News Archive

We recently joined leaders from across the biomedical ecosystem at the White House to discuss how to best support biomedical innovation that improves human health and creates jobs and opportunity for economic growth. We discussed the unique role of National Institutes of Health-funded academic research in understanding the biology of human disease, and the irreplaceable role of the biotech industry in translating these basic science discoveries into breakthrough therapies for serious human diseases.

Biogen (NASDAQ: BIIB) announced today that it has completed an asset purchase of Remedy Pharmaceuticals’ Phase 3 candidate, CIRARA™ (intravenous glyburide). The target indication for CIRARA is large hemispheric infarction (LHI), a severe form of ischemic stroke where brain swelling (cerebral edema) often leads to a disproportionately large share of stroke-related morbidity and mortality. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently granted CIRARA Orphan Drug Designation for severe cerebral edema in patients with acute ischemic stroke. The FDA has also granted CIRARA Fast Track designation.

Montgomery College is hosting a STEM Student Research Conference on its Germantown campus on Thursday, May 17, 2017, from 3:00-7:00 pm. The complete schedule is attached here, but I wanted to make you aware of the opportunity to hear Dr. Rebecca Goldin, our keynote speaker. Dr. Rebecca Goldin is a professor of mathematics at George Mason University and the Director of STATS, a program of Sense About Science USA aiming to support journalists’ quantitative and statistical understanding. Her one-hour presentation, which will be about the (mis)use of statistics in the media, begins at 3:00 pm, is free, and is open to the public. Please plan on joining us if your schedule will allow. – Margaret Latimer, VPP Germantown Campus, Collegwide STEM Unit

Conference Schedule:

Keynote Address 3 to 4 p.m., BE 151

Student Research Presentations ~ 4:15 to 5:15 p.m., BE Conference Center

Dinner, Awards Ceremony, and Panel Discussion ~ 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. RSVP required for dinner only: Tonya.Baker@montgomerycollege.edu

Keynote Address Statistics in the Media: Should You Believe Them? News accounts of science and scientific ideas are filled with numbers and implicit advice. They also tell a story. Do violent video games lead to violence? Does being overweight put one at risk for dementia? Can brain scans read our minds? Does chocolate make us smarter?

Smithers Avanza, a contract research organization supporting the pharmaceutical industry, announced that its Bioanalytical Services Division has completed the second expansion of its bioanalytical laboratory in the last two years. The expansion doubles the size of the Gaithersburg, Maryland lab, which now offers 15,000 square feet of space, and continues the trend of growth in support of client demand for services. Smithers Avanza plans to celebrate the completed expansion with clients, employees and community friends with an Open House.

The Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission (Commission) approved funding for 29 awards for a total of $8,533,987. These awards will be distributed between 6 different research institutes and 6 companies and will address over 20 different diseases and conditions. “The high level of work that our stem cell researchers and companies are performing is a testament to Maryland’s status as a national leader in the life sciences industry,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “Our administration’s commitment to this and other lifesaving therapies is in line with the Commission’s work to accelerate the path to develop cures for all.”

Immunomic Therapeutics negotiated an exclusive license to Annias Immunotherapeutics’ platform covering technology for targeting cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigens in cancer. The CMV immunotherapy platform was developed by John H. Sampson, M.D., Ph.D., and Duane A. Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D., at Duke University and licensed to Annias. Immunomic will combine the CMV platform with its own nucleic acid-based immunotherapy LAMP-Vax™ technology as a potential treatment for cancers that express CMV, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Financial details of the licensing agreement were not disclosed

US venture capital fund of funds Greenspring has hit $595m for its latest flagship fundraise, AltAssets can reveal.

The firm has registered the amount for Greenspring Global Partners VIII across a string of affiliated vehicles according to filings made with the US securities regulator.

The Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) announced that its 2017 Woman of the Year is Bahija Jallal, PhD, executive vice president, AstraZeneca, and head of MedImmune. MedImmune is the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca.

Yes, we’re still going to have networking with a few drinks and snacks as usual!

Join us on May 18th in the back lot at Johns Hopkins Montgomery County campus to explore local biotech careers w/ Employers who have open jobs, and two great workforce training organizations that can help you advance your career – Worksource Montgomery & BioTrain. As an added bonus you get to explore the brand new Mobile Exploration Lab (MXLab).

Even if you’re happy with your current position and aren’t looking for something new. Spend some time with your peers and friends to network along with seeing what these organizations have to offer.

Come by for the whole event or just a part of it. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

The Inova Health System and the University of Virginia announced today that they have awarded $450,000 to nine UVA-Inova joint research teams for projects focused on how to better predict, prevent and treat disease. In the fall of 2016, Inova and UVA announced a comprehensive research and education partnership to accelerate joint discovery and the application of translational medical research.  The seed grant awards mark the first of many joint research collaborations. UVA’s Translational Health Research Institute of Virginia, which facilitates translational health research across UVA, and Inova’s Translational Medicine Institute, are helping support these research projects.