China's growing middle class is poised to redefine retirement, driven by economic opportunities and financial sophistication. Trust in external financial support, including government and pension funds, is high, but will be tested by global economic forces and societal aging. The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index highlights China's challenges in providing adequate retirement income, with recommendations for policy improvements such as increasing pension coverage, raising minimum support levels, and enhancing investment options. A collaborative approach involving personal financial actions and smart retirement systems is essential for maintaining quality of life in retirement.

Amir Kashani, a UBC master’s student in genome science and technology, has been nominated as the Canadian finalist for the Blue Sky Young Researchers Innovation Award by the International Council of Forest & Paper Associations. His research involves engineering microorganisms to produce vanillin and capsaicin from lignin, a wood byproduct. Kashani, who has a business background from Sauder School of Business, aims to increase the value of lignin waste and plans to start a biotech company after his studies. He will present his research at the ICFPA’s annual meeting in Vancouver.

Hepatic cytoreduction operations for patients with rare lung and renal neuroendocrine tumors, where at least 70% of visible metastases were removed, resulted in a median time to liver progression of 66 months and five and ten-year survival rates of 65% and 37%, respectively. These outcomes are superior to those achieved with complete resection of colorectal metastases. The study also noted that 90% of patients had extrahepatic metastases and that liver failure was the predominant cause of death. No prognostic factors for survival were identified among the variables collected.

Janet Li, Wealth Business Leader for Asia at Mercer, discusses the company's expansion into private wealth management, emphasizing its historical focus on institutional clients and the growing opportunities in the private wealth sector. Mercer, a global leader in institutional investment advisory, has a significant presence in Asia, including key hubs like Hong Kong and Singapore. The firm offers a range of services from advisory to delegated management, leveraging its extensive research capabilities. Li highlights the challenges and opportunities in the wealth management industry, including the need for innovation and better investment opportunities. She also underscores the importance of portfolio diversification and the impact of digital and fintech disruption. Li's personal journey and leadership philosophy are also explored, emphasizing diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

LongStitch is a tool designed for high-quality genome assembly correction and scaffolding using long reads. The study involves contributions from multiple authors and provides a detailed methodology for improving genome assembly accuracy.