SENS: Strategies for engineering negligible senescence

From today’s Washington Post (I know, it’s not the FNP, but at least it’s a”local” story):

Aubrey David Nicholas Jasper de Grey, 44, recently of Britain’s Cambridge University, advocates not myth but “strategies for engineering negligible senescence,” or SENS. It means curing aging.

With adequate funding, de Grey thinks scientists may, within a decade, triple the remaining life span of late-middle-age mice. The day this announcement is made, he believes, the news will hit people like a brick as they realize that their cells could be next. He speculates people will start abandoning risky jobs, such as being police officers, or soldiers

His argument is quite simple: If aging accounts for 2/3 of all human death, then why aren’t we trying to “cure” aging? Does anyone know of any local labs (most of these are likely to be within the Ft Detrick) working on SENS/aging research?

FITCI Fall Lecture Series

There are still a few more events scheduled in teh FITCI Fall Lecture Series. Not specifically Biotech, but I thought there may be a few of you out there who are interested:

FITCI’s/FCC Fall 2007 Entrepreneur Lecture Series Upcoming Events November 1, 2007: Fast Track Sales -How to Accelerate the Sales Process November 8, 2007: How to NOT Lose Your Intellectual Property Without Really Trying! November 15, 2007: Free Support for Frederick Entrepreneurs Now that you have a product or service- how do you sell it? If you have asked yourself this question, then you need to attend this session on “Fast Track Sales – How to Accerlerate the Sales Process” which will be held November 1, 2007 from 12 noon – 1:30 pm. This session is sponsored by Administaff.It’s not too late to register, but space is limited! We expect to exceed attendance at these last three events, so register today and as always look forward to an exciting interactive discussion. Next week’s feature topic “How to NOT Lose Your Intellectual Property without Really Trying” will be held on November 8, 2007. Invited speakers are H. Bryan Brewer – Crowell Moring Law Firm; Michelle Leveque – Leveque Intellectual Property Law and Dr. George Cox and Gianna Arnold – Miles and Stockbridge. If you are thinking about starting your own business, then don’t miss these informative sessions or if you know of someone who may benefit from these sessions, please let them know. Attendance to the seminars is FREE; however, prior registration is required. To register for any session simply click on the “RSVP for any Event NOW!” Please take time to join us for these exciting presentations! Michael J. Dailey, Executive Director Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. · November 1, 2007: Fast Track Sales -How to Accelerate the Sales Process FCC Conference Ctr7932 Opossumtown Pike E126AB Frederick, Maryland 21702 November 1, 2007 Noon -1:30 p.m. Sponsored by AdministaffSales is hard and continually motivating sales people is harder! Every company requires a sales methodology and a dedicated focus on the sales process to ensure a successful expansion. This session details specific actionable steps a start-up company can take to get a sales department up and running quickly end efficiently. Learn from the experts on how to get your sales team going and create a long-lasting, continually improving sales performance engine for your company! Invited speakers are B. Naik – Sandler Sales Institute and Mike Dailey – FITCI. RSVP for any Event NOW! · November 8, 2007: How to NOT Lose Your Intellectual Property Without Really Trying! FCC Conference Ctr7932 Opossumtown Pike E124AB Frederick, Maryland 21701 November 8, 2007 Noon -1:30 p.m. Sponsored by Miles and StockbridgeNo lawyer likes to tell a client, “Sorry, but you’ve already lost your intellectual property rights.” Our speakers will outline the steps you can take to protect your Intellectual Property Rights, answering such important questions as: “What disclosures should I avoid to protect my rights?,” “How do I make sure I own and control my intellectual property?,” and “How can I select and manage an effective brand?” Invited speakers are H. Bryan Brewer – Crowell Moring law firm; Michelle Leveque – Leveque Intellectual Property Law and Dr. George Cox and Gianna Arnold – Miles and Stockbridge. RSVP for any Event NOW! · November 15, 2007: Free Support for Frederick Entrepreneurs FCC Conference Ctr7932 Opossumtown Pike E124AB Frederick, Maryland 21701 November 15, 2007 Noon -1:30 p.m. Sponsored by Facility LogixEconomic development is critically interested in entrepreneurial activity in Frederick because of the growth in local entrepreneurs. Join us for an exciting discussion on what local government agencies and public resources have done to support the entrepreneur and what FREE support may be available to the entrepreneur in Frederick County. Invited speakers are Chris Olson of the Small Business Development Center and his panel of local experts from the City of Frederick and Frederick County. RSVP for any Event NOW!     Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc.401 Rosemont Ave. 3rd Floor Rosenstock Hall Frederick, Maryland 21701 301-694-2999 cmullican@fitci.org http://www.fitci.org · Registration Information: Space is limited! Register NOW! Cost: Free Admission. Lunch will be available with advanced registration. For additional information or questions send email to: cmullican@fitci.org

Md Stem Cell Research Fund

Apparently, the Md Stem Cell Research Fund is seeking applicants.  I say apparently, because I have spoken to at least two other people who applied last year, and who were not funded, who had not heard the news.  I have a low tolerance for their lack of aptitude in demonstrating some level of “Customer Service”.  I thought the government worked for the people?  Can’t decide if it’s worth the hassle to submit another grant this year, but here’s the info anyway from their web site:

Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund   Requests for Applications Maryland Stem Cell Commission Issues Request for Applications (October 1, 2007) RFA-MD-07-1 (UPDATED 10/1/07) Soliciting applications for Investigator-Initiated Research Grants, which are designed for investigators with preliminary data supporting the grant application. RFA-MD-07-2 (UPDATED 10/1/07) Soliciting applications for Exploratory Research Grants, which are designed for investigators who are new to the stem cell field and for exploratory projects without preliminary data. Letter of Intent Instructions Click Here for On-line Stem Cell Fund Applications Frequently Asked Questions For questions regarding the Stem Cell Commission or the RFAs, please email us at mscrfinfo@marylandtedco.org. Scientific Peer Review 2007 Exploratory Review Committee 2007 Investigator Initiated Review Committee General Info Maryland Stem Cell Commission Overview Maryland Stem Cell Research Act of 2006 Adopted Recusal Guidelines Scientific Peer Review Recusal Guidelines (adopted 1/16/07) Stem Cell Commission Recusal Guidelines (adopted 3/7/07) Meetings Notice of Public Meeting (October 9, 2007) Notice of Public Meeting (September 20, 2007) Notice of Public Meeting (May 15, 2007) Notice of Public Meeting (April 25, 2007) Notice of Public Meeting (March 7, 2007) Notice of Public Meeting (February 21, 2007) Notice of Public Meeting (January 16, 2007) Notice of Public Meeting (November 13, 2006) Notice of Public Meeting (October 10. 2006) Notice of Public Meeting (September 14, 2006) Notice of Public Meeting (July 27, 2006) Meeting Minutes Minutes of Meeting 5/15/07 Minutes of Meeting 4/25/07 Minutes of Meeting 3/7/07 Minutes of Meeting 2/21/07 Minutes of Meeting 1/16/07 Minutes of Meeting 11/13/06 Minutes of Meeting 10/10/06 Minutes of Meeting 9/14/06 Minutes of Meeting 7/27/06 Press Room Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission Recommends 24 Projects for Funding (May 17, 2007) Maryland Stem Cell Commission Receives 85 Applications for Funding Maryland Stem Cell Commission Issues Request for Applications (November 1, 2006) Maryland Stem Cell Commission Elects Chairman (July 28, 2006) TEDCO Announces Appointees to the Maryland Stem Cell Commission (July 6, 2006)

Gene Jockey’s? It’s only a Rumor

I started a couple of new pages.

One is called Rumor Mill. If you haven’t been on BioFind Rumor Mill, then you may be one of a dozen people in the county who have been contently employed for the past 15 years.

The other I hope will become an equally essential resource for readers. It’s called “Gene Jockey’s Only” and will contain, eventually, as many links as I can come up with for open access web resources, SOP templates, journals etc. I am going to post a number of “common” SOP’s I have accumulated over the years over the next couple of days. Feel free to use them to document your procedures.

The Job Board seems to be our most popular site, thus far. Still not getting the kind of “interactive” responses that will make this site work for everyone. Leave a comment.

The next project will be to set up some sort of an on-line journal, where we can exchange ideas, theories, problems and solutions for purely lab-based issues we’re having.

To further our cause, Stay the course, Shameless self-promotion

The phone call I had on Friday from the FNP made it into press in todays edition:

Biotech blog’s founder says it’s overdue
Originally published October 28, 2007

By Ike Wilson
News-Post Staff

Biotech blog’s founder says it’s overdue

Jim Hardy of Gahaga Bioscience hopes interest in his blog, fredcobio.wordpress.com, will grow.

A new Frederick biotechnology blog that began Monday is already up to 100 hits per day.

Not bad for starters, said Jim Hardy, Frederick Clounty[sic] Biotech Blog’s creator.

The avenue for an informal conversation about all things biotech is long overdue in Frederick, he said. Frederick is home to 37 of Maryland’s 350 biotechnology companies, hence the need for a forum for like-minded individuals, Hardy said.

Hardy is chief executive officer and a founder of Gahaga Biosciences Inc. in Frederick. The company was established in 2006 to commercialize a proprietary method for the isolation of stem cells from placental and umbilical tissues for use in basic research.

Hardy said the blog idea was conceived during a conversation with biotech-types during a happy hour at The Frederick Innovative Technology Center Inc.

The blog itself is an experiment, Hardy said, “like any other we all conduct on a daily basis to further our cause. We seek a medium to exchange ideas, information and idle chatter with other like-minded individuals in the county.”

Hardy received many compliments for beginning the blog, but what the project needs is for people to posts comments, he said.

The blog’s existence relies on others’ input, he said.

“We’re just trying to get people engaged on biotech stuff,” Hardy said. “The blog needs to be very informal, interactive, flexible, not somebody’s website.”

One of the reasons behind the blog is that the Technology Council of Maryland doesn’t come to Frederick as often as it does Montgomery County.

“Why don’t we have a Greater Frederick Tech Council? Or better yet, anyone interested in a Frederick County Biotech Roundtable?” Hardy said in one of his recent posts. “I am really tired of driving to Baltimore and Bethesda and spending $150 on a ticket to listen to someone talk up how great so-and-so is and then ask for charitable contributions in the end.”

Hardy eventually expects about 500 hits per day or 20,000 a month, if all goes as planned. He and his wife are contributing editors to another blog, Frederick Maryland Online, which generates 600 to 800 hits per day on workdays.

Hardy said he is surprised by the naivety, even from the so-called IT gurus, about blogs.

“It is simple to add a post, but you need the right permissions. If you’d like to be a contributing editor, just let me know and I’ll set you up,” Hardy said.

The easiest way to get involved is to post comments. To do that you don’t need to sign in or create a account, unless you like to see your avatar on display, Hardy said.

To post a comment, go all the way to the bottom of the post and select the phrase “no comments,” or “one comment,” in the event there is actually a comment.

Hardy said he is offering other bloggers — for a limited time — free publicity in the form of a sidebar banner.

“I will post anyone’s newsworthy story, assuming it is biotech and happening in Frederick County. If you’re in Montgomery County, you need not apply,” he said. “Free ad space, wow, it doesn’t get any better than that.”

“It’s not that we don’t care about what’s happening in Montgomery and Howard counties,” Hardy said, in his first post. “I’ve worked in both places over the years. To heck with the 270 commute. It is high time we dedicated some energy and effort into building the biotech community here in Frederick so we can rescue some of our long-lost colleagues from their nightmarish commute.”

Being interviewed by the FNP is a good thing for promoting the blog. A picture of me pouring water into a beaker without safety glasses while looking directly into the camera: priceless!

NCI Seeks Collaborators

Saw this tonight, thought others may be interested

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) — The National Cancer Institute is looking to license or co-develop a microRNA sequence that it said can enhance the capacity of T-lymphocytes to recognize tumors in several kinds of cancer, according to the National Institutes of Health.

NIH said the technology, listed under patent application No. 60/940,172, is the “first reported use” of an miRNA gene to treat disease.

According to the agency, NCI discovered that genetically engineering T-lymphocytes with the gene, called miR-181a, “dramatically augmented the function of poorly responsive human tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and TCR-engineered peripheral blood lymphocytes, resulting in potent anti-tumor reactivity.”

It also said that in a mouse model, miR-181a, “increased the function of self/tumor-specific CD8+ T cells enabling effective tumor destruction in the absence of vaccination or exogenous cytokines that were otherwise essential requirements.”

Pre-clinical work on miR-181a has been completed and clinical studies are being planned, the NIH said.

The IP is up for exclusive or non-exclusive license, NCI said.

NCI also said that its Surgery Branch seeks statements of interest from parties that want to “develop, evaluate, or commercialize the therapeutic use of microRNA-181a in the adoptive immunotherapy of cancer.”

Incubator Graduates Recognized

From yesterday’s FNP

Biotech graduates

The two biotechnology companies — Akonni BioSystems and BioElectronics Corp. — were honored for graduating from the Frederick Innovative Technology Center, said Patrick Haley, vice-chairman of the Business Development Advisory Council.

The technology center is a business incubator that helps new information technology and biotechnology companies with financing, office and lab space, and administrative assistance.

Akonni and BioElectronics were the first two companies to graduate from FITCI, Boyer said. FITCI opened Jan. 12, 2005.

“We knew they were graduating and staying in Frederick,” Haley said, “and we wanted an avenue to recognize their achievement. Each company is a poster child of what an incubator graduate is supposed to look like.”

BioElectronics developed and markets the ActiPatch, a dermal patch that delivers pulsed electromagnetic frequency therapies to accelerate healing of soft tissue injuries.

“We have rented 2,500 square feet in the same building as FITCI (4539 Metropolitan Court). In FITCI, we had 900,” said Andrew Whelan, president of BioElectronics.

The company distributes its products to nine countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Columbia and China.

Akonni produces the TruArray product line of diagnostic devices to detect human diseases and infectious agents. Small blood, urine or saliva samples are placed on a credit-card-size device, which is placed in a portable reader to process the sample. The caregiver gets a printout of the results.

On a personal note, the BioE ActiPatch is a fabulous product and they have a good group of people. I have a patch myself that I have used on sore muscles, bruises, abrasions, sore joints. It works, that’s all I can tell you. And it is clinically proven.

I have also had the opportunity to work with Akonni as they are building out their new facility in an old warehouse on Sagner across from McCutcheon’s just off Carrol Creek. They are in the final stages of construction and build out. Bringing actual manufacturing back to the Downtown scene is a real plus and I think they’re going to have a beautiful facility.

FCBC in the FNP?

I was just interviewed over the phone by the FNP. Maybe this blog will be famous some day.

GBTC

I know that I have clearly stated that we are only going to talk about things happening in Frederick County in this blog. But rules are made to be broken.

Last Night, I went to the Greater Baltimore Tech Council (GBTC) TechNite Awards ceremony at the Baltimore Convention center. I don’t know the actual attendance, but I would estimate about 1,500-2,000 people were there. The event itself was pretty standard fare for a “networking” event of this magnitude in that about 95% of the attendees were plebe attorneys, insurance agents and bankers from large firms who sent their by their Reporting Senior to strum up business and pass out business cards. There really isn’t a large private-Biotech presence in Baltimore, considering the size and population.  But, they do have Johns Hopkins.

I am a GBTC member because I am trying to keep the lines of communication (i.e. business) between Frederick and Baltimore open and I spent the past 3 years working in Baltimore for the guy who was the recognized as the man who put “Baltimore on the world’s biotech map.” That may be a bit overstated, as Becton-Dickinson’s been in Baltimore for a while, but In Vitro was one of the Anchor tenants of the UMBC Technology Incubator program.

In any event, my point is simply this: Why don’t we have a Greater Frederick Tech Council? Or better yet, anyone interested in a Frederick County Biotech Round table? I am really tired of driving to Baltimore and Bethesda and spending $150 on a ticket to listen to someone talk-up how great so-and-so is and then ask for charitable contributions in the end.

Just a thought, or was that more of a rant?

Rescue the Destitute Biogeeks from the ride down 270!!

I got a suggestion from a former colleague, who wishes to remain anonymous. Deb’s always been that way. She suggested adding some means of “job search sharing info into the mix”. Good idea. She must be looking, but aren’t we all? If you’re not, I’d suggest that you shouldn’t be too content.

I added a Job Search page “to the mix”. Still a work in process, but have links to all of the “public” job boards I could come up with. All the biggies on there, like the Job Search Engines for “Frederick MD & Biotech”, MedImmune, Lonza, Invitrogen, SAIC, NCI. Yada, yada yada. If you are job searching and don’t already have those pages bookmarked, you’ll probably not be a blogger.

Have you ever made a visit to one of those job boards, spend 1/2 an hour completing some on-line form and then never hear anything from anyone? I don’t want one of those. And I think we’d all like to avoid the added “service” the employment agencies add, especially the little guys like me. Just between MedImmune, NCI-Frederick, Invitrogen and Lonza there must be at least 200 positions posted. Why ride down 270, especially on a day like today (it rains, it rains)? Maybe I should substitute Masochistic for Destitute in the title of this entry?

Yet another FREE LIMITED TIME OFFER. Anyone who is looking for an employee or a job, let me know. Why not? It’ll keep me out of the lab.