TV & Film

The Downside of High

There is gathering evidence that marijuana use increases the risk of developing a psychotic illness, especially in the developing brains of young adults. Through interviews and dazzling CGI, this one-hour HD special explores the proposed links between schizophrenia and present-day pot use.

Produced by  Dreamfilm Productions for CBC's   The Nature of Things

Pharma/Biotech

In Concert for Health

A healthy metabolism is like a well-tuned orchestra. The body's organs play notes - neurohormones - in perfect harmony to maintain a balance of fat and sugar. In diabetes, this symphony falls out of tune, with potentially devastating cardiovascular consequences. With art direction by Aysha Venjara and music by Zach Kellum, this film is an audiovisual call-to-action for a new approach to diabetes prevention and care.

Art Direction: BioScience Communication

Education

3-D Brain Atlas (Interactive)

Genes to Cognition (G2C) Online is a Web-resource for exploring the basis of thinking on many levels — from genes and cells to behavior and environment. AXS created a 3-D interactive atlas of the human brain as an embedded resource that supports videos and articles in G2C.

Click here to visit the site.

Art Direction:  Dolan DNA Learning Center.

Available as a free app! Search "3D Brain" in the iTunes Store for more details.

Pharma/Biotech

Oral Calcitonin in Osteoarthritis

This film explores the role of synergistic interactions among synovium, articular cartilage, and subchondral bone in maintaining healthy joints. We present the hypothesis that calcitonin helps maintain normal signaling between osteoclasts and osteoblasts, thereby improving joint space narrowing, pain relief, and function in osteoarthritis.

Art Direction: BioScience Communications

Education

What is Genomics?

This 6 minute animation introduces Grade 9 and 10 students to core concepts that define the study of ‘genomics’. The animation can be viewed as a single movie or as individual chapters and is available for distribution via a Creative Commons license.

Art Direction: Ontario Genomics Institute and Genome BC

Research

Tensional Integrity of Human Skin (Animation)

This animation explores the core science concepts of skin integrity behind the development of a novel dermatological product. Our visual challenges included showing how connections at the molecular level translate to integrity at the tissue level, and illustrating the connection between tension and tissue elevation. When connections are lost, so is tension, and the tissue flattens.

Pharma/Biotech

Role of hs-CRP in Atherosclerosis (Animation)

There is increasing evidence that C-reactive protein plays a key role in atherosclerosis. This animation illustrates possible mechanisms by which hs-CRP contributes to endothelial dysfunction, formation and rupture of plaques, and the impairment of vessel regeneration. We also summarize the role of statins as treatment.

Art direction: EOCI PharmaComm

TV & Film

The Musical Brain

This one-hour HD special looks at the human musical experience and how our brains are hard-wired to create and crave melodies and rhythms. This is your brain on music!  The Musical Brain features research findings of leading medical experts, including Dr. Daniel Levitin, and candid interviews with Michael Bublé, Feist, Wyclef Jean and Sting, who share what they have learned about the power of music in their lives.

Produced by  Matter of Fact Media Inc. for CTV and National Geographic.

Pharma/Biotech

Oxepa (Animation)

Oxepa is an enteral nutrition product designed for modulating inflammation in critically ill patients such as those suffering from sepsis or ARDS. This animation illustrates possible mechanisms by which Oxepa’s patented blend of fatty acids and antioxidants diminish inflammation of the lungs.

TV & Film

Pharma Sutra: Sex Drugs for the 21st Century

This one hour HD special documents the race to discover and market 'female Viagra'. Through expert opinion and CGI visualizations, Pharma Sutra explores the latest models of the neurobiology of female desire.

Produced by  Cogent-Benger Productions
for CTV.

TV & Film

ReGenesis (Seasons II - IV)

Dr. David Sandström and his team of top scientists at NorBAC investigate questionable advantages in biotechnology. AXS created the series' signature CGI moments that allow the audience to see and think like a scientist.

Produced by  Shaftesbury Films for  The Movie Network.

Healthcare

The Clinical Value of SERMs

This animation visualizes the mechanism of action of a group of drugs called SERMs (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators) for a physician audience. SERMs are indicated for a wide variety of applications including the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. AXS developed a unique 'toon' style to tell this complex and important story.

Art Direction: AbelsonTaylor

» Play Movie

TV & Film

Four-Winged Dino

AXS created a number of didactic CGI sequences for this one-hour  NOVA special that takes us to a famed fossil treasure-trove in China to meet the Microraptor: an ancient four-winged oddity. Produced by MDTV Productions; featuring dinosaur effects by  Hall Train Studios. 

» Play Movie

Healthcare

ConjuChem

AXS created illustrations for  ConjuChem's annual report featuring jewel-like renditions of their lead compound Exedin-4 in development as a treatment for Type II diabetes.

Art direction: The Equicom Group

Healthcare

Novel Drug-Device Combination

This novel drug-device combination of antibiotic and proprietary delivery system is used to prevent or treat multi-drug resistant gram-negative pneumonias. Our animation instructs healthcare workers in device assembly and operation, outlines how the device permits high drug concentrations in the lung, and presents key data from Phase II trials.

Art direction: RXMedia

» Play Movie

Research

Chan Research Group

A core interest of the  Chan Research Group at the University of Toronto is the fabrication of nanomaterials for biological applications. AXS created this visualization of the impact of nanoparticle size on HER2 receptor binding on the surface of breast epithelial cells.  This research may open up new possibilities for therapeutic delivery systems.

TV & Film

Sideshow Stars - The True Story

3D animation for documentary special. Using modern-day medical knowledge, leading experts demystify the unique characteristics of the stars of yesterday's sideshow stages. AXS created CGI moments visualizing development of conjoined twins, lymphodema and gigantism.

Produced by  Ellis Entertainment for  Discovery Health.

» Play Movie

Education

Glaucoma Challenge

The Glaucoma Challenge is an interactive online tool that uses plain language and engaging visualization to increase public awareness of glaucoma. The Glaucoma Challenge was created for the  Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) as part of their overall aim to increase public awareness of vision health issues and promote vision health. The site is compatible with the screen reader (JAWS).

» Visit the site

Healthcare

CryoCath (Print)

CryoCath is a medical technology company that is a world leader in creating catheter- and probe-based CryoTherapy products to treat cardiovascular disease. We created four large-scale promotional illustrations for CryoCath's newest offering: Arctic Front.

Art direction: The Equicom Group

Education

The Actions of the Extraocular Muscles (interactive)

We created this interactive 3D model in conjunction with the  Division of Anatomy at the University of Toronto. As a user drags the hand icon through standard ophthalmic exam positions, the muscles contract and elongate to position the globe correctly.

Education

Cell Motility

This 1 minute film contrasts the slow, 3-stage crawl of a mesenchymal cell with the quick, amoeboid movement of a white blood cell. The grey fibers represent the collagen component of the extracellular matrix.

Narrator: Marcy Gerstein
Music: Wadell/Parnell, © 2002 The Extreme Music Library

Research

Mechanotransduction through the Cytoskeleton

How are cells able to react to external pressures and signals? In this film, we are introduced to a novel hypothetical model of mechano-biochemical conversion through protein-protein interactions.

Consultant Dr. M. Liu, University of Toronto
Narrator Steven Hoffner