Month: July 2014
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Zero-Gravity, Tropical Institute Partner on Food Security
24 July 2014. Zero Gravity Solutions Inc. and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) are collaborating on implementing technologies originally developed for the U.S. space program to improve food security in Africa and other tropical regions. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. IITA, in Ibadan, Nigeria, conducts research on agricultural plant health and…
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Student Designs Simple Water Filter, Seeks Crowdfunding
24 July 2014. An engineering student at ETH Zurich, a science and technology university in Switzerland, designed a simple, inexpensive water filter to bring drinking water to developing countries that lack reliable clean water sources. Jeremy Nussbaumer developed the DrinkPure filter while an undergraduate at ETH Zurich, and now has a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo…
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Company, Institute Studying Youth Lung Cancer Genomes
23 July 2014. Foundation Medicine, a company providing genome-based personalized cancer diagnostics, and Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute are studying the genomes of younger lung cancer patients to uncover differences in their cancer and identify therapies for this population. Financial terms of the collaboration were not disclosed. Some 224,000 people in the U.S. are expected…
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Dust Mite Allergy Vaccine Developed, Animal Tested
23 July 2014. Researchers at University of Iowa in Iowa City developed a vaccine, which in lab mice generates antibodies that protect against dust mite allergens. The team led by Iowa pharmacy professor Aliasger Salem published its findings in this month’s issue of AAPS Journal. Dust mites are microscopic-sized insects, related to ticks and spiders,…
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Trial Shows Herpes Simplex Therapy Generates Immune Response
21 July 2014. An intermediate stage clinical trial of an immunotherapy by Genocea Biosciences to fight herpes simplex virus 2 — the main cause of genital herpes — shows the treatment generates an immune system response to the disease that lasts an entire year. The findings were presented this week by Genocea vice-president Jessica Baker…
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Spin-Off Company Developing Cardiac Drug Tests
22 July 2014. A medical researcher at Coventry University in the U.K. is spinning-off a new company to commercialize her research on cardiac drug toxicity for screening new therapies for dangerous side effects before testing on patients. Helen Maddock, a lecturer in cardiovascular physiology and pharmacology, is starting InoCardia to provide this service to pharmaceutical…
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Farm Survey Drone System Seeks Crowdfunding Support
21 July 2014. A system that combines an aerial drone with Android tablet and software designed to survey a grower’s crop fields is seeking crowdfunding contributors. The StitchCam system by San Diego start-up SNAP Vision Technologies LLC is the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, but needs to raise more than $92,000 of its $100,000 goal…
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Orphan Status Assigned to Kidney Disorder RNA Therapy
21 July 2014. Regulus Therapeutics Inc. in San Diego says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration designated its RNA therapy for Alport syndrome, a rare genetic kidney disease, an orphan drug. The therapy, code-named RG-012, shows promise in preclinical studies, including with lab mice. Alport syndrome affects about 1 in 50,000 newborns, a condition that…
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Robotic Device Provides Extra Fingers to Enhance Human Grip
18 July 2014. Engineers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology designed a glove-like robotic device that adds two more fingers and coordinates with a person’s hand to help with manual activities. Mechanical engineering professor Harry Asada and graduate student Faye Wu discussed the device earlier this week at the Robotics Science and Systems conference in Berkeley,…
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U.S. Energy, Ag Depts Fund Genomic Research for Biofuels
18 July 2014. The U.S. energy and agriculture departments are funding 10 new studies that aim to improve plant feedstocks for biofuels and other bio-based products. Department of Energy (DoE) is contributing $10.6 million in 2014, while Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adding $2 million. The studies run for 3 years. The joint DoE/USDA Plant…