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Hazy road to legalise marijuana: The case for it and risks involved – Yahoo Lifestyle UK

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New Zealand, which will go into elections on October 17, will also be holding a referendum to decide whether cannabis should be legalised or not.

If New Zealanders are to vote for legalising cannabis for recreational usage, it would join the likes of countries such as Canada, Uruguay and certain states in the United States where consumption of marijuana is legal. Early poll numbers, from the latest Newshub Reid-Research poll, however, reveal that only 37.9 per cent population support the proposition.

In India, the investigations into Sushant Singh Rajputs death has thrown open a Pandoras box of drug abuse in Bollywood. The arrest of actor Rhea Chakraborty by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) over the discovery of 59 gms of curated marijuana seized, and the questioning of lead Bollywood actors such as Deepika Padukone over certain WhatsApp chats which referred to maal and hash, has brought back a much-debated topic - that of legalisation of marijuana.

Also known as Weed, Pot or Ganja, Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the world.

Around 3 crore people use it in India, alone, with Delhi the third-largest cannabis consumer in the world and Mumbai, the 6th largest.

India also grows some of the most sought after varieties of weed in the world the stunning Parvati Valley in Himachal Pradesh is a Hippies paradise, where the hugely popular Malana weed is cultivated. Keralas Idukki Gold is renowned as one of the best strains of weed in Asia.

Ariel view of and from the mountain village of Malana, India. The place lushes with greenery in the summers, but as it is at 10000 ft, conical rooftops are made to stand the snowfalls of the winter. Its famous for its Quality Hashish, 5K

India is no stranger to marijuana, a drug that has been used for thousands of years, dating back as far as 4000 BC. The cannabis plant even finds a mention in the Vedas and is closely associated with Lord Shiva. The drink Bhang or thandai served during Holi is prepared from dried cannabis leaves and milk, with other spices added to it. Bhang is legal in the country and is sold at specific government authorised shops.

Weed also has a connection with Ayurveda, which, while connoted as a toxic substance in Ayurvedic texts, has traditionally been used in medicines. In 2018, the Centre Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences in collaboration with Gujarat Ayurved University found that cannabis leaves can be effective in alleviating pain and other symptoms in cancer patients post-chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Further, research is being conducted to develop cannabis-based drugs for the treatment of pain in illnesses such as epilepsy, anaemia and cancer by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR - IIIM) in collaboration with Bombay Hemp Company (BOHECO), a startup which works with industrial hemp.

So, with such religious and historical connections to it, how can the consumption of marijuana be illegal in India?

The recreational usage of marijuana is illegal in India and is governed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Consumption of marijuana is punishable with a jail term of six months or a fine of Rs 10,000, while illegal production and cultivation can be punished with a jail term of up to 10 years.

However, marijuana was legal in India until 1984. It was in the 1960s that the United States launched an offensive against the drug and a drive to ban it. During the 1961 Convention on Narcotics Drugs, India had even opposed the classification of marijuana as a hard drug.

Bucking under pressure, the Rajiv Gandhi administration passed the NDPS Act in 1985 which criminalised cannabis in its resin and bud form, but allowed the sale of bhang at government-approved shops.

Ironically, several states in the United States have now either legalised marijuana or are considering it. In India, various NGOs and activists have been asking for its legalisation. Their argument is that the criminalisation of marijuana has pushed the drug underground and to onto the hands of criminals who make it more potent and dangerous.

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Arguments favouringlegalising marijuana also say that it could lead to fewer chances of addiction. A study conducted in 1994 by epidemiologistJohn Anthony who surveyed more than 8,000 people about their marijuana usage, discovered that the chances of getting addicted to the drug were 9 per cent. For alcohol, this figure was 15 per cent, for heroin 23 per cent and for nicotine, 32 per cent.

Legalisation will also help villagersin areas like the Parbati Valley and the upper reaches of Kullu and Manali, and Idukki in Kerala whose main source of income comes from cannabis. Currently, with marijuana being illegal, farmers are forced to sell it to drug peddlers at low prices, and have problems with the police. Those for legalising the drug argue that by making the drug legally available, farmers would benefit from a more regulated market.

However, the fact remains that cannabis, when taken recreationally still remains a drug which could have harmful effects on the consumer. While a plant, it contains the mind-altering chemical, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol(THC), which is responsible for the intoxication that people who consume it feel.

The plant also has over 400 other chemicals. Researchers from the University of Alberta have identified potentially toxic chemicals in marijuana smoke which could have health effects. In a single puff of cannabis smoke, researchers have isolated around 110 toxic chemicals which may have carcinogenic, mutagenic or teratogenic effects, which could affect the development of the embryo or foetus.

Research conducted in Pittsburgh has also discovered that children of frequent marijuana users have relatively less attention span than their peers. Early marijuana usage has also been linked to a loss in I.Q levels of pre-teens.

Further, The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study conducted in Dunedin, New Zealand has found that people who smoke even one joint a week are prone to developing respiratory illnesses. Occasional smokers who cut down on weed, also had reduced symptoms, while heavy smokers had a persistent cough and wheeze even after cutting down, or quitting completely. This proves that the side effects of smoking weed on heavy smokers may linger for long.

Those who are against the legalisation of weed are also worried that its usage could prove to be a gateway to other, more potent, hard drugs.

Marijuana, if used responsibly, could help those cultivating it and using it. However, with India already grappling with problems of alcoholism, excessive tobacco usage, much more research needs to be carried out to ensure that the risks do not outweigh the potential benefits.

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Hazy road to legalise marijuana: The case for it and risks involved - Yahoo Lifestyle UK

‘The women in this group are incredible’ | News | fltimes.com – Finger Lakes Times

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CANANDAIGUA Maureen Lathan-Thompson is not downplaying the efforts of her doctors and other healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of her breast cancer two years ago.

She is adamant, however, that a UR Medicine Thompson Health support group she joined around that time was just as vital to her recovery.

The doctors are phenomenal and can explain the science of it all, but the support group takes that science and adds emotional well-being to it, she said.

Thats a familiar refrain among members of the group, which was formed in 2005 by Jennifer Klein of Canandaigua, a certified holistic stress management instructor with a masters degree in integrative health. She has been a volunteer with Thompson Health for more than 20 years.

The women in this group are incredible life-saving incredible, said Lathan-Thompson, a Bloomfield resident. Then you have this lovely woman named Jennifer Klein who has just dedicated her life to studying this. She is knowledgeable in so many areas and that comes from science, her education and a heart of gold.

Klein, who has a physical therapy background, said there are about 50 women in the group with between 10 and 20 attending monthly meetings. Those in-person meetings, however, havent been held since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and group members are using emails and texts to stay in touch, with possible video meetings soon.

We have members from Canandaigua, Geneva and the surrounding area including Newark. The purpose is to provide a safe environment for people to express whatever it is they are feeling and going through, including diagnosis and treatment, Klein said. We have people just recently diagnosed to people 20 years out from their diagnosis and treatment.

Not surprisingly, there have been plenty of tears shed at these meetings.

Authenticity is so crucial to this group. We hear about people trying to be tough for their families ... but one of the things we stress is whatever you are feeling is OK, and feel free to talk about it, Klein said. You need to be honest. When we gather, the first thing we do is greet new members and have the other members introduce themselves. That usually helps break the ice.

Bristol resident Sally Ess, who joined the group in 2014, admitted to being reluctant at first.

I had surgery in the fall of 2014 and a woman from my church, who joined the group the year before, had the same kind of cancer. She heard of my diagnosis and told me of this wonderful support group. She said she would go with me, Ess said. I stayed and listened at first, but wanted to leave. After awhile I said Oh my gosh, they were saying things I was interested in. I learned a lot that first night, and what a wonderful group of compassionate women. We laughed and cried.

The very best part of the group is our moderator, Jen. She is a remarkable woman, said Diane Bassage of Bristol. She is the glue that keeps this group together.

That said, a support group isnt for everyone. Nadine Redington of Victor relied on family to get through her diagnosis and treatment.

Having a positive attitude is the key. I talked to my husband and my girls and informed them every step of the way with honesty, so they knew what was going on, she said. The hardest part was relaxing, not doing anything after surgery and waiting to heal, because I like to keep moving and rarely sit down.

When the group meets in person, Klein said there are often speakers including oncologists. Other topics include acupuncture and nutrition.

We talk about whatever is current. We have new people joining all the time, but a core group that has been here for years, she said. Absolutely, face-to-face contact is so much better. I think we all feel that way. We need that connection, and isolation is not good. We are all looking forward to being together again, maybe by the start of the new year. Its so compelling to see what happens in that group setting.

Klein and Lathan-Thompson are urging women to routinely check for signs of breast cancer and have regular mammograms. Health officials from across the country said its safe to have them during COVID-19.

I was diagnosed after I went for my annual mammogram. I found no lumps on my own, but the mammogram found cancer, she said. Case in point, get your mammogram.

We encourage patients to still have their screening mammograms. We are adhering to all safety and cleaning guidelines to keep patients and staff safe, said Raquel Morris, clinical coordinator at the Dr. Laurie Sands and Constellation Brands Breast Imaging Center in Canandaigua. As with any annual screening, the center wants to detect any abnormalities within the breast when they are small and easily treatable.

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'The women in this group are incredible' | News | fltimes.com - Finger Lakes Times

Chained and locked up, why some Nigerians turn to religion first to treat the mentally ill – CNN International

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"My mum thought it was something spiritual from her side of the family. So they took me for prayers with the hope that I'd be cured of whatever was wrong," he told CNN.

"My aunt advised my dad that they should take me to camp for prayers against evil spirits. I remember I was laying down on the ground and people were all over me praying. I didn't want to react but the prayer wasn't working," Godwin said.

He added that when they realized on the way back home from camp that the expected healing didn't happen, they brought in another pastor to pray for him at home.

At the time Godwin was 18 and he recalls being overwhelmed with fear, hearing voices and crying in distress.

"I felt irritation all over my body. The sound of the fan in the room made me paranoid, I felt like it was rolling too fast and it would cut off and kill me. There were so many confusing voices talking to me in my head," he said.

Godwin's family doctor eventually referred him to a specialist after hearing about his symptoms, "that's when we went to the psychiatric hospital," he said.

In his case, he was later diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and placed on drugs. "I was so relieved to know what was going on with me. My parents too were relieved knowing it was nothing spiritual," he said.

Chained and locked up

A 22-year-old woman who suffered a mental health crisis after her mother's death told the human rights group that she had been held captive in a church for five months and denied food as part of a "spiritual cleanse" for her condition.

Dr. Nancy Orjinta, a resident psychiatrist at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Lagos, said keeping people with mental illness in such facilities can impact their health negatively and damage their self-esteem.

"I have seen patients who were chained for months battle with self-esteem issues. Keeping someone locked up will not only harm them physically, but they will start to feel low and dehumanized too," she said. She added that such conditions can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an anxiety disorder caused by traumatic or distressing events.

Not enough psychiatrists

One of the reasons people visit religious and traditional healing centers for mental illness is a lack of understanding of mental health issues in the country, according to Dr. Orjinta.

However, delaying mental care by not immediately going to hospital prolongs the time the patient stays without appropriate care and "may create the worst outcome for the patient as they have more symptoms," she said.

"There is still a stigma around mental illness. People perceive it in a negative light and as a result they don't want to address it if they have symptoms. They want to keep on hiding it," she explained.

"There is a disproportionate sharing of mental health professionals, we don't really have them in rural areas. And if someone lives in such areas without mental health care, of course, they will find alternatives for care like traditional healers or churches," Dr. Orjinta explained.

In recent times, authorities in Nigeria have rescued hundreds of people held under inhumane conditions in a clampdown on religious rehabilitation centers.

But mental health advocates say this is not enough.

Hauwa Ojeifo, a mental health activist and coach told CNN that Nigeria needs strong legislation that will set the standards for psychiatric treatment.

Under the act, people with mental health conditions are allowed to be detained, even without the provision of medical treatment.

"I don't just want any mental health bill to be passed. I am very particular about the content of the bill too. I want it to be respectful and accommodate the rights of persons with mental health conditions," she told CNN.

Mental health awareness is needed to combat the widespread use of religious and traditional healing centers for mental care, according to Dr. Orjinta.

"The media needs to come in to report mental health without framing it in a bad or scary way like some do. The same way you can say someone has a problem with his leg, you should be able to say someone has a brain problem. It should be like every other illness," she said.

She added that she is optimistic Nigeria will eventually get to a place where there is a minimal stigma regarding mental health. "It won't be drastic and it will require many people like the government, media, and religious institutions putting in the effort, but I am optimistic."

Godwin who was initially taken to church for prayers says care outside medical facilities should not be the first resort.

"There are drugs and medical facilities that can help with mental illness. I am not saying people who attribute it to spirituality are wrong, but I'd say there are other ways. Medicine is capable," he said.

He added that in his case, he wished he was taken to the hospital first for quicker diagnosis, before being subjected to religious healing.

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Chained and locked up, why some Nigerians turn to religion first to treat the mentally ill - CNN International

A breakthrough on the horizon: Humans could begin receiving transplanted pig hearts by 2021 – Cardiovascular Business

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In addition, the team added, researchers have developed new drugs that suppress the immune systems of transplant recipients when the organ comes from a different species. Before this crucial step, researchers would attempt to transplant, say, a pig heart into a baboonbut the heart would ultimately be rejected.

One of the biggest questions surrounding cardiac xenotransplantation with pigs and humans, of course, is patient safety. Could such a process lead to humans being infected with infectious diseases, for example?

That looks quite unlikely, lead author Richard N. Pierson III, MD, division of cardiac surgery at MGH and a professor at Harvard Medical School, said in a prepared statement.

The culmination of a lot of research and hard work by our group and others over the last 35 years is that it now looks as though pig-to-human heart transplantation is feasible, he added.

Pierson thinks the first humans could receive pig hearts by the end of 2021. The teams full analysis is available here.

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A breakthrough on the horizon: Humans could begin receiving transplanted pig hearts by 2021 - Cardiovascular Business

Dont tell me the COVID-19 virus could not have been manufactured by China – WION

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So far, the global scientific community has been unable to identify a natural origin of, or a logical evolutionary pathway for, the COVID-19 virus.

In contrast, the entire history of coronavirus research is punctuated by the ubiquitous use of genetic engineering to produce new viral combinations, which makes a laboratory origin a far more likely scenario.

In 2008, just five years after the first 2002-2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) pandemic, Dr. Ralph Baric of the University of North Carolina published an article entitled Synthetic recombinant bat SARS-like coronavirus is infectious in cultured cells and in mice, in which he described the creation in the laboratory of an entirely new virus capable of producing a human SARS-like infection:

Here, we report the design, synthesis, and recovery of the largest synthetic replicating life form, a 29.7-kb bat severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-like coronavirus (Bat-SCoV), a likely progenitor to the SARS-CoV epidemic.

In that study, Baric demonstrated that his new synthetic virus was capable of infecting human lung cells to a similar extent as the first human SARS pandemic virus because he had genetically spliced the receptor binding domain (RBD) from the SARS virus onto his new artificial virus.

It is important to note that Dr Baric has been a long-time research collaborator with Zheng-Li Shi, the bat woman from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Similar to the 2008 study described above, Baric and Zheng-Li Shi jointly published a 2015 scientific article describing the insertion of the RBD from a newly isolated coronavirus (SHC014) into SARS-CoV-1, the coronavirus responsible for the 2002-2003 pandemic.

Baric and Zheng-Li Shi combined the components of two coronaviruses and produced another novel virus, SHC014-MA15, which showed robust viral replication both in vitro [cell cultures] and in vivo [animals], using models adapted to test for human infectivity.

Other genetic engineering techniques, such as the insertion of a furin polybasic basic cleavage site, which is found in the COVID-19 virus and in no other close natural relative, as well as individual artificial point mutations, have been widely used in coronavirus research.

Since the initial 2002-2003 SARS pandemic, which also originated in China, there have been attempts to create a broad-spectrum vaccine that would provide long-lasting protection against a variety of coronaviruses that might emerge from nature and infect humans.

One such approach has been the development of live-attenuated vaccines like those used for the childhood diseases measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox, in which a weakened or attenuated form of the virus that causes the disease is manufactured.

Because live-attenuated vaccines are so similar to the natural infection that they help prevent, a strong and long-lasting, even life-time immune response can be produced.

In a 2018 scientific article, Dr Baric offered a strategy for the development of a broad-spectrum, live-attenuated vaccine for coronaviruses.

Baric also identified the inherent danger of live-attenuated virus vaccines that they have been shown to revert back to their original pathogenic structure after administration to a recipient.

That risk is exponentially increased for self-spreading vaccines, which are essentially genetically engineered live-attenuated vaccines designed to move through populations in the same way as viruses, but rather than causing disease, conferring protection.

In my two previous articles, here and here, I cited evidence supporting the argument that the COVID-19 virus originated in connection with Chinas vaccine development program, in which a live-attenuated virus may have reverted to its deadly form after a human infection and then leaked from laboratory containment.

Given the mounting evidence, a non-natural origin for the COVID-19 pandemic demands investigation.

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Dont tell me the COVID-19 virus could not have been manufactured by China - WION

Despite fearmongering, GMOs are the key to a healthy and sustainable future – Queen’s Journal

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A lot of plant-based foods at the grocery store are labeled non-GMOas if genetically modified crops should be avoided. In reality, we ought to embrace the technology.

Genetic modification to our food is as old as agriculture itself. When humans began domesticating plants, we used selective breeding to enhance desired traits. This meant greater crop yields and bigger, tastier fruits and vegetables.

With the discovery of the DNA double helix in 1953, it eventually became possible to directly transfer favourable genes from one species to another. Naturally, this has dramatically expanded the scope of what we can do when compared to traditional methods of selective breeding.

The Non-GMO Project, which is responsible for all those labels on our food, argues consumers should have an informed choice about what they buy. But widespread anti-GMO sentiments are based on superstition, not facts.

Those who vehemently oppose GMOs claim our food is injected with viral particles and bacteria which are harmful to human health. In the most common genetically modified crop, corn, a gene from aninsect-killing bacterium is inserted. This allows the corn to produce a protein that kills insects but is harmless to humans, negating farmers need to spray potentially harmful insecticides on their crops.

There are plenty of substances that are deadly to one species but not another. Caffeine is a naturally-produced insecticide, but is consumed and enjoyed by humans every day.

Moreover, GMOs are essential to meeting the food demands of a growing population while minimizing the negative effects of agriculture on climate change. By engineering crops that need less water, we can create drought-resistant food sources at a time when droughts are becoming more frequent.

In addition, it may be possible to produce crops with a much greater yield so we can continue using farmland we already have and avoid clearing forests to create more.

Next time you see the label non-GMO on packaging at the grocery store, dont celebrate it. Theres no reason to shy away from a revolutionary technology that stands to aid us in the fight against climate change while improving human health.

Nathan is a fourth-year English student and The Journals Arts Editor.

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Despite fearmongering, GMOs are the key to a healthy and sustainable future - Queen's Journal

Transplanting Pig Hearts Into Human Beings? It Could Be A Reality By 2021 – International Business Times, Singapore Edition

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Critically Endangered And Endangered Species on Earth

The biggest hurdle faced by patients requiring organ transplants is the shortage of organ donors, with patients having to wait for over six months or more to be able to find one. This wait can be the decisive factor in their prognosis. However, a review states that hearts harvested from pigs could soon solve the drastic shortage of donor organs, and save and prolong lives.

A review paper by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) outlines the recent breakthroughs in the area of cardiac xenotransplantationimplantation of hearts from one species into another.

They highlighted the advancements in genetic engineering and the development of drugs that enabled the successful transplantation of pig hearts into baboons in Germany. Dr. Richard N. Pierson III, lead author of the paper, predicted that the first pig-to-human heart transplant could happen as early as the end of 2021.

In the paper, the authors discuss the quantum leaps that have aided in the overcoming of obstacles faced in cardiac xenotransplantation. An example is the recent transplantation of heart from pigs to baboons.

The immune systems of primates such as baboons identify pig hearts as "foreign" and launch an attack against them. This leads to organ rejection. To mitigate this, scientists have utilized genetic engineering techniques to create pigs with organs that lack specific carbohydrates that serve as the key target for the immune system.

Experiments have also shown that proteins in the lining of pig blood vessels and proteins in human blood are incompatible, and result in the formation of blood clots or thrombosis. The authors have also contributed to the development and testing of pigs that are designed to possess genes that responsible for the production of the human variant of a protein known as thrombomodulin, which moderates clotting.

Recipients of organ transplants are required to take medications to suppress the immune system and prevent the rejection of organs. "But those drugs don't work when you put a pig organ into a baboon," said Dr. Pierson.

In order to overcome the problem of blood clots, Dr. Pierson collaborated with other scientists to engineer monoclonal antibodies (mAb) that counter "costimulatory" molecules called CD154 and CD40. The mAbs perform effectively better than conventional immunosuppressants in preventing immune cells in baboons and humans from attacking organs from pigs.

The paper also addresses a valid concern that the current COVID-19 pandemic raises. Will transplantation of animal organs into humans transmit infectious diseases? "That looks quite unlikely. The culmination of a lot of research and hard work by our group and others over the last 35 years is that it now looks as though pig-to-human heart transplantation is feasible," answered Pierson.

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Transplanting Pig Hearts Into Human Beings? It Could Be A Reality By 2021 - International Business Times, Singapore Edition

A New Factory in France Will Mass-Produce Bugs as Food – Singularity Hub

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Though the worlds population is no longer predicted to grow as much as we thought by the end of this century, there are still going to be a lot more people on Earth in 30, 50, and 80 years than there are now. And those people are going to need healthy food that comes from a sustainable source. Technologies like cultured meat and fish, vertical farming, and genetic engineering of crops are all working to feed more people while leaving a smaller environmental footprint.

A new facility in northern France aims to help solve the future of food problem in a new, unexpected, and kind of cringe-inducing way: by manufacturing a huge volume of bugsfor eating.

Before you gag and close the page, though, wait; these particular bugs arent intended for human consumption, at least not directly.

Our food system and consumption patterns are problematic not just because of the food we eat, but because of the food our food eats. Factory farming uses up a ton of land and resources; a 2018 study found that while meat and dairy provide just 18 percent of the calories people consume, it uses 83 percent of our total farmland and produces 60 percent of agricultures greenhouse gas emissions. That farmland is partly taken up by the animals themselves, but its also used to grow crops like corn and soy exclusively for animal consumption.

And were not just talking cows and pigs. Seafood is part of the problem, too. Farm-raised salmon, for example, are fed not just smaller fish (which depletes ecosystems), but also soy thats grown on land.

Enter the insects. Or, more appropriately in this case, enter nsect, the French company with big ambitions to help change the way the world eats. nsect raised $125 million in Series C funding in early 2019, and at the time already had $70 million worth of aggregated orders to fill. Now theyre building a bug-farming plant to churn out tiny critters in record numbers.

Youve probably heard of vertical farms in the context of plants; most existing vertical farms use LED lights and a precise mixture of nutrients and water to grow leafy greens or other produce indoors. They maximize the surface area used for growing by stacking several layers of plants on top of one another; the method may not make for as much space as outdoor fields have, but can yield a lot more than you might think.

nsects new plant will use layered trays too, except theyll be cultivating beetle larvae instead of plants. The ceilings of the facility are 130 feet highthats a lot of vertical space to grow bugs in. Those of us who are grossed out by the thought will be glad to know that the whole operation will be highly automated; robots will tend to and harvest the beetles, and AI will be employed to keep tabs on important growing conditions like temperature and humidity.

The plant will initially be able to produce 20,000 tons of insect protein a year, and nsect is already working with the biggest fish feed company in the world, though production at the new facility isnt slated to start until 2022.

Besides fish feed, nsect is also marketing its product for use in fertilizer and pet food. Its uncertain how realistic the pet food angle is, as Id imagine most of us love our pets too much to feed them bugs. But who knowstheres plenty of hypothesizing that insects will be a central source of protein for people in the future, as theyre not only more sustainable than meat, but in some cases more nutritious too.

Well just have to come up with some really creative recipes.

Image Credit: nsect

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A New Factory in France Will Mass-Produce Bugs as Food - Singularity Hub

Flexion Therapeutics to Present at the 2020 Cell & Gene Virtual Meeting on the Mesa – GlobeNewswire

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BURLINGTON, Mass., Oct. 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.(Nasdaq:FLXN) announced today thatAdam Muzikant, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Business Development, will present at the annual 2020 Cell & Gene Virtual Meeting on the Mesa. Dr. Muzikant will provide a review of FX201, an investigational, intra-articular, IL-1Ra gene therapy product candidate in clinical development for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA).

The Company is conducting an open-label, Phase 1 dose-escalation trial evaluating the safety and tolerability of FX201 in patients with knee OA. The trial is intended to test low, mid and high doses of FX201 in cohorts of five to eight patients. Following the completion of the low-dose cohort and data review by an independent Drug Monitoring Committee, the trial has advanced to enrolling the mid-dose cohort. Data from the study are anticipated in 2021.

Organized by theAlliance for Regenerative Medicine, the 2020 Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mesa will be delivered in a virtual format over the course of five days beginning on October 12. The conference will feature more than 120 presentations by leading public and private companies highlighting the technical and clinical achievements in the areas of cell therapy, gene therapy, gene editing, tissue engineering and broader regenerative medicine technologies.

About FX201FX201 (humantakinogene hadenovec) is a novel, clinical-stage, intra-articular gene therapy product candidate which utilizes a helper-dependent adenovirus (HDAd) vector based on human serotype 5 (Ad5) that is designed to transfer a gene to cells in the joint to produce an anti-inflammatory protein, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), under the control of an inflammation-sensitive promoter. Inflammation is a known cause of pain, and chronic inflammation is thought to play a major role in the progression of OA. By persistently suppressing inflammation, Flexion believes FX201 holds the potential to provide long-term pain relief and functional improvement, and to modify disease progression.

About Flexion TherapeuticsFlexion Therapeutics(Nasdaq:FLXN) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel, local therapies for the treatment of patients with musculoskeletal conditions, beginning with OA, the most common form of arthritis. The company's core values are focus, ingenuity, tenacity, transparency and fun. Visitflexiontherapeutics.com.

Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the current expectations and beliefs of Flexion. Statements in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts, including, but not limited to, statements relating to the future of Flexion; timing and plans with respect to the Phase 1 clinical trial of FX201; and the potential therapeutic and other benefits of FX201, are forward looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on managements expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the fact that the impacts and expected duration of the COVID-19 pandemic are uncertain and rapidly changing; the risk that we may not be able to maintain and enforce our intellectual property, including intellectual property related to FX201; risks related to clinical trials, including potential delays, safety issues or negative results; and other risks and uncertainties described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including under the heading Risk Factors in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 filed with the SEC on August 5, 2020 and subsequent filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of the statements. We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Contacts:

Scott YoungVice President, Corporate Communications & Investor RelationsFlexion Therapeutics, Inc.T: 781-305-7194syoung@flexiontherapeutics.com

Julie DownsAssociate Director, Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.T: 781-305-7137jdowns@flexiontherapeutics.com

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American Gene Technologies to Present at 2020 Virtual Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mesa – GlobeNewswire

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CSO C. David Pauza, Ph.D. Presents on Cell and Gene Therapy for HIV Disease

Chief Science Officer C. David Pauza, Ph.D. Presents At the Intersection of Genetic Medicine and Immunotherapy: Clinical Experience with a Cell and Gene Therapy for HIV Disease

ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AmericanGene Technologies(AGT)a cutting-edge cell and gene therapy company in Rockville, Maryland announced today that CEO Jeff Galvin will present at the annual Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mesa. The meeting will be held virtually October 12-16. Galvins presentation will highlight the company's technology, including AGT103-T, a therapeutic intended to cure HIV, which is scheduled to begin Phase 1 clinical trials this month.

Specifics of AGTs clinical trial can be found at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04561258, and details of the HIV therapy intended to cure the disease are on the AGT web site.

Organized by the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine, the Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mesa is a five-day virtual conference featuring more than 120 presentations from the leading public and private companies. These presentations will highlight the most exciting technical and clinical achievements from the past 12 months in cell therapy, gene therapy, gene editing, tissue engineering, and broader regenerative medicine technologies. The meeting also includes over 100 panelists and features speakers taking part in 20 in-depth sessions covering all aspects of cell and gene therapy commercialization.

The following are specific details regarding AmericanGene Technologies presentation at the conference:

Please visit http://www.meetingonthemesa.com for full information including registration. Complimentary attendance at this event is available for accredited investors and members of the media. Investors should contact Laura Stringham at lstringham@alliancerm.org and interested media should contact Kaitlyn Dupont at kdupont@alliancerm.org. The event hashtag is #CGMOM20.

About American Gene Technologies (AGT)

AmericanGene Technologies(AGT)is a gene and cell therapy company with a proprietary gene-delivery platform for rapid development of cell and gene therapies. AGTs mission is to transform peoples lives by designing highly effective therapeutics to cure infectious diseases, cancers, and inherited disorders. AGT has received three patents for the technology used to make the AGT103-T cell product and ten patents for its uniqueimmuno-oncology approachto stimulategamma-delta () T cellsto destroy a variety of solid tumors. The company has also developed a synthetic gene for treating Phenylketonuria (PKU), a debilitating inherited disease. AGT's treatment for PKU has been grantedOrphan Drug Designationby the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and it is expected to reach the clinic in 2021.

More information is available on:

Website - http://www.americangene.comLinkedIn - LinkedInTwitter -@americangeneFacebook -@amerigeneInstagram -@americangenetechnologies

American Gene Technologies Contacts:

C. Neil Lyons, Chief Financial OfficerPhone: (301) 337-2269Email:info@americangene.comwww.americangene.com

Sasha Whitaker, Digital Marketing and CommunicationsPhone: (301) 337-2100Email:swhitaker@americangene.comwww.americangene.com

A video is available at the following link:https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2623868c-a33f-49c1-bc46-0c114cbd1d83

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American Gene Technologies to Present at 2020 Virtual Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mesa - GlobeNewswire

UGA names 20 new Foundation Fellows – University of Georgia

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This fall, the University of Georgia welcomed 20 of the top students from around the nation into its incoming class for 2020-2021 through the Foundation Fellowship, the highest academic scholarship the university awards.

These new Foundation Fellows had an average SAT of 1544, an average ACT of 34.9 and an average high school GPA of 4.21 on a 4.0 scaleextra points indicate advanced placement courses.

Administered by the UGA Honors Program, the Foundation Fellowship was created in 1972 by trustees of the UGA Foundation to enrich the educational experience of outstanding undergraduates. This years recipients were selected from 800-plus applicants.

Through the Fellowship, in-state students receive an annual stipend of $12,400 and the Zell Miller Scholarship. Out-of-state students receive an annual stipend of $20,400 and out-of-state tuition waivers. In addition to group travel-study experiences, including a Maymester study abroad at Oxford University and three spring trips, Fellows also receive individual travel grants and funding for research and academic conference attendance.

The 20 new Foundation Fellows, listed below with their high school, hometown and major, bring the total number of current recipients to 97.

The Foundation Fellows are enrolled in the UGA Honors Program, which had 718 new students this fall. Overall, new Honors students had an average high school GPA of 4.06, an average SAT of 1517 and an average ACT of 34 (English and math only).

For more information about the UGA Honors Program and the scholarships it administers, visit https://honors.uga.edu/.

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UGA names 20 new Foundation Fellows - University of Georgia

University Sees Record-Breaking Year In Grant Funding News Center – Montclaire News

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October 7, 2020

Across disciplines, faculty have received more than $22M in grants to further programs and research

Posted in: Homepage News, Research, University

Montclair State faculty, leading educational programs and research in multiple disciplines across the University attracted a record-breaking $22.4 million in external grant funding for fiscal year 2020, shattering the FY 2019 record of $17.9 million.

Researchers in fields as diverse as biochemistry, educational leadership, environmental science, social work, modern languages and psychology are investigating everything from STEM education for Hispanic students and their families to school security climate, neurotransmitter functionality, K-12 education inclusion for children with disabilities, enzyme inhibitors for memory loss and so much more.

Funders include a growing and varied list of federal, state, local and private sponsors including the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Education and National Institute of Justice.

Ted Russo, director of Research and Sponsored Programs, reports the dollar amount is also nearly double what the University attracted just eight years ago, in FY 2012. Grants have seen steady growth each year during the last decade, and the University is off to a strong start for FY 2021 with $6 million in new funding announced in just the first few months.

Vice Provost for Research Scott Herness points out that the record breaking year coming after our R2 status, really solidifies our standing as a public research institution.

These grants show that our University is headed in exactly the right direction, increasing its research endeavors and our funding portfolio, says Herness. Its great for our faculty and for our students, who are getting lots of opportunities to participate in research.

Included in the FY 2020 funding:

In the first few months of FY 2021, the University has received approximately $6 million in new funding, including:

Story by Staff Writer Mary Barr Mann

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University Sees Record-Breaking Year In Grant Funding News Center - Montclaire News

The benefits of Vitamin D in the COVID-19 pandemic: biochemical and immunological mechanisms – DocWire News

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This article was originally published here

Arch Physiol Biochem. 2020 Oct 8:1-9. doi: 10.1080/13813455.2020.1826530. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In December 2019, a new infectious complication called CoronaVirus Infectious Disease-19, briefly COVID-19, caused by SARS-COV-2, is identified in Wuhan, China. It spread all over the world and became a pandemic. In many individuals who had suffered SARS-COV-2 infection, cytokine storm starts through cytokine overproduction and leads to Acute Respiratory Syndrome (ARS), organ failure, and death. According to the obtained evidence, Vitamin D (VitD) enhances the ACE2/Ang(1-7)/MasR pathway activity, and it also reduces cytokine storms and the ARS risk. Therefore, VitD intake may be beneficial for patients with SARS-COV-2 infection exposed to cytokine storm but do not suffer hypotension. In the present review, we have explained the effects of VitD on the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) function and angiotensin-converting enzyme2 (ACE2) expression. Furthermore, we have reviewed the biochemical and immunological effects of VitD on immune function in the underlying diseases and its role in the COVID-19 pandemic.

PMID:33030073 | DOI:10.1080/13813455.2020.1826530

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The benefits of Vitamin D in the COVID-19 pandemic: biochemical and immunological mechanisms - DocWire News

Take-home labs and virtual dissections: How the science courses are adjusting – The Scout

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Labs have gone hybrid as classes are in person or remote. Photo by Morgan Patrick.

One of the biggest shifts as college and the COVID-19 pandemic collided may have been in the sciences, where a hands-on curriculum plays a big role in student academics.

This past summer, a team of about 40 professors from all departments across campus had meetings to discuss virtual learning and to determine how much face-to-face interaction would be necessary.

In biology, all the labs were kept in-person except for the anatomy labs and major level genetics labs. These labs involve dissections, which could prove difficult to continue if the university decided to shut down all in-person classes. Hence, professors deemed it best to keep these labs virtual instead of shifting back and forth, given the uncertain possibilities.

We discovered very quickly that the virtual dissections that are now available are of high quality and were not even available five years ago, said Kelly McConnaughay, biology professor and acting dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Students have responded positively to these online labs.

My lab professor gives us an informative walk through the experiment outlines as we identify the three-dimensional structures of proteins, genetic mutations, etc., said Dainaly Campuzeno, a senior biomedical science and psychology major. Its been a pretty good experience so far, but it definitely does not beat hands-on experience.

Some other labs, like the Science 101 series, provided remote learners with kits to work on experiments from the comfort of their own homes while being challenged to come up with hypotheses and discover ways to either accept or reject them.

In our department, we have never given students cookbook labs, like Mix this with this and pour this, then write this number down, said Sherri Morris, chair and professor of biology and co-director of Bradleys Center of STEM Education. We encourage them to make observations and challenge themselves to have a certain level of engagement.

In the biochemistry department, all senior-level students are taking their labs in-person due to smaller class numbers and lack of remote learners.

The associate professor and chair of the chemistry and biochemistry department, Michelle Fry, said that students who had to quarantine could even make up missed labs after the quarantine period.

The psychology department is offering the behavioral neuroscience lab this semester, both virtually and in-person. The lab includes the dissection of sheep brains. Students learn about the biological basis of behaviors in animals by locating important structures in the brain that are responsible for daily functions. The lab is offered in-person and virtually.

Even though our intent this summer was to be face-to-face during the fall, I dont think we fully grasped the challenges that came with it, like wearing masks and classroom sizes, said Timothy Koeltzow, associate professor and chair of the psychology department.

For virtual learners, a document camera is used to show the dissections while students in the classroom do the brain dissecting themselves in the labs.

There are other internship opportunities through community partnerships offered this semester in the psychology department, which were impacted by the pandemic. Most of the training for those partnerships had to be moved online to reduce contact, as much as possible.

Something good about all of this is that we will be on the other end of this pandemic with a capability to deliver every course in our portfolio online, under the right circumstances, Koeltzow said. This gives us options to engage non-traditional learners or people who almost finished their degree but could not do so, due to other circumstances.

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Take-home labs and virtual dissections: How the science courses are adjusting - The Scout

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Analyzer Market 2020: Global Industry COVID-19 Impact on Size, Growth Research, Share, Segmentation, Total Revenue,…

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Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Analyzer Market Research Report estimate the size of the market for 2020 and project its growth by 2025. It provides a detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis of the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Analyzer market. And collect useful data for this extensive, commercial study of the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Analyzer market. The global Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Analyzer report is a basic hold of information, essentially for the business executives.

Get a Sample Copy of this Report https://www.orianresearch.com/request-sample/1694592

The LEADING COMPANIES profiled in this report include:

LAR

Hach

Lovibond

VELP

YSI (Xylem)

Skalar

Mantech-Inc

Mettler Toledo

Thermo Fisher Scientific

WTW (Xylem)

Camlab

Ohkura.

The report firstly introduced the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Analyzer basics: definitions, classifications, applications and market overview; product specifications; manufacturing processes; cost structures, raw materials and so on. Then it analyzed the worlds main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, supply, demand and market growth rate and forecast etc. In the end, the report introduced new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.

Inquire more or share questions if any on this report- https://www.orianresearch.com/enquiry-before-buying/1694592

What You Can Expect From Our Report:

Total Addressable Market [Present Market Size forecasted to 2025 with CAGR]

Regional level split [North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and Middle East & Africa]

Country wise Market Size Split [Important countries with major market share]

Market Size Breakdown by Product/ Service Types [ ]

Market Size by Application/Industry COVID-19 Impact on verticals/ End Users [ ]

Market Share and Revenue/Sales of 10-15 Leading Players in the Market

Production Capacity of Leading Players whenever applicable

Market Trends Emerging Technologies/products/start-ups, PESTEL Analysis, SWOT Analysis, Porters Five Forces, etc.

Pricing Trend Analysis Average pricing across regions

Brand wise Ranking of Major Market Players globally

Secondary Research: Secondary research studies critical information about the industrial value chain, core pool of people, and applications. We also helped market segmentation based on the Industry COVID-19 Impact ons lowest level of Industry COVID-19 Impact on, geographical markets and key developments in market and technology-driven core development.

Market segmentation, by Product Types:

Laboratory BOD Analyzer

Portable BOD Analyzer

Online BOD Analyzer.

Market segmentation, by End-use:

Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants

Industrial Production Facilities

Laboratories

Others.

Market segmentation, by regions:

Asia-Pacific[China, Southeast Asia, India, Japan, Korea, Western Asia]

Europe[Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Spain, Netherlands, Turkey, Switzerland]

North America[United States, Canada, Mexico]

Middle East & Africa[GCC, North Africa, South Africa]

South America [Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Chile, Peru].

Development policies and plans that can be immediate impact on worldwide market. The study is a collection of primary and secondary data that contains valuable information from the major suppliers of the market. The forecast is based on data from 2020 to the present date and forecasts until 2025, Easy to analyze other graphs and tables people looking for key Industry COVID-19 Impact on data in easily accessible documents.

Order a copy of Global Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Analyzer Market Report @ https://www.orianresearch.com/checkout/1694592

Major Points from Table of Contents:-

Part 1 Market Overview

Part 2 Key Companies

Part 3 Global Market Status and Future Forecast

Part 4 Asia-Pacific Market Status and Future Forecast

Part 5 Europe Market Status and Future Forecast

Part 6 North America Market Status and Future Forecast

Part 7 South America Market Status and Future Forecast

Part 8 Middle East & Africa Market Status and Future Forecast

Part 9 Market Features

Part 10 Investment Opportunity

PART 11 Coronavirus Impact

Part 12 Conclusion

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Orian Research provides customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.

About Us:

Orian Research is one of the most comprehensive collections of market intelligence reports on the World Wide Web. Our reports repository boasts of over 500000+ Industry COVID-19 Impact on and country research reports from over 100 top publishers. We continuously update our repository so as to provide our clients easy access to the worlds most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, and products. We also specialize in custom research in situations where our syndicate research offerings do not meet the specific requirements of our esteemed clients.

Contact Us

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Vice President Global Sales & Partner Relations

Orian Research Consultants

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Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Analyzer Market 2020: Global Industry COVID-19 Impact on Size, Growth Research, Share, Segmentation, Total Revenue,...

Faculty and Staff Receive Nearly $9 Million in Grants, Contracts in Q1 – CSUF News

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Cal State Fullerton faculty and staff received close to $9 million in funding during the first quarter of the university's 2020-21 fiscal year. Supported projects ranged from developing a robotic aid system for blinded veterans and documenting the experiences of underrepresented women in California agriculture, to funding CSUF's GEAR UP and Upward Bound programs.

Dawn Macy, director of the Center for Internships and Community Engagement: $1,780,840 in total funding

Joshua Bilbrew,director of CSUFs GEAR UP program: $1,116,440 from the U.S. Department of Education in support of Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP).

Diana Vasquez, director of CSUF Upward Bound: $728,821 in total from the U.S. Department of Education

David Chenot, professor of social work: $658,279 continuing award from the Health Resources and Service Administration for the Health Careers Opportunity Program.Related: Program Helps Students See the Opportunities inAllied Health Care

Sadeeka Al-Majid, professor of nursing: $650,000 in first-year funding for a $3.25 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration for the project "Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students/Enriching Nursing Representation to Impact Community Health."Related: $3.25 Million Grant to Increase Pipeline of Nurses in Underserved Communities

Alyssa Hernandez, director of Educational Talent Search: continuation awards totaling $605,788 from the U.S. Department of Education

Brady Heiner, associate professor of philosophy: $540,218 in total. He received $50,000 from the North Orange County Public Safety Task Force for the "Project Rebound House Initiative, CSUF Year 4" project, and $490,218 from the State of California

Related: Boundless Opportunity: Project Rebound Opens Doors for the Formerly Incarcerated

Stephanie Vaughn, professor of nursing emeritus: $494,061 continuing grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration for the project titled "EMBRACE: Enrichment Markers of Better Relationship, Academics and Cultural Enhancement."Related: EMBRACE Promotes Cultural Sensitivity, Workforce Diversity in Nursing

Nicholas Brubaker, assistant professor of mathematics, and Wylie Ahmed, assistant professor of physics: $364,582 from the National Science Foundation for the project titled "RUI: Active Noise in the Dynamics of Self-Propelled Particles Stochastic Modeling and Experiments."

Gina Passante, associate professor of physics: $347,901 from the National Science Foundation for the project titled "Collaborative Research: Connecting Spins-First Quantum Mechanics Instruction to Quantum Information Science."

Kelvin Billingsley, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry: $319,500 in continuing funding from the National Institutes of Health for the project titled "Hyperpolarized 13C Probes for Imaging Warburg Metabolism in Cancer."

Joshua Smith, professor of physics: $254,559 in total from the National Science Foundation

Kiran George, professor of computer engineering: $199,211 from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for "Design and Development of a Teach-by-Showing Paradigm-Based Robotic Aid System for Blinded Veterans."

Sara Johnson, professor of anthropology: $150,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the "U-ACRE Project: Broadening Opportunities for High Impact Service-Learning Experiences in Agroecological Research" project.Related: Lessons From the Lowly Sweet Potato: U-ACRE Researchers Unearth Knowledge and Cultivate Sustainability

Adam Roberts, assistant professor of psychology: $110,985 from the National Institute of Health for the "Mapping Neural Connectivity in Zebrafish Larvae Using a Photoconvertible Protein" project.

Yinfei Kong, associate professor of information systems and decision sciences: $98,632 continuing award as part of a four-year National Institutes of Health grant for the project "Gender Disparities in Access and Engagement In Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder" in collaboration with the University of Chicago.Related: Titan Data Scientist to Study Gender Differences inOpioid Treatment

Geoffrey Lovelace, associate professor of physics: $84,668 continuing award from the National Science Foundation for the CAREER project titled "Computational Gravitational-Wave Science and Education."

Zair Ibragimov, professor of mathematics: two awards from University Enterprises, Inc., totaling $82,500 for "CSU-LSAMP 2018-2023." The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation is a program to increase disadvantaged students' preparedness, persistence and retention in STEM programs.

Adriana Badillo, program director of the Center for Educational Partnerships: $76,621 continuation award from the City of Anaheim for the College Internship Program.

Jocelyn Read, assistant professor of physics: $67,213 from the National Science Foundation for "RUI: Dense Matter and Gravitational Waves: The Coalescence of Neutron Star Binaries."

Michael Boytim, assistant director of the nurse anesthesia program: $44,630 from the Health Resources and Services Administration for the Nurse Anesthetist Traineeships project.Related: Titans Test Use of Anesthesia Machinesas Ventilators for COVID-19 Patients

Danielle Zacherl, professor of biological sciences: $33,304 from Orange County Coastkeepers for the project titled "Newport Bay Living Shorelines Project."

Marcelo Tolmasky, professor of biological science: $24,659 from the San Diego State University Research Foundation for the San Diego-MHRT project.

Natalie Fousekis, professor of history: $24,580 from the U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service for "Documenting the Experiences of Mexican, Filipina and Chicana Women in California Agriculture."

Jessica Jaynes, assistant professor of mathematics and Valerie Poynor, assistant professor of mathematics: $19,812 from Los Angeles City College for the "STEM Pathways Program Summer Research 2020" project.

Robert Lockie, associate professor of kinesiology: $19,071 from the National Strength and Conditioning Association Foundation for the project titled "The Effects of Structured Strength and Conditioning Programs on Motor Skills, Movement Competency and Physical Fitness of High School Athletes."

Jennifer Burnaford, professor of biological science: $16,238 continuing award from UC Santa Cruz for "Assessment of Rocky Intertidal habitats for the California Marine Protected Area Monitoring Program."

Michael Groves, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry: $16,005 in first-year funding of a three-year award from the American Chemical Society for the project titled "Calculating Reaction Barriers for Benzene Hydroxylation to Phenol Using Graphene Based Catalysts."

Dorothy Woolum, professor emeritus of physics: $10,000 from the California Institute of Technology for the project titled "Genesis Samples."

Do Kyeong Lee, assistant professor of kinesiology: $8,820 continuation award from New York University for the "Play and Learning Across a Year" project.

Bo Y. Park, assistant professor of public health: $8,000 from the University of Southern California for "Planning and Engaging in Advance Care for Health (PEACH)."

Contact: Karen Lindell, klindell@fullerton.edu

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Faculty and Staff Receive Nearly $9 Million in Grants, Contracts in Q1 - CSUF News

UCI researcher receives NIH Transformative Research Award – UCI News

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Irvine, Calif., Oct. 6, 2020 University of California, Irvine biomedical engineer Chang Liu is the recipient of one of nine Directors Transformative Research Awards this year from the National Institutes of Health under its High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program, the agency announced today.

Lius five-year, $8.4 million grant will support a project to develop a system for making antibody generation a routine and widely accessible process.

It is hard to overstate the importance of monoclonal antibodies in the life sciences, said Liu, UCI associate professor of biomedical engineering who also holds appointments in the Department of Chemistry and Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry. Antibodies are critical tools in biomedical research and diagnostics, and they are a growing class of therapeutics to combat cancer and pathogens up to and including the virus responsible for COVID-19.

Liu said current methods for making custom antibodies are slow, costly, inaccessible to most researchers and often unsuccessful. His NIH proposal centers on simplifying the process through continuous and rapid evolution of high-quality antibodies requiring only the simple culturing of yeast cells.

He said his autonomously evolving yeast-displayed antibodies technology could have a transformative impact across the biomedicine field by turning monoclonal antibody generation into a rapid, scalable and accessible process where any lab with standard molecular biology capabilities can generate custom antibodies on demand.

We believe this can be achieved by combining our new technology for continuous protein evolution, a yeast antigen-presenting cell that we will engineer, and cutting-edge generative machine learning algorithms for antibody library design, he said.

Liu said that in addition to the continuous directed-evolution techniques that he has invented in his UCI laboratory, the project will rely on antibody design and artificial intelligence expertise provided by his collaborators and co-PIs of the project, Andrew Kruse and Debora Marks at Harvard Medical School.

The project could potentially result in an explosion of crowdsourced antibody sequence data that will train our machine-learning algorithms to design better antibody libraries for our autonomous evolution system, starting a virtuous cycle, he said.

In addition to contributing to cancer and anti-viral therapies, Liu said he and his fellow researchers will attempt to generate nanobodies against biogenic receptors that respond to acetylcholine, adrenaline, dopamine and other neurotransmitters. The goal of this work will be to develop a better understanding of psychopharmaceuticals in neurobiology and addiction.

In the past, the Transformative Research Award has allowed some of the most ambitious and impactful ideas in biomedicine to blossom, and several previous winners are scientific heroes of mine, said Liu. We have big shoes to fill, but we are up to the challenge.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 222 degree programs. Its located in one of the worlds safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange Countys second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit http://www.uci.edu.

Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at communications.uci.edu/for-journalists.

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UCI researcher receives NIH Transformative Research Award - UCI News

Walther Cancer Foundation $11 million investment to expand IU-Purdue bioinformatics collaboration – Purdue News Service

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October 8, 2020

Nadia Lanman, a research assistant professor in Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine's Department of Comparative Pathobiology and member of the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, plays a key role in the computational bioinformatics program at Purdue University that is supported by the Walther Cancer Foundation. Through computational bioinformatics, Lanman attempts to discover the molecular mechanisms that underlie cancer and that determine the response of patients to chemotherapy. (Photo provided)Download Photo

INDIANAPOLIS AND WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Walther Cancer Foundation will invest $11 million to advance collaborative cancer research at Indiana University and Purdue University by supporting scientists through bioinformatics an increasingly critical aspect of their work.

Bioinformatics involves managing and analyzing the massive amounts of data generated by scientific research turning data into knowledge that could lead to new cancer treatments.

We hope this gift enables scientists at IU and Purdue to dig more deeply and refine their studies so they can point out new pathways to good patient outcomes in cancer, said Tom Grein, president and CEO of the Walther Cancer Foundation. Sometimes you have so much data, its hard to comprehend where its leading you. I hope the data-driven analysis will uncover nuggets of opportunity that would otherwise never be seen.

Income from the new Walther Cancer Foundation Bioinformatics Fund will continuously support bioinformatics personnel, technology, and other tools shared by the cancer research programs at both universities. In addition, IU and Purdue will make their own investments into the fund.

The Walther Cancer Foundation leadership understands the central importance of data and analytics in developing better treatments and, ultimately, cures for cancer, said IU School of Medicine Dean Jay L. Hess, MD, PhD, MPH.We are tremendously grateful for their support and the confidence they have in our work.

Timothy Ratliff, the Robert Wallace Miller Director of the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, said the latest gift from the Walther Foundation is a continuation of a longstanding collaboration, commitment and investment that will build on the centers success in cancer drug discovery and development and will help sustain the centers computational genomics and bioinformatics core for years to come. "Once again, we are grateful to the Walther Cancer Foundations vision and generosity, which is so important to our research and success. This continuing partnership, plus our own investments and fundraising, will secure what weve already established and enable us to grow into the future."

Kelvin Lee, M.D., named this week as the new director of the IU Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center and the H.H. Gregg Professor of Oncology, said having strong capabilities in bioinformatics is essential to cancer research.

The genetic, biochemical, cellular and immune pathways that can lead to cancer are extraordinarily complex and intertwined. Recent cutting-edge advances in technology means that researchers now have unprecedented amounts of data on these pathways, but this seriously challenges our ability to analyze these huge mounds of information to make sense of what is actually going on, Lee said. We are fortunate that the Walther Cancer Foundation understands that breakthroughs require the expertise and the tools, like artificial intelligence, to help us analyze all this data so we can understand whats really important.

This level of collaboration and sharing of a key resource like a bioinformatics core is unusual among a pair of National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers. But it also reflects the complementary nature of the two institutions.

Purdues Center for Cancer Research is a basic science cancer research center with more than 110 researchers that is a leader in biomedical engineering and cancer drug development.

The IU Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center is a comprehensive cancer center with nearly 250 cancer researchers who conduct basic lab work and drug development but who are also engaged in clinical care and population health research.

Each of them has different capabilities, different levels of expertise, different interests, Grein said. But when you get scientists to collaborate, the outcomes are better.

Since its founding in 1985, the Walther Cancer Foundation has invested more than $165 million in cancer-focused medical research and in research and education aimed at supporting cancer patients and their families.

Walther has previously supported cancer bioinformatics at IU and Purdue on a year-to-year basis. This new gift establishes a fund that will ensure the bioinformatics work continues in perpetuity.

The Walther Foundation endowment provides the opportunity to develop the expertise and the tools that are needed to face current and future challenges in biology and the cancer field, said Majid Kazemian, an assistant professor in Purdues departments of Biochemistry and Computer Science. His research focuses on integrating computational and experimental approaches to study pathogen interaction with host cells and immune system in infectious diseases and cancers caused by pathogens.

"The Purdue University Center for Cancer Research has nearly 100 investigators who are actively engaged in understanding molecular mechanisms of various diseases including lung, liver and prostate cancers, many of which have begun to utilize genomics data in their studies, Kazemian said. "Large genomic public data on many diseases generated over the last decade are a treasure trove of unexplored information. Walther Foundation's funds endowment will enable analysis of big data generated by our centers members and collaborators as well as an exploration of growing public genomics data to contextualize and translate our findings."

Less-costly access to bioinformatics expertise and resources enabled by Walther Foundation will open up

Timothy Ratliff, the Robert Wallace Miller Director of the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, works in a lab at the center. (Purdue University photo/John Underwood)Download Photo

new avenues for many of the Purdue center's scientists to broaden the impact and clinical translation of their discoveries, Kazemian said. "It will also encourage our scientists to perform large-scale genomics assays and will foster new collaborations.

Harikrishna Nakshatri, Ph.D., the Marian J. Morrison Professor of Breast Cancer Research at IU School of Medicine, said he relies on bioinformaticians to design experiments, analyze data and assist him in publishing research results more quickly. The Walther Foundation gift supports that very expensive process, and the collaboration means researchers have more bioinformaticians available when they are needed. All of it combines, Nakshatri said, to enable scientists to reach conclusions that have real benefits for patients.

If you really believe in your hypothesis, Nakshatri said, now you have a chance to test it because you are not burdened by the financial aspects.

According to Hess, the new resources will allow IUs partnership with Purdue to continue to improve the health of Hoosiers. We have worked closely for decades, Hess said. This new collaboration in data sciences will accelerate our ability to benefit cancer patients across the state and far beyond.

About the Walther Cancer Foundation

The Indianapolis-based Walther Cancer Foundation is a private grant-making foundation that supports and promotes interdisciplinary and inter-institutional cancer research, both bench and clinical. The clinical research it supports encompasses clinical trials as well as behavioral studies, the latter as part of the foundations commitment to Supportive Oncology. The Walther Foundation has two primary goals: to support cancer research with the aim of discovering better treatments, if not cures, and to develop a comprehensive approach for supporting patients with cancer and their families. Since its founding, the foundation has invested over $165 million cancer-focused research.

Dr. Kelvin Lee, director of the IU Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center (Photo provided) Download Photo

About the Purdue Center for Cancer Research

Since 1978, the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research has been a National Cancer Institute-designated basic-research cancer center. Only seven institutions in the United States have earned this title. Being a basic-research center means it does not treat cancer patients directly. Its work focuses on investigating cancers where they begin at the cellular level to investigate the cause of, and cure for, one of the most devastating killers of our time. Doctors and scientists throughout the world use the centers discoveries to develop methods, medicines and medical devices to save and enhance patient lives.

About the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center

The Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center is home to the cure of testicular cancer, the worlds only healthy breast tissue bank and is just one of 51 NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation. The prestigious comprehensive designation recognizes the centers excellence in basic, clinical, and population research, outstanding educational activities, and effective community outreach program across the state. Its physician-scientists have made protocol-defining discoveries that have changed the way doctors treat numerous forms of cancer.

Media contacts: Jim Bush, 765-336-1909, jsbush@purdue.edu

Katie Duffey, 317-278-3630, kaduffey@iu.edu

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Walther Cancer Foundation $11 million investment to expand IU-Purdue bioinformatics collaboration - Purdue News Service

Scientists develop new tools to study the immune system – Folio – University of Alberta

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University of Alberta chemists have developed new tools for studying the human immune system that lay the foundation for research that could improve understanding of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers.

Our lab studies sugar-binding receptors called Siglecs that control cells in our immune system, explained Matthew Macauley, assistant professor in the Faculty of Science and Canada Research Chair in Chemical Glycoimmunology. Studying the sugar-binding properties of Siglecs is challenging because these biochemical interactions are weaker than typical protein-protein interactions.

To address this, the research team used a velcro-like effect called avidity to strengthen these interactions, making them easier to study.

These advances are facilitating our understanding of the roles that Siglecs play in neurodegeneration and cancer, said Macauley.

Emily Rodrigues, a PhD candidate in the Macauley laboratory who is supported by an Alberta Innovates Graduate Student Scholarship, led the study.

The tools were designed in a way that would make them compatible with many different methods of testing, including mass spectrometry, explained Rodrigues. This work, done with Professor John Klassen, opens up many new avenues for studying these receptors that were not previously possible.

The research team applied the new tools to examine the sugars recognized by a protein called CD33, a protein Macauley previously studied for its role in Alzheimers disease.

Using these new tools, we were able to clarify the biochemical nature of the sugars recognized by CD33which turned out to be more broad than previously believed, explained Macauley.

Certain people in the population have a version of CD33 that cant recognize sugars, and these individuals have a decreased probability of developing Alzheimers disease. The implications are that interactions between CD33 and sugars are detrimental. Ultimately, a better understanding of the sugars that CD33 recognizes could lead to a strategy for targeting CD33-sugar interactions as a way of treating the disease.

This project is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, GlycoNet and Alberta Innovates.

The first study, A Versatile Soluble Siglec Scaffold for Sensitive and Quantitative Detection of Glycan Ligands, was published in Nature Communications. The second, Mass Spectrometry-Based Shotgun Glycomics for Discovery of Natural Ligands of Glycan-Binding Proteins was published in Analytical Chemistry.

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Scientists develop new tools to study the immune system - Folio - University of Alberta

Should We Be Excited About The Trends Of Returns At Changmao Biochemical Engineering (HKG:954)? – Simply Wall St

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If we want to find a stock that could multiply over the long term, what are the underlying trends we should look for? In a perfect world, wed like to see a company investing more capital into its business and ideally the returns earned from that capital are also increasing. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. However, after investigating Changmao Biochemical Engineering (HKG:954), we dont think its current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger.

If you havent worked with ROCE before, it measures the return (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Changmao Biochemical Engineering:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets Current Liabilities)

0.055 = CN36m (CN757m CN107m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2020).

Therefore, Changmao Biochemical Engineering has an ROCE of 5.5%. Ultimately, thats a low return and it under-performs the Chemicals industry average of 11%.

Check out our latest analysis for Changmao Biochemical Engineering

While the past is not representative of the future, it can be helpful to know how a company has performed historically, which is why we have this chart above. If you want to delve into the historical earnings, revenue and cash flow of Changmao Biochemical Engineering, check out these free graphs here.

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Changmao Biochemical Engineering doesnt inspire confidence. To be more specific, ROCE has fallen from 7.1% over the last five years. And considering revenue has dropped while employing more capital, wed be cautious. If this were to continue, you might be looking at a company that is trying to reinvest for growth but is actually losing market share since sales havent increased.

From the above analysis, we find it rather worrisome that returns on capital and sales for Changmao Biochemical Engineering have fallen, meanwhile the business is employing more capital than it was five years ago. It should come as no surprise then that the stock has fallen 30% over the last five years, so it looks like investors are recognizing these changes. Unless these trends revert to a more positive trajectory, we would look elsewhere.

One more thing to note, weve identified 3 warning signs with Changmao Biochemical Engineering and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

For those who like to invest in solid companies, check out this free list of companies with solid balance sheets and high returns on equity.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. *Interactive Brokers Rated Lowest Cost Broker by StockBrokers.com Annual Online Review 2020

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Should We Be Excited About The Trends Of Returns At Changmao Biochemical Engineering (HKG:954)? - Simply Wall St