Tropics Quiet Down as Season Passes Peak

 

The latest 5-day tropical outlook for the Atlantic shows just one area of investigation. This wave has only a 30 percent chance of developing into a tropical storm in the next five days, and once it gets farther west will run into stronger wind shear, which will make any development more difficult. We are still not out of the woods yet, but we are past the peak of the tropical season, so at least for now, farmers can breathe a sign of relief and get their harvesting down without having to worry about getting it all done in a couple of days. Don’t wait too long, though, since it is not impossible that we could still get a storm that could cause more impacts on agriculture. 

 

Video: Finding a Balance of Innovation and Regulation - Dr. Peter Facchini

Regulations help markets and industry exist on level playing fields, keeping consumers safe and innovation from going too far. However, incredibly strict regulations can stunt innovation and cause entire industries to wither away. Dr. Peter James Facchini brings his perspective on how existing regulations have slowed the advancement of medical developments within Canada. Given the international concern of opium poppy’s illicit potential, Health Canada must abide by this global policy. But with modern technology pushing the development of many pharmaceuticals to being grown via fermentation, is it time to reconsider the rules?

Dr. Peter James Facchini leads research into the metabolic biochemistry in opium poppy at the University of Calgary. For more than 30 years, his work has contributed to the increased availability of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthetic genes to assist in the creation of morphine for pharmaceutical use. Dr. Facchini completed his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at the University of Toronto before completing Postdoctoral Fellowships in Biochemistry at the University of Kentucky in 1992 & Université de Montréal in 1995.