Monthly Archives: August 2017

Brennan Receives Aerospace Accreditation – Hydraulics & Pneumatics (press release) (registration) (blog)

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Brennan Industries has received Nadcapand AS9100accreditation for its fluid system manufacturing. These two certifications from the Performance Review Institute and the American Society for Quality make the companys fittings, components, and fluid systems more qualified for use in the aerospace industry.

These certifications are not easy things to achieve, says David M. Carr, president of Brennan. I am extremely proud of everyone on our team who put in the effort required. The evaluations and improvements weve made will ensure that Brennan continues to manufacture hydraulic fittings and adapters of the highest possible quality.

Compliance via Nadcap accreditation is a milestone in demonstrating manufacturing excellence, says Joe Pinto, executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Performance Review Institute. It is one of the ways in which the aerospace industry identifies those who excel at manufacturing quality product through superior special processes. By obtaining Nadcap in fluid systems manufacturing, Brennan has proven to the industry that they are committed to quality and aerospace safety.

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Childhood Cancer Radiation May Cause Unwanted Gene Mutation in Some – Sioux City Journal

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FRIDAY, Aug. 4, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Some adult survivors of childhood cancer go on to develop brain tumors, and now researchers say they've found a gene mutation that seems to increase that risk.

The researchers said their findings could lead to ways to prevent these brain tumors.

Adults who had radiation to their head and spine to treat childhood cancer have a greater risk of meningiomas. These tumors, which are often benign, are the most common type of brain tumor in adults, according to the American Brain Tumor Association.

In this study, Canadian researchers looked at 31 radiation-induced meningiomas in patients who underwent head and spine radiation during childhood. Most of them (74 percent) had survived either leukemia or pediatric brain cancer.

These brain tumors were compared with 30 meningiomas among people in the general population.

Gelareh Zadeh, the study's co-principal investigator, said that radiation-induced meningiomas appear to be the same as those that just occur sporadically. They look the same on MRI scans and under a microscope. And, they feel the same during surgery, Zadeh said.

"What's different is [that radiation-induced tumors] are more aggressive, tend to recur in multiples and invade the brain, causing significant morbidity and limitations (or impairments) for individuals who survive following childhood radiation," Zadeh said.

Zadeh is a brain tumor researcher and associate professor in the neurology division at the University of Toronto.

Ken Aldape is a co-principal investigator on the study. He said the research team found a specific rearrangement involving the NF2 gene in radiation-induced meningiomas. He said there are likely other genetic rearrangements caused by radiation-induced DNA damage.

"So one of the next steps is to identify what the radiation is doing to the DNA of the meninges," Aldape said in a University Health Network news release. Aldape is a professor of laboratory medicine and pathobiology at the University of Toronto.

Figuring out which group of childhood cancer patients have the highest risk of these radiation-induced tumors is critical. These patients could be followed closely for early detection and management, Aldape explained.

The study was published online Aug. 4 in the journal Nature Communications.

The American Brain Tumor Association has more on meningiomas.

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Childhood Cancer Radiation May Cause Unwanted Gene Mutation in Some - Sioux City Journal

Groundbreaking study demonstrates promise and controversy of gene editing in embryos – ABC News

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In a groundbreaking experiment, an international team of scientists on Wednesday officially reported the successful elimination of a genetic disease from human embryos.

Its potentially a huge step for medicine -- but also a controversial one. While these embryos, which a team led by researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University edited using a novel gene-editing procedure known as CRISPR-Cas9, were destroyed rather than implanted into a womb, some say this type of genetic manipulation opens the door to other possibilities in human engineering.

Below are answers to some of the common questions about this research.

In short, this experiment showed that it is potentially possible to correct a genetic disease in an embryo with a high chance of success. In order to show this, the researchers created human embryos designed to have a specific genetic mutation responsible for a type of heart disease known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This genetic disease, which occurs in one out of 500 people, can cause sudden death, as well as a host of other cardiac problems such as heart failure and arrhythmias.

Using a technique known as CRISPR-Cas9, the scientists were able to target the faulty genes as the cells in the embryo divided -- swapping them out for a properly functioning form of the gene. What was novel about this study is that researchers were able to nudge the embryo to use its own native machinery to perform the repair with a high degree of efficiency using a correct form of the gene already present in the cell. In this particular experiment, the researchers used CRISPR-Cas9 on 58 embryos containing the mutation. After the procedure, they found that the mutation was corrected in 42 embryos -- a success rate of 72 percent.

If a feat similar to that seen in this experiment could be achieved in an afflicted embryo that was allowed to develop into a person, it would prevent the condition in this individual -- and it would also prevent their future sons and daughters from inheriting this condition as well.

Moreover, there are thousands of genetic diseases, ranging from cystic fibrosis to sickle cell anemia, for which such a procedure could be relevant. Tests currently exist to diagnose many diseases prior to birth; however, at this time there is no therapy in use that actually alters the DNA of embryos prior to birth. Of course, the use of such a technique would inevitably raise the prospect of exerting all kinds of control over human reproduction -- as well as a host of new ethical questions.

Its not likely, at least for now. Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is barred from reviewing investigational medical studies involving editing of human embryos -- something which would be required in order to proceed with moving this research into practice. Additionally, the National Institutes of Health, which is an important source of science research funding in the United States, will not financially support research on gene editing of embryos. The research in this study was not supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health.

Right now, it is unclear. Importantly, even though this experiment was considered to be successful, it is not known how this method would perform in other cases -- for example, a case in which both copies of the gene were mutated rather than just one, which was the case in this experiment. Also, since the scientists destroyed these embryos at a very early stage of development, it is not possible to tell for sure how viable these embryos would actually have been in the long run, or whether there would have been any unforeseen complications with their development.

But along with these scientific questions are also big ethical questions -- ones that will only be answered as scientists, ethicists and the public reflect further on this groundbreaking step.

Will Garneau, M.D., is an internal medicine resident at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

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Groundbreaking study demonstrates promise and controversy of gene editing in embryos - ABC News

Gene Editing for ‘Designer Babies’? Highly Unlikely, Scientists Say – New York Times

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Thats because none of those talents arise from a single gene mutation, or even from an easily identifiable number of genes. Most human traits are nowhere near that simple.

Right now, we know nothing about genetic enhancement, said Hank Greely, director of the Center for Law and the Biosciences at Stanford. Were never going to be able to say, honestly, This embryo looks like a 1550 on the two-part SAT.

Even with an apparently straightforward physical characteristic like height, genetic manipulation would be a tall order. Some scientists estimate height is influenced by as many as 93,000 genetic variations. A recent study identified 697 of them.

A new technique known as Crispr has revolutionized humans ability to edit DNA. See you if you can identify whether a given development has already happened, could eventually happen or is pure fiction.

You might be able to do it with something like eye color, said Robin Lovell-Badge, a professor of genetics and embryology at the Francis Crick Institute in London.

But if people are worried about designer babies, theyre normally thinking of doing special different things than the normal genetic stuff.

The gene-modification process used in the new study also turns out to be somewhat restrictive. After researchers snipped the harmful mutation from the male gene, it copied the healthy sequence from that spot on the female gene.

That was a surprise to the scientists, who had inserted a DNA template into the embryo, expecting the gene to copy that sequence into the snipped spot, as occurs with gene editing in other body cells. But the embryonic genome ignored that template, suggesting that to repair a mutation on one parents gene in an embryo, a healthy DNA sequence from the other parent is required.

If you cant introduce a template, then you cant do anything wild, Dr. Lovell-Badge said. This doesnt really help you make designer babies.

Talents and traits arent the only thing that are genetically complex. So are most physical diseases and psychiatric disorders. The genetic message is not carried in a 140-character tweet it resembles a shelf full of books with chapters, subsections and footnotes.

So embryonic editing is unlikely to prevent most medical problems.

But about 10,000 medical conditions are linked to specific mutations, including Huntingtons disease, cancers caused by BRCA genes, Tay-Sachs disease, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, and some cases of early-onset Alzheimers. Repairing the responsible mutations in theory could eradicate these diseases from the so-called germline, the genetic material passed from one generation to the next. No future family members would inherit them.

But testing editing approaches on each mutation will require scientists to find the right genetic signpost, often an RNA molecule, to guide the gene-snipping tool.

In the study reported this week, it took 10 tries to find the right RNA, said Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, a co-author and geneticist at the Salk Institute.

Dr. Greely noted that while scientists work to get human embryonic editing ready for clinical trials (currently illegal in the United States and many countries), alternate medical treatments for these diseases might be developed. They may be simpler and cheaper.

How good one technique is depends on how good the alternatives are, and there may be alternatives, he said.

The authors of the new study do not dismiss ethical implications of their work. In fact, Dr. Belmonte served on a committee of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine that in February endorsed research into gene editing of human embryos, but only to prevent serious diseases and conditions, and as a last resort.

In theory this could lead to the kind of intervention which, of course, Im totally against, said Dr. Belmonte. The possibility of moving forward not to create or prevent disease but rather to perform gene enhancement in humans.

For example, soon we will know more and more about genes that can increase your muscle activity, he said. The hormone EPO, which some athletes have been disciplined for taking, is produced by a gene, so you could in theory engineer yourself to produce more EPO.

That is the kind of genetic engineering that raises alarm.

Allowing any form of human germline modification leaves the way open for all kinds especially when fertility clinics start offering genetic upgrades to those able to afford them, Marcy Darnovsky, executive director of the Center for Genetics and Society, said in a statement. We could all too easily find ourselves in a world where some peoples children are considered biologically superior to the rest of us.

Scientists and ethicists share the concerns about access. Any intervention that goes to the clinic should be for everyone, Dr. Belmonte said. It shouldnt create inequities in society.

Unequal access is, of course, a question that arises with almost any new medical intervention, and already disparities deprive too many people of needed treatments.

But there is a flip side to ethical arguments against embryo editing.

I personally feel we are duty bound to explore what the technology can do in a safe, reliable manner to help people, Dr. Lovell-Badge said. If you have a way to help families not have a diseased child, then it would be unethical not to do it.

Genetic engineering doesnt have to be an all or nothing proposition, some scientists and ethicists say. There is a middle ground to stake out with laws, regulation and oversight.

For example, Dr. Lovell-Badge said, Britain highly regulates pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, in which a couples embryos are screened for certain harmful mutations so that only healthy ones are implanted in the womans womb.

They allow sensible things to be done, and they dont allow non-sensible things, he said. And every single embryo is accounted for. If someone tries to do something they shouldnt have done, they will find out, and the penalties for breaking the law are quite severe.

According to a 2015 article in the journal Nature, a number of countries, including the United States, restrict or ban genetic modification of human embryos.

Other countries, like China, have guidelines but not laws banning or restricting clinical use, the article noted. Chinese researchers have conducted the only previously published gene editing experiments on human embryos, which were much less successful.

In the future, will there be nations that allow fertility clinics to promise babies with genetically engineered perfect pitch or .400 batting averages? Its not impossible. Even now, some clinics in the United States and elsewhere offer unproven stem cell therapies, sometimes with disastrous consequences.

But R. Alta Charo, a bioethicist at University of Wisconsin-Madison, who co-led the national committee on human embryo editing, said historically ethical overreach with reproductive technology has been limited.

Procedures like I.V.F. are arduous and expensive, and many people want children to closely resemble themselves and their partners. They are likely to tinker with genes only if other alternatives are impractical or impossible.

You hear people talking about how this will make us treat children as commodities and make people more intolerant of people with disabilities and lead to eugenics and all that, she said.

While I appreciate the fear, I think we need to realize that with every technology we have had these fears, and they havent been realized.

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Gene Editing for 'Designer Babies'? Highly Unlikely, Scientists Say - New York Times

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Recasts Owen’s Sister for Season 14 – Variety

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Greys Anatomy has cast Abigail Spencer in Season 14,Variety has learned.

The Rectify alum will play Owens sister, Megan Hunt, as the role previously portrayed by Bridget Regan has been re-cast due to scheduling conflicts.

Owens sister has been mentioned numerous times throughout the course of Greys Anatomy and the character finally made her first appearance last season with Regan playing the part in one episode. Regan is busy on TNTs The Last Ship, in which she coincidentally stars opposite Greys alum Eric Dane.

Theres no word yet on how many episodes Spencer will appear in, but ABC says the recurring role will be a multi-episode arc. Owens sister is expected to have a larger storyline this season. The character was presumed to be dead after having gone missing in the army, and now that shes alive, shell be back, but not without conflict Megans former love is Dr. Nathan Riggs (Martin Henderson) who cheated on her, and now Nathan is romantically involved with Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) so Owen (Kevin McKidd) will have tricky dynamics to navigate in the upcoming season, which premieres on Sept. 28.

As for Spencer, the actress is gearing up for Season 2 of NBCs Timeless. The drama was notoriously canceled and then un-canceled, and Spencer will be back to star in the second season so its safe to assume that Megan Hunts storyline wont betoosignificant, given Spencers time commitment to the NBC series.

Spencer is repped byWME, Untitled, and Attorney Gretchen Rush.

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'Grey's Anatomy' Recasts Owen's Sister for Season 14 - Variety

Matthew Morrison Says He’s Returning to ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ for ‘Big … – Entertainment Tonight

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Looks like there's drama brewing between Alex and Jo's estranged husband.

Matthew Morrison appears to be headed back to Grey's Anatomy in the upcoming 14th season. The Glee alum all but confirmed his return as Dr. Paul Stadler -- and it sounds like it'll be quite a meaty arc.

RELATED: 'Grey's Anatomy' Recasts Owen's Sister With Abigail Spencer

Speaking with The Argonaut, Morrison let it slip that he was returning in a major way on ABC's hit medical soap.

"I have a big role in Grey's Anatomy coming up," the 38-year-old actor and father-to-be told the outlet. ABC declined to comment.

Morrison made his debut on Grey's in the penultimate episode of season 13, where Alex (Justin Chambers) spent much of his time following Paul's every move at a Seattle medical conference. Though Alex had visions of beating up Jo's abusive hubby, their only interaction was a brief moment outside when Alex passed on sharing a cab with Paul, who gave him a curious look.

RELATED: 'Grey's Anatomy' Cast Kicks off Season 14 With First Table Read

Earlier on Friday, ET confirmed that Grey's was replacing Bridget Regan as Megan Hunt, Owen's presumed dead sister, with Timeless star Abigail Spencer, due to Regan's commitments on The Last Ship.

Grey's Anatomy premieres season 14 with a two-hour episode on Thursday, Sept. 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

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Matthew Morrison Says He's Returning to 'Grey's Anatomy' for 'Big ... - Entertainment Tonight

‘Saving Hope’ blew everything up in a very ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ series finale – The Loop (blog)

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If youre a fan of happy endings, you were probably pretty upset after watching Thursday nights series finale of Saving Hope. We know we were, when the storyline took a Greys Anatomy-like twist that rocked our world just as hard as when Meredith had to pull the plug on Derek.

But lets back up a second, shall we?

After five seasons, Alex and Charlie finally realized that they were meant to be together. So they pulled a shotgun wedding at the hospital, then took off with Luke to embark on a vacation and eventual honeymoon. Paris and Balithose dreamlikedestinations of romance and sunwere on the table for these crazy kids, because for the first time in the entire history of the series they were able to actually sit back and be happy together.

And then it all blew up.

A massive accident meant that ambulances couldnt make it to Hope Zion, so Zach called the newlyweds and asked them to head over tothe crash tohelp in the meantime. So they did what any good doctors would do and lent a hand, earning themselves superhero monikers by those they saved on scene. Sadly, just when they had finished helping the last people and were ready to get back on the road themselves, the show borrowed a page from Greys Anatomyand their car was t-boned by an oncoming vehicle. Back to the hospital for this family.

The rest of the episode quickly became an epic tearfest for the ages. Alex and the unborn baby were okay, but Luke was in surgery and Charlie had a severe brain bleed that wasnt looking promising. Unlike the last time he was in this situation the doctors couldnt find any sign of brain activity, which was obviously not good.

That didnt mean spirit Charlie wasnt around, but this time there was a twist. He was transported into the future, where he saw that his daughter Charlotte had become an ortheopedic surgeon just like him, and Luke who made it through surgery was marrying the gal of his dreams.

As for future Alex? She had lived a long and happy life, even though she had lost the love of her life 50 years before that, and somehow managed to move on without Charlie.

It was enough to allow spirit Charlie to finally let go, but not before seeing present-day Alex one more time, in thetype of farewell scene you can only get away with on a show like this. And thats when Alex really had to say goodbye, as she came up with a plan to donate all of Charlies vital organs to those in need, therefore giving hope to a handful of other families.

Her thinking? She wasnt cursed after all, but she was blessed. Because Charlie was supposed to die in that car crash five years ago, but instead he came back and miraculously tread the line between the dead and living for five more years, giving them borrowed time that she was completely thankful for.

Butbecause we needed one more loving image of these two together before saying goodbye for good, the last scene ever featured them together again. Only this time they were in a version of heaven, a.k.a. the beach, where Charlie had been waiting 50 years for his love to come back to him (he had the hearts etched out in the sand to prove it). With one final kiss the screen faded out, and we were left with the notion that love (eventually) conquers all.

So okay we suppose thats something of a happy ending after all. But man, what a way to go out. That wasnt exactly how we thought this show would go down after so many years of rooting for Alex and Charlie to get together, butwe can say that well definitely remember it.

And in the end, isnt that all you really want from a series finale?

Farewell, Saving Hope. Its been a swell five years.

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'Saving Hope' blew everything up in a very 'Grey's Anatomy' series finale - The Loop (blog)

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 14 Set Photo Reunites Two Key Stars – People’s Choice

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Johnni Macke 3:00 pm on August 3, 2017

(ABC/Richard Cartwright)

The cast of Greys Anatomy is having way too much fun on set, and it just makes us wish we could join them as they gear up for the upcoming season.

On Wednesday (Aug. 2), Sarah Drew and Kelly McCreary proved that life as a doctor isnt always healthy with a funny photo from the season 14 set.

Back at the place where all the snacks are free #GreysAnatomy #season14 @seekellymccreary, Drew captioned her hilarious behind-the-scenes photo.

As you can see the two actresses Drew plays Dr. April Kepner and McCreary plays Dr. Maggie Pierce have raided the snack room and they arent shy about showing off their loot. Between the multiple bags of chips and the granola bars in their pockets, the whole picture makes us laugh.

Though the photo itself doesnt give away any details about whats to come next season, seeing the stars together makes us think their characters will be sharing the screen a lot more when the drama returns. While on screen the two doctors seem to be in a battle for Dr. Jackson Averys (Jesse Williams) love, their off screen reunion makes its clear that the only love the ladies really share is that of snacks, and we dont blame them.

In fact, McCreary seconded her co-stars need for snack foods by sharing the same photo with a similar caption. We just came for the free food. #greysanatomy #season14, she wrote alongside the photo.

Now, if only we knew what was in the other snack bins behind the two stars. Maybe some cookies, or fruit snacks? What do you think the Greys Anatomy doctors chow down on in between takes?

Greys Anatomy returns with a two-hour premiere on September 28, 2017 at 8 p.m. on ABC.

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'Grey's Anatomy' Season 14 Set Photo Reunites Two Key Stars - People's Choice

Ben Roethlisberger, and the anatomy of the ‘Pump Fake’ – Behind the Steel Curtain

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When we evaluate quarterbacks, the one skill set that is often neglected is the pump fake. The pump fake is a skill that only few quarterbacks can execute, but if done correctly, has the ability to change the course of a game. Perhaps to better understand this, we should perhaps understand why the pump fake is a useful skill for quarterbacks.

Most defensive backs read the eyes of the quarterback in order to anticipate where a they are going to throw. A good pump fake can draw defenders away from the actual spot that a quarterback intends to throw. When it comes to this skill, no quarterback in the NFL can excute this like Ben Roethlisberger. Over the years, Roethlisberger has been able to execute the pump fake in such a way that deceives an entire defense on the field.

One criteria required to execute the pump fake is hand size. It is no secret that Roethlisbergers has some of the biggest hands among NFL quarterbacks. With this noted, Roethlisberger is able to execute two types of pump fakes: The soft fake and The hard fake.

In this type of fake, the quarterback barely raises his arm, as Roethlisberger demonstrates here. Notice that subtle gesture freezes the safety just enough for him to execute the perfect throw to receiver Martavis Bryant. The whole idea is that even with the soft fake, Roethlisberger is to deceive the safety into thinking he is throwing in the opposite direction.

This is Bens signature fake and it is one that is amazing to watch. Ben in this case, fully commits to performing a throwing motion but note how the ball never comes out of his hand. The nature of his motion freezes the outside and inside linebacker, and draws the cornerback towards him; as a result, tight end Jesse James is wide open to make the catch.

Last season, according to Pro Football Focus, Ben Roethlisberger had the highest percentage of pump fakes per drop back by a very large margin. It is clear from viewing this statistic, Roethlisberger has fully adopted this skill to the point where it has become second nature.

The only real method of stopping Roethlisbergers pump fake is for pass rushers to get close enough to aim at his throwing shoulder. The problem in this case being that the Steelers have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, and has made it increasingly difficult for pass rushers to get close to Roethlisberger. No matter what one may say about Roethlisberger, this skill is one of many that makes him among the very elite at his position.

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Ben Roethlisberger, and the anatomy of the 'Pump Fake' - Behind the Steel Curtain

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 14: Jesse Williams Reunites With Sarah Drew And Kelly McCreary – People’s Choice

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Johnni Macke 2:00 pm on August 4, 2017

(ABC/Richard Cartwright)

The cast of Greys Anatomy cant get enough of one another, and its making all of us fans even more ready for the series to return this fall.

On Thursday (Aug. 3), Kelly McCreary posted a hilarious picture with her two costars Jesse Williams and Sarah Drew, and from the looks of it these actors cant escape one another even if they wanted to!

Cant even take a ride on a golf cart without these two. #Jaggpril, McCreary, who plays Dr. Maggie Pierce on the ABC drama captioned her goofy group selfie.

Although it looks like Williamss Jackson Avery and Drews April Kepner may very well be in a love triangle with McCrearys Pierce come season 13, the storyline clearly isnt causing this trio to take a break from hanging out. In fact, you could even say theyre a little too close for comfort.

Both Williams and Drew shared the same photo on their Instagram accounts, and their captions just say it all. Hey guys Its cool if I ride with you, right? #jaggpril, Drew wrote on her repost. Williams took the picture and said, This is going well so far #Jaggpril.

The best part about this trios on-set golf cart ride is that the hashtag #Jaggapril was used on all of the images. Its a mixture of all of their characters name and gives us a little taste of what life is going to be like at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital when the series picks back up.

Greys Anatomy returns with a two-hour premiere on September 28, 2017 at 8 p.m. on ABC for its 14th season.

For the latest pop culture news and voting, make sure to sign up for the Peoples Choice newsletter!

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'Grey's Anatomy' Season 14: Jesse Williams Reunites With Sarah Drew And Kelly McCreary - People's Choice

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 14: Stars Tease ‘Drama, Drama, Drama’ With Japril & ‘Jaggie’ – Moviefone

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Sarah Drew and Jesse Williams, you are killing us. "Grey's Anatomy" Season 14 is now filming, and the actress who plays April Kepner has been doing a great job sharing photos from set. Fans are loving the glimpses of their favorites, and she must've known she'd get a reaction when she shared a "Japril" photo with Jesse Williams (Jackson Avery), then followed later with a photo of the two of them with Kelly McCreary (Maggie Pierce). Jesse Williams posted his own photo of the trio, even baiting fans with a new #Jaggie 'ship name to rival #Japril.

The Season 13 finale had a lot of shockers, and -- on the relationship front -- one of them was the idea of Maggie and Jackson maybe being a thing. April even seemed to give her blessing. Fans did NOT. So when Sarah Drew posts a cute photo of the three April/Jackson/Maggie stars along with the words "drama, drama, drama..." well, she had to know it would get fans talking again. And it did. Williams did the same with his "Jaggie" tease, and it too got fans calling for Japril to rise.

Super cute pics, but yeah. The comments are filled with Japril supporters writing things like "Cant like this! Maggie and Jackson the Worst storyline ever #japrilforever."

Poor Maggie. She deserves better than this storyline, to be honest. Give Maggie her own man, Shonda!

The actors themselves get along great, as you can see in Drew's other photos with McCreary, Williams, and their co-stars:

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'Grey's Anatomy' Season 14: Stars Tease 'Drama, Drama, Drama' With Japril & 'Jaggie' - Moviefone

‘Manspreading’ Is Science, Not Sexism – PJ Media

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Feminists suddenly think the way men sit is a problem. With our legs spread out just a bit, making room for "the boys" and to be a bit more comfortable, we're guilty of an "act of dominancethat is the result of deep-rooted societal privilege borne of our patriarchal society."

Are they right?

Yeah ... I don't think so, and I'm not alone. Science agrees:

Women, on the other hand, have a wider pelvis and thighbones that more naturally angle in toward the body's midline, rather than away from it. Sitting with the knees close together is a stress-free position most of the time, although that changes during pregnancy, when the weight of the belly pushes the knees out.

Differences in hip anatomy aren't just gender-specific. They differ by your regional ancestry as well. One fascinating consequence of these differences, McGill says, is the close relationship between orthopedic disease rates and athletic ability. Poland, for example, is the epicenter of hip dysplasia -- hips coming out of the socket. But because shallow hip sockets allow deep, ass-to-calves squats, Poland also produces a lot of great Olympic weightlifters.

In other words, there are anatomical reasons why men sit the way they do. It's not a matter of power dominance, but because our skeletal system is put together just a bit differently.

So why is "manspreading" such an issue? The answer is simple. Feminists view everything from the perspective of power dynamics. It's their primary tool, and when the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a nail.

By looking at everything as having something to do with power dynamics, they view men sitting the way they do as another example. After all, women can sit with their knees together easily enough, why can't men do the same?

When men try to explain that sitting like that is uncomfortable, they often lack an understanding of justwhy it's uncomfortable. Our lower bodies aren't put together in such a way that sitting in that manner is remotely comfortable.

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'Manspreading' Is Science, Not Sexism - PJ Media

Ecovative lays off 18 as it shifts gears toward bioengineering – Albany Times Union

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Machine operators move protective packaging material, that's made from mushrooms, from molds to a cart on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016, at Ecovative Design in Troy, N.Y. From left are Aaron Ford, Lance Tucker and Aldwin Berry. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union) less Machine operators move protective packaging material, that's made from mushrooms, from molds to a cart on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016, at Ecovative Design in Troy, N.Y. From left are Aaron Ford, Lance Tucker and ... more Photo: Cindy Schultz Mayor Patrick Madden, center, holds protective packaging while production manager Katie Malysa, right, explains it's made from mushrooms on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016, at Ecovative Design in Troy, N.Y. At left is Andy Ross of Ross Valve. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union) less Mayor Patrick Madden, center, holds protective packaging while production manager Katie Malysa, right, explains it's made from mushrooms on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016, at Ecovative Design in Troy, N.Y. At left is ... more Photo: Cindy Schultz

Machine operator Lance Tucker, right, carries protective packaging material, that's made from mushrooms, on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016, at Ecovative Design in Troy, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Machine operator Lance Tucker, right, carries protective packaging material, that's made from mushrooms, on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016, at Ecovative Design in Troy, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Ecovative lays off 18 as it shifts gears toward bioengineering

Ecovative Design, the Green Island startup that makes building and packaging materials out of biodegradable mushroom material, is laying off 18 people, between 20 to 30 percent of its total staff.

The job cuts are the first major layoffs that Ecovative CEO Eben Bayer has had to do since he co-founded the company about 10 years ago while a student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy.

Ecovative, which recently won a $9.1 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, is now headquartered in Green Island in 32,000 square feet of space and has a second manufacturing facility in Troy with 20,000 square feet of space.

The layoffs are associated with the cessation of two new product projects that have ended for different reasons. In one case, a commercial partner had decided not to fund a Phase II of the program.

"The projects that these folks were working on went away," Bayer told the Times Union. "We're not shutting down. We're not going away. We're not ceasing production. We're continuing to do manufacturing."

Still, Bayer said he had to let some really good employees go, and it was not easy for him or others in management to make that decision. The company employed in the neighborhood of 70 people before the layoffs occurred.

However, he said the company has to remain sustainable in the long run, one of the reasons why the company did not decide to try and subsidize the jobs without corresponding revenue.

"It's sad," Bayer said. "This was so hard."

Bayer added that he believes the teams that were laid off will become assets at other companies quickly.

"Those impacted are some of the smartest, hardworking and talented individuals I have worked with," Bayer said. "I know that their skills will be in high demand in the Capital Region."

Laid-off workers received compensation and health care packages that depended on their length of service.

The layoffs come, however, as Ecovative, a privately held company that does not reveal financial data to the public, is shifting gears in a way that may end up leading to many more hires.

One of the new product programs could also be re-launched as a spin-off company, but Bayer said it was too early to sustain it now on its own. He said both product programs were secret and the company did not publicize what they were working on.

Bayer said the company has exhausted what it can do with using native mycelium, the fungus "filaments" that grow into mushrooms, to bind together other biodegradable materials into molds.

Instead, the company has started experimenting with bioengineering mycelium to create new properties in self-growing building materials for instance mycelium that can be certain colors or have insect resistant properties. The DARPA grant is being used to create bioengineered materials that will grow temporary shelters in place.

The ideas of bioengineering these new self-growing materials are limitless, and have a much larger market potential than the company's current product line of MycoBoard and MycoFoam.

"For me, that's the next frontier," Bayer said. "I'm really excited about it."

The company is currently hiring a molecular biology technician as part of this new research and development push.

"This role will perform molecular biology techniques, strain preservation and maintenance, species cultivation, substrate preparation and mixing, maintain lab inventory, assist in scale up, prepare materials for experimentation, and perform data collection," the job posting states.

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Ecovative lays off 18 as it shifts gears toward bioengineering - Albany Times Union

Clemson prof gets $6M for research to lower price of drugs used to treat breast cancer, MS – Greenville Journal

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Sarah Harcum, professor of bioengineering, works in her lab at Clemson University. Photo Credit: Clemson University.

Clemson University professor Sarah Harcum has been awarded a $6 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study ways to lower the cost of drugs for illnesses such as Crohns disease, breast cancer, severe anemia, and multiple sclerosis.

Harcum and several other researchers plan to research better ways of engineering Chinese hamster ovary cells, which the drug industry uses to produce half of allbiopharmaceuticals.

According to Harcum, a bioengineering professor, Chinese hamster ovary cells arehighly adaptable, bear no human viruses, and are capable of high-level production. But the hamster cells have one flaw: Genetic drift, a series of mutations that ultimately hinders drug production for manufacturers and increases prices for patients.

Genetic drift begins at cell development, according to Harcum.

A line of ovarian cells ideally develops with a uniform genetic composition, which is necessary for the efficient production of all biopharmaceuticals. Unfortunately,the composition drifts as cells reproduce, and they become less effective at creating drugs.

As a result, production becomes more expensive as they require more monitoring, control, and analysis throughout the manufacturing process.Some biopharmaceuticals under current production conditions can cost patients thousands of dollars per treatment, according to Harcum.

Harcum said she became aware of genetic drift in hamster cells during her time as a staff fellow at the Federal Drug Administration in the 1990s. Shes since studied how to disable the underlying mechanism responsible for the genetic drift, using a set of hamster cells that were originally cultured in 1957.

Now, using the grant, Harcum is teaming up with researchers from the University of Delaware, Tulane University, and Delaware State University to find a solution.Harcum said the study is expected to improve the manufacturing process for biopharmaceuticals, creating more affordable prices for patients.

We expect by the end of the study we will have identified some genes that cause the instability, said Harcum. With success, the Chinese hamster ovary cell line will stay more stable during the manufacturing.We hope to get that drift to be reduced; thats the ultimate goal.

Harcum plans to use the grant money to install an industry-grade bioreactor in her lab at the Biosystems Research Complex on the main Clemson University campus.

As part of the project, Harcum and her colleagues plan to use part of the grant money to recruit female and minority research assistants to promote diversity. They also plan to recruit three-tenure track faculty members to promote the field of bioengineering, which has faced a shortage of masters and doctoral-level researchers in recent years.

Medical patients could be less likely to reject artificial hips, knees and other medical implants.

Amor Ogale received $2 million in collaboration with the Center for Composite Materials at University

The operating system thats under development, known as S2OS, could make data stored and transmitted

Clemson researchers have been awarded five high-profile research grants

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‘Soft’ side of bioengineering poised to make big impacts – Arizona State University

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Arizona researchers, educators, students and representatives of industry, government agencies and health care institutions gathered at the annual ASU Molecular, Cellular and Tissue Bioengineering Symposium in 2016 and 2017 to discuss the potential these fields hold for sparking medical advances. Photo by: Marco-Alexia Chaira/ASU Download Full Image

The main thrust of biomedical engineering has long involved the hardware that the field produces devices, tools, machines, electronics and prosthetic apparatuses.

Now the spotlight is rapidly being shared by engineers and scientists who are seeking to solve medical challenges through their increasing ability to manipulate cells, molecules, genes, proteins and neural systems those so-called soft, pliant and sometimes living biomaterials.

So, about four years ago, it really started to make sense to form a group to strategize about how we could grow this area at ASU, both in the labs and the classrooms, said Haynes, a synthetic biologist and assistant professor of biomedical engineering in ASUs Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.

We needed to start connecting with each other, to share knowledge and to collaborate to bring these new things happening in the biomedical field to the forefront here, said Rege, a professor of chemical engineering in the Fulton Schools.

The Molecular, Cellular and Tissue Bioengineering Group made its public debut of sorts with the inaugural Molecular, Cellular and Tissue Bioengineering Symposium at ASU in 2016, followed by a second symposium last spring that drew almost 150 participants, nearly doubling attendance at the first event.

The gatherings included not only university faculty and graduate students from across Arizona but also representatives from industry and state health agencies.

Audiences saw presentations and heard talks about an expanding array of biomedical techniques being developed that hold promise for treating diseases, healing damaged organs and alleviating various disorders.

There are therapeutic gene editing and DNA sequencing techniques being developed with the aim of curing disease.

Researchers are exploring the use of certain proteins produced by our bodies to treat diseases proteins that could potentially be more effective than the chemical compounds in the drugs that are now widely used.

With our ability to figure out how DNA is expressed and translated into a protein, we now have a much clearer picture of all the different types of coding sequences in DNA and the proteins that are produced by the body, Haynes explained.

Assistant Professor Karmella Haynes (right) says a stronger emphasis on educating students about the biological side of biomedical engineering can broaden their skills and boost their career prospects. Photo by: Jessica Hochreiter/ASU

That capability, she said, enables us to take a healthy cell and compare it to a diseased cell, and then say This is what is right in the healthy cell and these are the things that are wrong in the unhealthy cell. Then we could introduce the right things into the diseased area to try to fix it.

Reges research team is investigating other aspects of such regenerative medicine.

One project involves experimentation with efficiently delivering therapeutic molecules into cells that could target areas of disease.

Techniques like that could also be part of new processes to perform body tissue repair, helping to seal internal organs after surgical incisions in conjunction with the use of laser light to activate sealing and even healing organ tissues damaged by injury or disease.

Other Fulton Schools faculty members are doing work that demonstrates the myriad possibilities of applying new bioengineering skills to improve human health.

Assistant Professor Jeffrey La Belles team is developing implantable and wearable point-of-care sensing systems for disease diagnosis and management.

The technologies utilize molecular recognition of such things as enzymes, antibodies and DNA for sensing particular molecular targets that provide information about certain health conditions.

By sensing multiple biomarkers, the devices can help medical professionals better determine proper care by more accurately assessing patients conditions, La Belle said. They can be particularly effective in enabling people with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and abdominal organ transplants to monitor their health, and for improving evaluation of the status of trauma patients.

Associate Professor Xiao Wang is involved in the design and construction of gene circuits. That entails deeper understanding of the bodys complex gene-regulation networks and what triggers the cell differentiation process, by which stem cells transform into a range of specialized cells critical to the functioning of essential bodily systems.

The aim is to find ways to more effectively determine cell fate, Wang said. Controlling those transitions would make it possible to produce cells designed to help treat infections and diseases, and repair tissues and organs.

Achieving that could help reduce the need for transplants and improve therapies and treatments for spinal injuries and perhaps even Alzheimers Disease and blindness.

Associate Professor Sarah Stabenfeldt is focusing on new and improved therapeutics and diagnostics for brain injury, employing techniques springing from discoveries in molecular biology, neuroscience and materials science to develop and evaluate those diagnostic and treatment systems.

She is experimenting with the use of engineered nanobodies therapeutic proteins derived from antibodies that contain structural and functional properties of naturally occurring antibodies.

The goal is to develop nanoparticle systems that can be introduced into the bloodstream as targeting probes that locate the molecular and cellular source of brain damage.

Those tiny probes would be able to recognize the complexity and severity of neural injury to the brain at the molecular level, thus providing more relevant information to guide treatment of traumatic brain injury, Stabenfeldt said.

Assistant Professor Rachael Sirianni is employing similar approaches to develop more effective treatments for cancer and other degenerative diseases.

Sirianni is an adjunct biomedical engineering faculty member with the Fulton Schools whose primary appointment is with the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Josephs Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, where she runs an academic research program that includes joint ASU/BNI neuroscience endeavors.

She is exploring the use of biomaterials for targeted drug delivery. tissue engineering and medical imaging. Shes confident that work in in these and related areas will eventually help bring about significant medical advances.

The range of problems we can tackle and the knowledge we can gain through these emerging aspects of bioengineering will eventually lead to better therapeutics and a big overall impact on the future of clinical care, she said.

Professor Kaushal Rege (second from left) says the Molecular, Cellular and Technology Group will work to earn more support for research training programs for graduate and postdoctoral students. Photo by: Nora Skrodenis/ASU

There are obstacles that must be overcome to achieve the scientific and engineering capabilities necessary to fulfill that promise, she added, but she believes collaborations like those being fostered by the Molecular, Cellular and Tissue Bioengineering Group could speed progress.

Along with about a half dozen other Fulton Schools faculty, colleagues in ASUs School of Life Sciences, the School of Molecular Sciences and research specialists with the Biodesign Institute are also engaged in advancing knowledge in molecular, cell and tissue biology.

Much of that work has drawn support from the likes of the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the ASU Foundations Women & Philanthropy program, the American Heart Association and the Arizona Biomedical Research Commission, which also provided $20,000 to help fund this years ASU Molecular, Cellular and Tissue Bioengineering Symposium.

The ABRC, a part of the Arizona Department of Health Services, sees significant benefits for the state in helping to create a shared sense of community among engineers, scientists, industries and healthcare institutions interested in making medical advances, said Jennifer Botsford, the commissions program manager.

The faculty group has the potential to create opportunities for cross-fertilization of ideas that push the boundaries of science, said Betsy Cantwell,vice president of research for ASUs Knowledge Enterprise Development office

Their work is not only necessary, but genuinely innovative and inclusive, as demonstrated by their national stature and international connections, Cantwell said.

Such endorsements are motivating the group to put plans into action to more solidly establish its identity and pursue its long-range goals.

Haynes is hoping that by next year the symposium will start to become more of a regional event and draw prominent experts and industry leaders from throughout the Southwest.

She and Rege also hope to encourage more serious discussion with ASU leaders about ideas for a future lab complex or even a building where the universitys biomedical researchers could be headquartered.

To optimize our resources and make full use of our talents, its important to have an environment that allows us to see and talk to each other about our individual work, Rege said. That is how ideas get generated and collaborations happen.

On one front, the groups aspirations are already taking shape.

The Fulton Schools biomedical engineering program is in the process of launching a new curriculum track that will make this soft, squishy side of the field more of an educational focal point at ASU.

This is a huge deal, Haynes said, because we can offer more to students who want a stronger combination of medical education and engineering thats going to open up their career possibilities.

The group seeks to not only attract more funding for faculty research but also for research training programs for graduate students and postdoctoral students.

That would be a significant step toward elevating ASU among medical science and engineering education leaders.

Said Rege: We want this to be a place where people can come to see and learn about and contribute to really big things happening in all these fields. Thats our vision.

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'Soft' side of bioengineering poised to make big impacts - Arizona State University

TSG: Two vacant Parliament seats filled after committee approval – Temple News

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Parliaments steering committee approved representatives for the College of Engineering and the School of Theater, Film and Media Arts, which went unfilled after the Spring TSG elections.

by Amanda Lien 03 August 2017

Junior bioengineering major Neil Chada (left) and sophomore musical theater major Doreen Nguyen were approved to fill vacant seats in Temple Student Government's Parliament. COURTESY NEIL CHADA AND DOREEN NGUYEN

Temple Student Governments steering committee voted Monday to approve candidates for two vacant Parliament seats.

Parliamentarian Jacob Kurtz appointed junior bioengineering major Neil Chada for the College of Engineering seat and sophomore musical theater major Doreen Nguyen for the School of Theater, Film and Media Arts seat in late June.

Chada and Nguyen sent their resumes and statements of interest to members of the steering committee, who began questioning them via email in early July. Questioning ended in mid-July, but a vote was not taken until the end of the month.

According to the TSG Constitution, both candidates need to be approved by the steering committee in a simple majority vote. Both candidates were approved 7-1.

The steering committee, which is made up of the Speaker and the committee heads, is responsible for setting the Parliament agenda and approving new appointments to Parliament. A new steering committee has not been established by the current Parliament but members of the former steering committee retain emeritus membership status, which allows them to vote on new appointments to Parliament until a new steering committee can be established.

The current steering committee is made up of the former Speaker and the seven former committee chairs.

Chada said that his goal is to get engineering students talking about TSG as a place to bring comments and concerns since he feels like TSG was lacking representation from the College of Engineering last year.

A lot of times, the people in engineering get carried away with what theyre doing and everyone feels like no one has an avenue where they can project their voices, he said. My primary focus is to streamline that and make it accessible to everyone.

Outreach to the academic advising office and faculty are among his top priorities as a representative, he added.

Nguyen said she hopes to ensure that her school has more of a voice in TSG by talking to large classes and using her positions as a peer adviser and resident assistant to hear different concerns.

A lot of people [in TFMA] dont feel as represented on TSG, she said. I want to be that person they can go to with concerns that I can bring up to the entire student government.

After this vote, there are still three vacant Parliament seats: Boyer College of Music and Dance, Transfer Students and Graduate/Fifth Year Plus. The primary focus within Parliament is training the existing Parliament representatives, Kurtz said, adding that once that is completed he will work with the Elections Commissioner to try to fill the seats.

Two freshman class representatives, the RHA representative and the Greek life representative will be elected at the beginning of the fall semester.

Amanda Lien can be reached at amanda.lien@temple.edu.

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TSG: Two vacant Parliament seats filled after committee approval - Temple News

Continuity and chemistry key for Steelers offensive line | FOX Sports – FOXSports.com

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LATROBE, Pa. (AP) Alejandro Villanueva was in mid-answer trying to put his new contract the one that puts the former Army Ranger-turned-NFL left tackle in charge of protecting Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisbergers blind side for the rest of the decade in perspective when Ramon Fosters distinct Tennessee drawl came crashing over the top.

Oh yes, Al! Foster said as he walked past. Pay the man! Get us new chairs in the O-line room.

Villanueva smiled and shook his head at Fosters impromptu interview bomb, though the veteran guard and elder statesman on the unit most vital to Pittsburghs chances at ending New Englands long run at the top of the AFC might have a point.

The seats in the groups meeting room are getting well worn. Call it the byproduct of the kind of stability thats a rarity in the salary cap era. The way the Steelers figure it, better to break in new furniture than new faces.

Villanuevas deal, signed minutes before the defending AFC North champions opened training camp, means Pittsburghs entire front five Villanueva at left tackle, Foster at left guard, Maurkice Pouncey at center, David DeCastro at right guard and Marcus Gilbert at right tackle are all signed through the end of the 2018 season, with all but Foster in the fold through at least 2020.

Its rare, especially in this league, DeCastro said. Guys are all under their second contracts. It doesnt really happen. You have to make it show.

It certainly did last season. Pittsburgh ripped off seven straight wins after a 4-5 start to win its second division title in three years, with the line opening gaping holes for LeVeon Bell and keeping Roethlisbergers No. 7 jersey pristine in the process. Bell averaged 139 yards rushing during the stretch, with Roethlisberger being taken down just three times.

While Roethlisberger is serious when he says hes working on a season-by-season basis at this point, there are certain factors could see him walk off into retirement later rather than sooner. Namely, staying upright nearly all the time behind a line among the best in the business.

If they play as well as theyve been playing and getting sacked 17 times in a year, that might keep me around a little longer, he said with a smile.

Compare that to the early days of the 35-year-old Roethlisbergers career, when he spent a considerable portion of his time picking himself up off the turf.

Roethlisberger was sacked an average of three times a game I his first decade. Over the last three years, that number has dropped below two. Part of it is Roethlisbergers embracing of Todd Haleys get it and get rid of it ethos, part of it is playing behind a group thats grown in lockstep and part of it is the arrival of Hall of Famer Mike Munchak as the line coach in 2014.

He brings all the pieces together, Villanueva said. Hes the one that can put in anybody and make him excel just like he did with me.

Villanueva arrived in Pittsburgh a few months after Munchak, simply looking for a chance to learn following a military career that included three tours in Afghanistan. Villanueva landed a job on the practice squad that fall. Thanks in large part to Munchaks guidance, Villanueva was starting by the end of 2015 and didnt miss a game in 2016 as the Steelers reached the AFC championship.

His rapid rise also put the thoughtful, introspective Villanueva in a tough spot. He believed hed earn a raise and Pittsburgh wanted to keep him around. The sticking point came on how much it was going to take. Forever wanting to blend in not an easy thing when youre 6-foot-9 and 320 pounds Villanueva found the attention surrounding his status embarrassing.

I didnt want to break the bank, he said. I didnt want to be compared to the top left tackles that signed a deal recently. I couldnt conceive a situation where I would hold out to get more money. It was more if the situation was fair, I wanted to be here.

And so he is, where his unique backstory blends right in a group that mixes sure things like Pouncey and DeCastro, both first-round picks, with Foster and Villanueva, undrafted success stories.

They are now all well compensated and in their primes, with the 31-year-old Foster the only one not in his 20s. Yet there are no concerns of complacency. Munchaks draining individual drills and searing wit keeping things fresh. So does chemistry and a sense of accountability. Nobody wants to be the guy who gets exposed in the film room, where Munchaks searing wit rarely misses its target.

Whenever your guy makes the play, whenever you give up a pass rush or something, its just something that sticks with you for a long time, Pouncey said.

Those moments are getting fewer and farther between. Yet nothing lasts forever. Injuries happen. Contracts end. Guys move on. The five friends who hold Roethlisbergers health, and perhaps Pittsburghs season, in their collective hands understand how unique the opportunity is.

We have to take advantage of that, DeCastro said. We have a small window to really take advantage of it and play good football.

For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

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UI losing vice chancellor for research, top chemistry professor to Yale – Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette

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Peter Schiffer

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CHAMPAIGN The vice chancellor for research at the University of Illinois and a top chemistry professor on campus are both leaving after five years for two newly created positions at Yale.

Vice Chancellor Peter Schiffer and his wife, Professor Sharon Hammes-Schiffer, who holds one of the prestigious Swanlund endowed faculty chairs on campus, were recruited by Yale, officials at the two schools announced Thursday.

Schiffer, a Yale alumnus, will be the Ivy League school's inaugural vice provost for research, starting in October.

He will be joined at Yale in January by Hammes-Schiffer, who will be the inaugural John Gamble Kirkwood Professor of Chemistry. At the UI, she is a renowned theoretical chemist who specializes in modeling quantum mechanical processes in systems relevant to both energy and biological sciences. She was recently named to the Center for Advanced Study at Illinois, the highest honor the campus bestows.

"It's a really exciting opportunity for me and for Sharon," Schiffer said Thursday. "Yale is, like Illinois, a great research institution."

It's also a chance to be closer to their sons, Zachary and Benjamin, who are students at MIT and Princeton, respectively, he said.

Hammes-Schiffer was out of town and unavailable for comment Thursday.

Schiffer, an experimental physicist, joined the UI in 2012 as vice chancellor for research after five years as associate vice president for research and director of strategic initiatives at Penn State.

He earned his bachelor's degree in physics from Yale in 1988 and a doctorate in physics from Stanford in 1993. He then did postdoctoral work at AT&T Bell Laboratories before launching his faculty career as an assistant professor of physics at Notre Dame.

Schiffer said his job at Yale, upgraded from a deputy provost's position, will be similar to his UI post.

It was created to bring a new level of strategic attention to Yale's science and research enterprise, according to President Peter Salovey and Provost Benjamin Polak. They cited Schiffer's decade of experience in university leadership and noted his record of strategic planning, policy development and leadership in campuswide cross-disciplinary initiatives.

Schiffer's UI tenure coincided with the growth of the university's interdisciplinary research enterprise, recognized as "one of the very best in the world," with seven campus institutes, UI Chancellor Robert Jones said in a statement. Those include two new entities the Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Environment and the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute, both identified as priorities in an earlier campus strategic plan.

Schiffer said he expects those research areas to continue to grow, especially with the addition of the Carle Illinois College of Medicine. In the last month, the UI has announced a new Cancer Center and a $104 million Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

He is also proud of the improved support for researchers in the humanities and areas outside the traditional science, technology, engineering and math fields, or STEM.

"It's a great place, and I've really enjoyed working here," he said.

Hammes-Schiffer is considered one of the world's leading experts in computational studies of proton-coupled electron transfer, an important process for many chemical reactions, Department of Chemistry head Martin Gruebele said. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

She will continue her research and teaching this fall before leaving for Yale in January, he said.

Her "collegiality and citizenship will be missed along with the high quality of her science," he said.

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UI losing vice chancellor for research, top chemistry professor to Yale - Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette

Bills Today: Sammy and Tyrod pleased with their chemistry – BuffaloBills.com

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Heres the Bills news of note for August 4th.

1 - Sammy and Tyrod pleased with their chemistryThey havent made a lot of plays through the first week of training camp, but Sammy Watkins and Tyrod Taylor feel their on-field rapport is solid right now.

I think our communication is way better (than last year), said Taylor. We had a situation (Thursday) where there was a miscommunication. Thats been one of maybe two mistakes. Weve mostly been on the same page. Getting some reps with him this spring definitely helped. I want to keep building out chemistry going forward.

Taylor has always trusted Watkins in almost any kind of matchup in the passing game, but being on the field day after day has them back in a comfort zone with one another.

2 - Logan Thomas recruited to Bills by former Hokie teammateHes done well in his transition to the tight end position in training camp, but the opportunity that Logan Thomas currently has in Buffalo might not have happened were it not for a former college teammates phone call.

Thomas had just been released by the New York Giants last November where he was still trying to make it in the league as a quarterback he made a phone call to the quarterback he succeeded at Virginia Tech, Tyrod Taylor.

I got a call from him last year when he was trying to decide whether to transition into a new position, said Taylor. Logan and I have always had a very good relationship. Since day one, weve spent a lot of time together, especially in the QB room at VT. Were like a family. Hokies always stay in touch. The next day I called him and said we could use him here (in Buffalo). We were able to make that happen, and Im happy for him. He just has to continue to keep working.

At 6-6 and 250 pounds he is one of the tallest offensive players on the roster. Its helping him now, but back at Tech he was ribbed for his unusual size.

Hes always had a size advantage. I think he wears a size seventeen shoe, and he would always trip, and I would tell him those shoes are too big, Taylor joked. Hes a big target going down the middle of the field. He made a strong catch the other day.

3 - Maurice Jones Drew: Taylor ready to take Bills to next levelIts the prognostication season with a month to go before the 2017 NFL campaign, and NFL Networks Maurice Jones-Drew believes Tyrod Taylor is a quarterback capable of lifting the Bills into playoff contention.

I feel like a lot of teams wants Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Jones-Drew said. Well there are only two of those guys. You have to find a guy that fits your system and then develop him and put pieces around him.

Tyrod has been a successful guy in this league. Hes not a high turnover guy. He uses his legs when he needs to. He was able to lead that team last year with all those injuries on offense to 7-9. I know Shady McCoy did a great job running the ball, even though Tyrod helped with that too.

When you dont turn the ball over you have a chance. I got a chance to watch him work out this offseason. Hes dedicated and works out hard. He makes sure he knows everything about the playbook. He was studying that throughout the summer. He is that guy if you allow him to be.

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Bills Today: Sammy and Tyrod pleased with their chemistry - BuffaloBills.com