News Archive

The majority of healthcare organizations — 63 percent — say they are planning to invest more than $1 million into blockchain in 2019, according to a Deloitte report.

Deloitte conducted an online survey of 1,053 senior executives from companies with at least $500 million in annual revenue from seven countries — Canada, China, France, Germany, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States — between March 26 and April 5 for its global blockchain report.

Francis Collins did not take off his pants.

To the contrary, he could sense something wasn’t quite right — perhaps immediately, when his heavyset and dubiously bearded interviewer, sitting in a motorized scooter, began by asking: “Why are big agriculture putting chemicals into our food to make people transgender?”

In 2019, the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) will present the seventh annual Lurie Prize in Biomedical Sciences, a $100,000 award recognizing outstanding achievement by a promising young scientist in biomedical research. The Prize is made possible by a generous gift from philanthropist Ann Lurie.

The awardee will be selected by a jury of six distinguished biomedical researchers, chaired by Solomon H. Snyder, M.D., Distinguished Service Professor of Neuroscience, Pharmacology & Psychiatry, The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

The Award will be presented at the FNIH Award Ceremony on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 in Washington, D.C.

One of Maryland’s best-funded biotech companies took a milestone first step Monday, announcing it has begun clinical trials of a medication it is developing. Gaithersburg-based Viela Bio was spun out of MedImmune, a subsidiary of AstraZeneca, last month with $250 million in financing and a promise of creating 100 jobs within five years.

AAVogen Inc., a biotech company that is developing gene therapeutics for muscle wasting disease, welcomes Lawson Macartney, DVM/PhD as the newest member of its Science Advisory Board.

Dr. Macartney is a 25-year veteran of the pharmaceutical industry and currently chairs the Board of Directors for Viking Therapeutics. He has also held senior leadership positions at Ambrx, ScoutBio, Shire, GlaxoSmithKline and AstraMerck.

MedImmune is one of the 300+ BioHealth success stories in Montgomery County. Meet JoAnn Suzich, Ph.D., VP of Research and Microbial Sciences, who shares the incredible health innovation happening on MedImmune’s campus in Montgomery County.

When:Thursday, December 13, 20187:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. EST

Where:VisArts Rockville155 Gibbs StreetRockville, MD  20850United States

The HERstory Gala is the premier event for our chapter and supporters. This elegant event attracts men and women from industry, government, non-profits, and academia from across the Capital Region Metro Area and provides unique opportunities to meet with some of the region’s most successful women. This event is focused on highlighting women trailblazers in the life sciences who have made a significant impact in the region during the year. Ticket price includes open bar, cocktail reception, seated 3-course dinner, and access to biotech industry leaders in the Capital Region.

Only 7 percent of patients live five years after diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, the lowest rate for any cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Elliot K. Fishman, MD, a researcher and radiologist at Johns Hopkins, is on the forefront of trying to change this statistic, and he’s using artificial intelligence to do it.

The Food and Drug Administration approved the first-ever generic version of EpiPen Thursday — a move the agency says could help lower costs for the drug, which can carry a price tag of more than $600.