Until now, patients with artificial hearts had to stay in the hospital until a
donor heart was available for transplant. The wait involved being hooked up to
an enormous machine weighing over 400 pounds, and could last years.Now, a new portable device from SynCardia Systems, Inc, called the “Freedom” driver allows patients waiting for a heart transplant the freedom to be out and about instead of in the hospital. Compact enough to fit into a backpack, users plug the device into a standard outlet at home.Continue reading
Category Archives: AZBio News
AZBio Members in the News – week of July 18, 2011
July 24, 2011
July 21, 2011
FDA Announces release of Draft Guidance for Industry and Food
and Drug Administration Staff – Mobile Medical Applications
July 20, 2011
Tucson Arizona’s University Medical Center (UMC) Ranked Among Nation’s ‘Best Hospitals’
July 18, 2011
Shane C. Burgess, director of the Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology at Mississippi State University, has been appointed the new dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Arizona. His areas of expertise include cancer biology, virology, proteomics, immunology and bioinformatics.: http://uanews.org/node/40689
New UA Agriculture, Life Sciences Dean Chosen
Mississippi State University’s Shane C. Burgess brings literally a world of experience in genetics and veterinary science with him to the UA.
Shane C. Burgess, director of the Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology at Mississippi State University, has been appointed the new dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Arizona.
Burgess succeeds Eugene G. Sander, who recently retired as dean and vice provost and will serve as UA president beginning Aug. 1, while the Arizona Board of Regents searches for a new chief executive.
A native of New Zealand, Burgess has worked around the world as a practicing veterinarian and scientist. Currently, he is the associate dean for strategic initiatives and economic development in MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine and a professor in the department of basic sciences in the vet school.
His areas of expertise include cancer biology, virology, proteomics, immunology and bioinformatics. Since 1997 he has written 110 peer-reviewed publications. Read more from the story by By Jeff Harrison, University Communications, July 18, 2011 (U of A NOW) at: http://uanews.org/node/40689
Advancing Science and taking a LEED position
On Tuesday July 12, 2011, I traveled to Southern Arizona to join Dr. Ken Wertman and the team at Sanofi US as they celebrated another milestone. This time it is not for groundbreaking advancements in human and animal health. Instead we were recognizing the team’s achievement of LEED Gold Certification at their home in Oro Valley, Arizona and congratulating the team that made it happen. Laboratories are very difficult to certify because of demands posed by air handling and other challenges in an environment where scientific experimentation is taking place. Sanofi-aventis U.S. strives to limit the environmental impact of their business and the team is proud of having achieved a Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) certification.
LEED is a building rating system that was developed by the US Green Building Council in 2000 and is a nationally accepted benchmark for design, construction and operations of high performance “green buildings”. The 110,350 square-foot site was constructed in Oro Valley Innovation Park with the grand opening held on January 13, 2010. Of all the buildings in the U.S. that are LEED certified, only two percent are laboratories. Sanofi US operates two of those laboratories, one in Cambridge, MA and the one here in Oro Valley just north of Tucson, Arizona.
Another highlight of the trip was getting to spend some time with Dr. Ken Wertman and learning more about his journey, why Sanofi US chooses Arizona, and what they do here.
AZBio News for July 2011
UA Study Plays Key Role in International Lung Research – 30 year study points to new biomarkers for COPD and other lung diseases.
Final countdown: Space Shuttle Atlantis to carry next generation vaccine candidate on last space voyage: Its final trip may open a new era of research into infectious diseases, thanks to space bound experiments conducted by Cheryl Nickerson, and Roy Curtiss III, along with their colleagues at Arizona State University’s Biodesign Institute.
Science Foundation Arizona ups jobs, investment through grants (Phoenix Business Journal)
$2.2M Grant awarded to Fund Heart Failure Study at University of Arizona
2011 AZBIO Award Nominations Open
Nominations are now open for the 2011 AZBIO Awards.
(Nominations are open from July 4, 2011 – August 30, 2011)
Join AZBio and the Arizona Biosciences Community in recognising the accomplishment of individuals and companies that represent the best of Arizona bioscience. Finalists will be announced in September, 2011 and the awards will be announced on the BIG night at the 2011 AZBio Awards on October 13. 2011 at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass. Click Here for the Nomination Form.
AZBio News – June 2011
Biosphere 2 to Have a Permanent Home With the UA
New salmonella-based ‘clean vaccines’ aid the fight against infectious disease (ASUBiodesign)
International Genomics Consortium contributes to The Cancer Genome Atlas’ detailed ovarian cancer analysis Findings point to new means of assessing patient survival
Institute for Advanced Health Chooses Phoenix ~ Dr. Patrick Soon-Siong’s vision takes root in Phoenix.
LaBaer named Health Care Heroes finalist for discoveries in breast cancer detection and treatment. (ASUBiodesign)
Improving Health Care with Better Information – Tuscon Medical Center (TMC) leverages tech to improve patient care.
Arizona Board of Regents approves new Cancer Center in Downtown Phoenix
Looking Back and Looking Forward: A great video and a great legacy. Thank you President Shelton for your commitment to leadership and to our AZBio community.
Ventana’s Phil Miller recognized for improving the lives of millions of cancer
patients.
Regenesis Biomedical Announces $5.3 Million in Series C Funding
Phoenix Children’s Hospital debuts expanded campus (Business Journal)
First Things First
In an industry like ours, doing things in the right order matters. It does not matter of you are working in the lab, biz dev or the front office. When you forget to put first things first you might not get the outcome you expect…or need.
At AZBio we have been investing our time in research. For us that means getting out of the office and into the community to talk to Members, create opportunities to connect and to listen to what they have to say. Whether we are are in one-on-one visits to Members and their companies, meetings at the GPEC, The Desert Angels or BCLSA or hanging out with the AZBio Gang at Beer and Bio, we’ve been asking questions and gathering data on what you, our members want and need. So far this research has led to some new developments and there are a lot more coming, Here are FIVE important things you said…Continue reading
AZBio News – April and May 2011
Green and lean: Secreting bacteria eliminate cost barriers for renewable biofuel production
Kinetic Muscles, Inc. Celebrates 10 year anniversary
Yulex names Jim Mitchell COO by Angela Gonzales, Phoenix Business Journal
Laura Gonzalez selected for Phoenix Business Journal’s ‘Forty Under 40’ honors
ISO 13485 Certification Achieved by Regenesis Biomedical
Dr. David Eberhard joins Flagship as Chief Medical Pathologist
University of Minnesota licenses multiplexing software to Flagship Biosciences