitland explains aquaponics vs hydroponics and the living ecosystem that fuels plants.10:15 — Inside Aqualitas: the basement system, 3,000 koi, recirculating aquaculture, and the water chemistry that changes product quality.13:30 — Business & science meet: why aquaponics creates a defensible moat, R&D hurdles, and the global response.16:30 — Takeaways, implications for sustainable cultivation, and what's next for Nova Scotia's life sciences scene.Guest bios & credentials:- Danielle Maitland — Director of Science & Cultivation Technology, Aqualitas. Background: chemical engineering, MSc in sustainable aquaculture, PhD candidate in agricultural sciences; expert in aquaponics and plant–microbe interactions.- Josh Roberts — Chief Business Officer, Wellford Group. Former hedge fund trader and co-founder of Cannaray/WellfordWhat you'll learn:- How aquaponics works and why it can outperform hydroponics for cannabis: closed-loop water, nutrient cycling, and beneficial microbes.- The sustainability gains: 90–95% water recirculation, reduced synthetic fertilizers, and lower energy/resource footprint.- Commercial and regulatory implications: why unique cultivation methods create supply-chain advantages and differentiation for medical cannabis.- Lessons for founders and investors: the power of deep R&D, place-based innovation (Nova Scotia), and vertical integration strategies.Resources & links mentioned:- Aqualitas: https://aqualitas.ca- Wellford Group / Cannaray: https://wellford.com- Life Sciences Nova Scotia: https://lifesciencesnovascotia.ca- Snack Labs: https://wearesnack.io- Intro reading on aquaponics vs hydroponics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquaponics Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A frozen vial, a lifesaving diagnosis: how a Nova Scotia company reimagined bleeding tests and changed outcomes worldwide. In this episode of New Wave we unpack how Precision Biologic turned a simple customer insight - freeze the reagent - into a global shift in hemostasis diagnostics.Episode breakdown & timestamps- 00:00 Hook & scene: the everyday miracle of blood clotting and why it matters. (00:00)- 01:48 Show intro & mission: New Wave, Life Sciences Nova Scotia & Snack Labs. (01:48)- 02:07 The clotting cascade explained: Dr. John Geske walks us through the 13-step process and why each factor matters for diagnosis. (02:07)- 06:55 Athlete story: Alex Dowsett on living with severe hemophilia A and the stakes of timely testing. (06:55)- 12:10 Diagnostic delays and family stories: why unreliable tests cost years of life and peace of mind. (12:10)- 13:48 The breakthrough: Precision Biologic’s frozen (cryopreserved) reagent strategy and product story. (13:48)- 17:31 Cold chain & scale: liquid nitrogen, dry ice, logistics and global distribution challenges. (17:31)- 19:31 Systems impact: how accurate diagnostics reduce costly treatment errors and protect health budgets. (19:31)- 22:00 Closing: regulation, persistence, and what comes next for diagnostics innovation. (22:00)Guests & bios- Dr. John Geske — Chief Scientific Officer, Precision Biologic. He explains the science behind hemostasis, the technical hurdles for reagents, and why frozen plasma-based controls changed lab workflows.- Paul Empy — CEO, Precision Biologic. Describes customer discovery, product strategy, and the company’s operational choices.- Alex Dowsett — Professional cyclist and person living with severe hemophilia A. His story humanizes diagnostic urgency.Key takeaways & memorable quotes- "A frozen vial of plasma" became the phrase that reminded the company of the lives their work touches.- Frozen liquid reagents eliminate a high-risk, error-prone reconstitution step in labs—improving accuracy, speed, and patient safety.- Accurate diagnostics lower system-wide costs (avoiding unnecessary $10,000 drug switches) and speed correct treatments.- Quote: "If you do this work once under perfect conditions and ship it frozen, you remove human error at the bench."Why this mattersThis episode explores diagnostic innovation, frozen reagents, hemostasis labs, hemophilia diagnostics, cold-chain logistics, and patient-centered product design. Target keywords include frozen diagnostics, hemophilia testing, precision biologic, cryo reagents, and Nova Scotia life sciences.Call-to-actionIf you found this episode illuminating, subscribe to New Wave, rate & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share with colleagues in lab medicine.Links & resources mentioned- Precision Biologic: https://precisionbiologic.com- Life Sciences Nova Scotia: https://lifesciencesnovascotia.ca/- Snack Labs podcast production: https://wearesnack.io- World Federation of Hemophilia (patient resources): https://www.wfh.orgShow branding & social handlesNew Wave — stories about life sciences and health tech from Nova Scotia.Follow: Life Sciences Nova Scotia (LinkedIn) | @snackpodcasts (instagram | Precision BioLogic (LinkedIn)This episode blends investigative reporting with scientific explanation and patient stories to reveal how a small operational change—freezing reagents—reduced diagnostic risk and improved outcomes worldwide. Perfect for clinicians, lab directors, biotech founders, and anyone interested in relatable science and systems-level healthcare impact. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Standardization reigns supreme in the world of science, but when it comes to drug development, a Nova Scotian company is challenging the status quo. Patient centred outcomes have been identified by the FDA as a clinical trials tool that needs more attention, and Ardea Outcomes is doing just that. Building off of the foundation of Goal Attainment Scaling, a method pioneered in the 1960s to help treat patients struggling with mental health challenges, Ardea Outcomes is helping create objective data from subjective experience and putting patients at the centre of their own treatment. New Wave is produced by Snack Labs. It is written & narrated by Taylor MacGillivary. New Wave is edited by, Jeremie Saunders, Brian Stever and Taylor MacGillivary from Snack Labs. Music and sound design is by Donovan Morgan. Find out more about Snack Labs at www.wearesnack.ioThis series is brought to you by Life Sciences Nova Scotia. LSNS is fuelling innovation and commercial success of the life sciences sector in Nova Scotia by amplifying the ambition of founders and visionaries who aim to change the world through the commercialization of game-changing ideas. Learn more about them at www.lifesciencesnovascotia.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our eyes evolved in sunlight, and sunlight is something we are exposed to less and less as our technological world puts us indoors and in front of screens more and more each day. Enter Coloursmith, a Nova Scotian company that has broken through a barrier of innovation in contact lense technology, enabling a level of colour filtration that has been virtually impossible to achieve, until now. Join us as we dive into the Myopia epidemic that is spreading across the globe at an alarming rate, and how colour filtration could lend a hand in curbing a vision crisis that has been lurking right before our eyes. New Wave is produced by Snack Labs. It is written & narrated by Taylor MacGillivary. New Wave is edited by, Jeremie Saunders, Brian Stever and Taylor MacGillivary from Snack Labs. Music and sound design is by Donovan Morgan. Find out more about Snack Labs at www.wearesnack.ioThis series is brought to you by Life Sciences Nova Scotia. LSNS is fueling innovation and commercial success of the life sciences sector in Nova Scotia by amplifying the ambition of founders and visionaries who aim to change the world through the commercialization of game-changing ideas. Learn more about them at www.lifesciencesnovascotia.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you want to live past 75? If the answer to that question seems obvious, consider that the average human, at this point in time, will face a 16 year decline, beginning in their early 60s, until the end of their lifespan in their late 70s. This is the difference between what we call lifespan and healthspan. Luckily for us, there's an industry of longevity that has been gaining steam over the past decade or more, and part of that longevity industry is Altheda Wellness. Join us as we speak with CEO Chris MacLean and CSO Melanie Kelly from Altheda Wellness and learn how they're developing nutraceuticals to help the elderly population stretch out their healthspan by working on the issues that put their health the most at risk. New Wave is produced by Snack Labs. It is narrated Taylor MacGillivary and written by Haeley DiRisio and Taylor MacGillivary. New Wave is edited by, Jeremie Saunders and Taylor MacGillivary from Snack Labs. Music and sound design is by Donovan Morgan. Find out more about Snack Labs at www.wearesnack.ioThis series is brought to you by Life Sciences Nova Scotia. LSNS is fuelling innovation and commercial success of the life sciences sector in Nova Scotia by amplifying the ambition of founders and visionaries who aim to change the world through the commercialization of game-changing ideas. Learn more about them at www.lifesciencesnovascotia.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Orthopaedic surgery has made leaps and bounds in the 20th and 21st centuries, but the surgical solutions for one of the most common shoulder injuries continues to fall short for patients who rely on them. That injury is called a Massive Irepperable Rotator Cuff Tear. This episode of New Wave explores the innovations of a Nova Scotia company, Reach Orthopaedics, that is on a mission to revolutionize the treatment of MIRCT's with their proprietary implant. It's aim is to end that choice that patients must make between a surgical option that lasts versus a surgical option that restores function, finally giving them, the best of both worlds. New Wave is produced by Snack Labs. It is narrated Taylor MacGillivary and written by Haeley DiRisio and Taylor MacGillivary. New Wave is edited by, Jeremie Saunders and Taylor MacGillivary from Snack Labs. Music and sound design is by Donovan Morgan. Find out more about Snack Labs at www.wearesnack.ioThis series is brought to you by Life Sciences Nova Scotia. LSNS is fuelling innovation and commercial success of the life sciences sector in Nova Scotia by amplifying the ambition of founders and visionaries who aim to change the world through the commercialization of game-changing ideas. Learn more about them at www.lifesciencesnovascotia.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could a pocket-sized device revolutionize hospital safety? Imagine an IV that communicates with doctors, preventing potentially life-threatening errors. In this captivating episode of New Wave, we dive into the innovative world of FIVAmed, a small but ambitious Nova Scotian company that's reshaping IV therapy safety.Join host Taylor MacGillivary as we explore the game-changing technology behind FIVAmed's clip-on gadget. Discover how this ingenious device not only prevents air embolisms—a rare but devastating complication—but also ensures precise drug delivery, potentially transforming patient care in hospitals worldwide.From the device's origin story to its cutting-edge features, we unpack how FIVAmed is addressing critical issues in IV therapy. Learn about the challenges of gravity-fed IVs, the implications of drug over- and underdosing, and how this innovative technology could provide an extra layer of safety even alongside existing infusion pumps.This episode offers a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of medical innovation and entrepreneurship, showcasing how a small team from Nova Scotia is tackling a global healthcare challenge. Whether you're a healthcare professional, a tech enthusiast, or simply curious about the future of patient safety, this episode promises insights that will change how you think about hospital care.Tune in to New Wave for a story of innovation, perseverance, and the potential to save lives—one IV at a time.New Wave is produced by Snack Labs. It is narrated by Taylor MacGillivary and written by Haeley DiRisio and Taylor MacGillivary. New Wave is edited by Jeremie Saunders and Taylor MacGillivary from Snack Labs. Music and sound design is by Donovan Morgan. Find out more about Snack Labs at www.wearesnack.ioThis series is brought to you by Life Sciences Nova Scotia. LSNS is fueling innovation and commercial success of the life sciences sector in Nova Scotia by amplifying the ambition of founders and visionaries who aim to change the world through the commercialization of game-changing ideas. Learn more about them at www.lifesciencesnovascotia.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aruna revolution is a company that is changing the face of menstrual products across the globe. Every year in North America alone, 20 billion menstrual products end up in landfills, where they breakdown into microplastics that poison the earth and the people on it. Aruna Revolution has created the first truly compostable menstrual pad, with an innovative manufacturing process that allows them to leverage useful waste prodcuts and create a product used by billions that will help stop the polluting of our planet, while saving the pad users themselves in the process. New Wave is produced by Snack Labs. It is narrated Taylor MacGillivary and written by Haeley DiRisio and Taylor MacGillivary. New Wave is edited by, Jeremie Saunders and Taylor MacGillivary from Snack Labs. Music and sound design is by Donovan Morgan. Find out more about Snack Labs at www.wearesnack.ioThis series is brought to you by Life Sciences Nova Scotia. LSNS is fueling innovation and commercial success of the life sciences sector in Nova Scotia by amplifying the ambition of founders and visionaries who aim to change the world through the commercialization of game-changing ideas. Learn more about them at www.lifesciencesnovascotia.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! As we work hard behind the scenes to bring you Season 2 of New Wave, here's a bonus episode for you to devour in the meantime. This bonus episode is the full conversation between the host of New Wave, Taylor MacGillivary, and co-founder of Adaptiiv Medical Technologies, as well as Professor and Chief of Medical Physics at Dalhousie University's Department of Radiation Oncology, Dr. James Robar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've been wearing rings for over 5,000 years. We wear them for all sorts of reasons. They are signals and symbols of some of the most important things in human culture, and we've imbued them with an incredible amount of purpose and meaning.So, what happens when we're at risk of losing that ring? What happens if it has to be cut off? Enter Ring Rescue. Ring Rescue has solved a medical problem that has long suffered from a suboptimal solution involving dental floss and power tools. Using their cutting-edge technology, their Dolphin Ring Cutter can slice through even the hardest metals in minutes, making a cut so fine that your ring can easily be re-made, leaving a piece of family history, or the symbol of your marriage, firmly intact.Kevin Spencer is the co-founder and CEO of Ring Rescue. He is an Emergency Room Doctor, Mechanical Engineer and former Canadian Space Program Candidate. You can visit his LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/drkevinspencer/Jack Ogden is a Jewellery Historian and Egyptologist.Mary Lynn McKay is a painter and you can find her at work on the boardwalk of Peggy's Cove in Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia.New Wave is produced by Snack Labs. It is narrated and written by Taylor MacGillivary and edited by Brian Stever, Jeremie Saunders and Taylor MacGillivary from Snack Labs. Music by Tom Fox and sound design by Donovan Morgan. Find out more about Snack Labs at www.wearesnack.ioThis series is brought to you by Life Sciences Nova Scotia. LSNS is fueling innovation and commercial success of the life sciences sector in Nova Scotia by amplifying the ambition of founders and visionaries who aim to change the world through the commercialization of game-changing ideas. Learn more about them at www.lifesciencesnovascotia.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Half of all people on earth, given enough time, will be diagnosed with Cancer. Many of those people will receive radiation therapy, and part of that therapy will entail getting a bolus fitted. A bolus is a device that is used to control the dosing of radiation for cancer patients, among other things. It's also fitted by humans using art & crafts supplies. Adaptiiv Medical Technologies is revolutionizing what they call the Last Mile of Cancer Care, taking it out of the analog realm and into the digital one. Using the plethora of scans and imaging that one gets throughout the process of receiving a diagnosis, Adaptiiv's software can create a fully bespoke, 3D-printed bolus. This approach quickens treatment times for hospitals, but most importantly, drastically improves the patient experience, which for someone going through cancer, is anything but a footnote.Learn more about Adaptiiv Medical Technologies at www.adaptiiv.comJames Robar is Chief of Medical Physics Nova Scotia Health Authority and Professor of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology at Dalhousie's School of Medicine. He is the Chief Science Officer at Adaptiiv Medical Technologies. Visit his LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/james-robar-6b165a3/?originalSubdomain=caAlex Dunphy is the CEO of Adaptiiv Medical Technologies. Visit his LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/alexdunphyadaptiiv/New Wave is produced by Snack Labs. It is narrated and written by Taylor MacGillivary and edited by Brian Stever, Jeremie Saunders and Taylor MacGillivary from Snack Labs. Music by Tom Fox and sound design by Donovan Morgan. Find out more about Snack Labs at www.wearesnack.ioThis series is brought to you by Life Sciences Nova Scotia. LSNS is fueling innovation and commercial success of the life sciences sector in Nova Scotia by amplifying the ambition of founders and visionaries who aim to change the world through the commercialization of game-changing ideas. Learn more about them at www.lifesciencesnovascotia.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world is staring down the barrel of a crisis that poses a multitude of monumental problems. By 2050, the UN predicts that there will be 10 Billion people inhabiting our planet. One of the biggest problems we face as a human species...is how to feed ourselves. This week on New Wave, join us as we explore the innovative and entrepreneurial genius of Marc St. Onge, the founder of Smallfood. Smallfood is using microalgae to help re-engineer global food production, and hopefully inspire others to get on board to give the human species of the future a fighting chance at food and nutritional security.You can learn more about Smallfood at www.smallfood.comMarc St. Onge is the CEO and founder of Smallfood. He has over 25 years of experience in the natural health sector. You can visit him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-st-onge-8b6b70180/Stefanie Colombo holds a Ph.D in Biology and she is Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Aquaculture Nutrition at Dalhousie University. You can visit her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanie-colombo-8b848a33/New Wave is produced by Snack Labs. It is narrated and written by Taylor MacGillivary and edited by Brian Stever, Jeremie Saunders and Taylor MacGillivary from Snack Labs. Music by Tom Fox and sound design by Donovan Morgan. Find out more about Snack Labs at www.wearesnack.ioThis series is brought to you by Life Sciences Nova Scotia. LSNS is fueling innovation and commercial success of the life sciences sector in Nova Scotia by amplifying the ambition of founders and visionaries who aim to change the world through the commercialization of game-changing ideas. Learn more about them at www.lifesciencesnovascotia.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.