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ADMETRx, Metabolic Solutions Development and Velesco Pharmaceutical Services received loans to keep Pfizer talent in-state.  Click here to learn how they will use these loans.

Argutus Medical Ltd. of Dublin, Ireland has named CeeTox Inc., Kalamazoo, MI, a preferred reference laboratory for Argutus’ novel acute kidney injury (AKI) biomarker panel – the AKI Test®. In addition, CeeTox will also run Argutus’ assays for kidney toxicity of the proximal tubule, distal tubule collecting duct and loop of Henle.

University of Michigan Technology Transfer office wants to encourage more students to begin start-ups at the University with no fear that their technology will later be claimed by U-M.  Click here to read how they're changing their policies.

Asterand, a leading provider of human tissue and human tissue-based services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies engaged in drug discovery research, is proud to announce Mr. John Stchur as winner of the Crain’s Detroit Business’ CFO of the Year award for Public Companies with Revenues Less than $1B. Award winners and finalists were honored on June 11 at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan.

To read about new developments in the treatment of depression and the new, resulting, drug development company click here.

Click here to download the full issue of the May 2009 BioMatters Magazine.

Velesco Pharmaceutical Services, a company providing analytical method development, drug formulation, stability testing and consulting services to biotech and pharmaceutical companies, opened a manufacturing facility and office in Kalamazoo, MI and has moved its Ann Arbor, MI laboratories to the Michigan Life Science and Innovation Center (MLSIC) in Plymouth, MI.

Michigan State University today announced the signing of a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy concerning the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams. The agreement, an important milestone towards establishing the FRIB project, provides the instrument for DOE Office of Science to provide financial assistance to MSU to design and establish the new facility.

Read about AFID Therapeutic's new move and direction by clicking here.

Assay Designs, Inc., a leading provider of immunoassay kits, antibodies, and reagents to the life science and translational research markets, has announced the release of the first commercially available multiplex assay dedicated to the analysis of heat shock proteins and molecular chaperones, the MultiBead™ * HSP/Chaperone 8-Plex Kit.

To read about Jeff Mason and his new role click here.

To read about this novel test click here.

Within weeks, the University of Michigan will take ownership of a 174-acre research campus that will provide a springboard for new discoveries, job creation and educational opportunity—and offer a wise investment for U-M’s future.

U-M’s purchase of the former Pfizer pharmaceutical research facility adjacent to the university's current North Campus will be completed on June 16, said Timothy Slottow, executive vice president and chief financial officer, at a U-M Board of Regents meeting today (May 14) in Dearborn.

Metabolic Solutions Development Company (MSDC) announced that its lead compound, MSDC-0160, can improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood glucose levels in humans without the side effects of current therapies when taken over a 28-day period, according to preliminary data derived from the company’s Phase IIa clinical trial.

GeneGo, Inc., the leading provider of pathway data mining & analysis solutions, and OmicSoft Corporation, the premiere visualization and analysis software for the interpretation of high dimensional data, today announced the integration of the MetaCoreTM pathway analysis platform with Array Studio.

In the first known study of its kind, Chuanwu Xi of the University of Michigan School of Public Health and his team sampled water containing the bacteria Acinetobacter at five sites in and near Ann Arbor's wastewater treatment plant.

Click here to read about the legislative announcement that was made pertaining to Michigan's biosciences industry, MichBio's Preferred Provider program and its translational benefits and the keynote address from Dr. Harry Stylli, president and CEO of San Diego, CA-based Sequenom, Inc.

Neogen Corporation (NASDAQ: NEOG) has acquired International Diagnostic Systems Corp (IDS), a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of test kits to detect drug residues in food and animal feed, and drugs in forensic and animal samples.

The innovative partnership led by Southwest Michigan First resulting in 3,300 jobs and $330 million in private investment announced by MPI Research was named one of Site Selection magazine’s 2008 Top Deals in its May 2009 issue. The issue reminds its readership of senior-level corporate executives and plant location decision makers that even in a challenging economy major deals are taking place, creating hundreds and
thousands of jobs.

Engineering students have developed a low-cost, battery-powered surgical lamp to be used in developing nations where electricity isn't reliable.

Earlier this month, members of Michigan Health Engineered for All Lives, or M-HEAL, sent their prototype lamp to Uganda where it will undergo testing.

NSF International, a local not-for-profit, public health and safety organization, is sponsoring a fundraiser at bd's Mongolian Grill in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

WHEN: Members of NSF senior management team will be ‘Grilling for a Cause’ on Wednesday, May 6, 2009, from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM EST. A portion of the proceeds will go to the United Way’s “Dine for a Cause” fundraising drive, which will be held during the “Days of Caring” Week, May 2-8, 2009.

Compendia Bioscience announced a strategic collaboration with MDS Pharma Services to deliver OncoPredictorSM — a novel solution for improved cancer drug development. OncoPredictorSM combines MDS Pharma Services' OncoPanel™ with Compendia Bioscience’s Oncomine™ for a solution that will provide guidance on patient groups most likely to respond to a new cancer therapy.

To read about the 82,500-square-foot Marvin I. Danto Engineering Development Center click here.

The West Michigan Science & Technology Initiative, in partnership with the Grand Rapids SmartZoneSM, announced the expansion of its Venture Center with the availability of additional incubator space at 1345 Monroe Avenue, NW in Grand Rapids.

NanoBio Corp. announced that it will present compelling new data highlighting key milestones in the development of its novel non-inflammatory nanoemulsion adjuvant platform technology at the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) conference, April 27-29. The new data will be delivered in two presentations during the 12th Annual Conference on Vaccine Research in Baltimore, Maryland.

Following is the data presentation schedule:

Monday, April 27, 2009

    * Poster Presentation: #166, 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Phase 1 Study to Demonstrate Safety and Proof of Concept for Highly Effective, Non-Inflammatory, Nanoemulsion Adjuvant Platform Technology

Pfizer Animal Health leaders and local dignitaries dedicated a newly renovated lab and office facility that serves as the global center for Pfizer's veterinary medicine research and development and the U.S. home of its animal genetics business.

"Today, we commemorate the science and innovation of Pfizer Animal Health, and dedicate this new global R&D headquarters to our Michigan scientists and their support teams," said Juan-Ramon Alaix, President, Pfizer Animal Health.

Lycera Corp. announced it has closed a $36 million Series A financing.

The company, which is developing novel small-molecule pharmaceuticals to treat autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, has received $10 million as a first tranche of the financing and will receive the remainder of the proceeds in two tranches as specific milestones are met. InterWest Partners, ARCH Venture Partners and Clarus Ventures co-led the financing. EDF Ventures, which led a seed financing in November 2006, is also participating.

A Michigan State University researcher has developed a working vaccine for a strain of E. coli that kills 2 million to 3 million children each year in the developing world.

Enterotoxigenic E. Coli, which is responsible for 60 percent to 70 percent of all E. coli diarrheal disease, also causes health problems for U.S. troops serving overseas and is responsible for what is commonly called traveler’s diarrhea.

To read what type of brain injury study this award will assist click here.

ThreeFold Sensors, an exciting new Michigan point-of-care diagnostic platform developer,
announced that it has been recognized as one of the 2009 “Michigan 50 Companies to Watch,” an awards program sponsored by the Edward Lowe Foundation
and presented by Michigan Celebrates Small Business.

Asterand plc (LSE:ATD), is pleased to report the announcement by BTG (2nd April 2009) that BGC20-1531, a novel EP4 receptor antagonist for the treatment of migraine headaches, is planned to enter Phase IIa studies in H2 2009 with data anticipated in H2 2010. If clinical proof of principle is demonstrated in these studies, BTG will seek development partners to conduct Phase IIb and subsequent studies.

Research by Michigan State University chemist Kevin Walker is paving the way for potentially cleaner, more efficient production of cancer-fighting paclitaxel – better known as the blockbuster drug Taxol.

First isolated from the bark of the Pacific yew in 1967, paclitaxel has since been made by synthetically modifying an intermediate substance isolated from yew needles using toxic solvents or by fermenting cell cultures.

Cancer, diabetes, strep infections and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s are the first targets of a novel University of Michigan program to shepherd promising biomedical discoveries from Life Sciences Institute labs to the marketplace.

The LSI Innovation Partnership uses philanthropic gifts to bridge the critical funding gap—known to biomedical researchers and venture capitalists as the Valley of Death – between laboratory discovery and commercialization.

Michael Harbut, M.D., MPH, co-director of the National Center for Vermiculite and Asbestos-Related Cancers (NCVAC) at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, MI, and chief of the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine Wayne State University, announced the use of a new technology to aid in the diagnosis of asbestos-related lung disease. The announcement was made at the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization’s annual conference, Saturday, March 28, in Manhattan Beach, CA.

The City of East Lansing and Michigan State University (MSU) announced that MSU Technologies will be the anchor tenant in the City’s SmartZone space adjacent to the new East Lansing Technology Innovation Center.

This announcement follows last fall’s grand opening of the Technology Innovation Center, a 6,600-square-foot, technology-based business incubator dedicated to supporting the growth of technology-based mid-Michigan startups. The initial success of the Technology Innovation Center will be augmented by MSU Technologies’ move into the anchor space.

Researchers at Wayne State University have identified a new marker for prostate cancer progression that may one day lead to new treatments.

Prostate cancer, one of the most prevalent non-skin cancers in America, affects one in six men. In 2008, nearly two million Americans were being treated for prostate cancer; nearly 186,000 were newly diagnosed, and approximately 28,000 died from the disease.

Compendia Bioscience announces the release of Oncomine Concepts Edition version 4.0, the latest incarnation of the company’s flagship product. Since its inception at the University of Michigan, Oncomine has been rapidly adopted by drug discovery and development organizations looking to improve results of cancer drug development efforts. This new version of Oncomine features an improved user-interface and new export function that allows results sharing.

Beaumont Hospitals announced today the formation of a new entity called the Beaumont Children's Hospital located at its Royal Oak (Mich.) hospital.

The Beaumont Children's Hospital offers 36 different pediatric medical and surgical subspecialties with 83 pediatric sub-specialists, a dedicated children's surgical team with board-certified pediatric anesthesiologists and more than 200 board-certified pediatricians.

Asterand plc (LSE: ATD), (“Asterand” or the “Company”) a leading provider of human tissue and services to pharmaceutical companies engaged in drug discovery research, has won the Financial Times Best Performing Share 2008 PLC award. The award was announced on 12 March 2009 at the PLC Awards ceremony in London.

To read about how this study will benefit the biosciences industry click here.

Bank of Ann Arbor is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard (Rick) D. Snyder to its Board of Directors.

Rick co-founded and is the Chairman and CEO of Ardesta, LLC. Ardesta is one of the nation’s largest investment firms focused on micro and nanotechnology companies. 

EXT Life Sciences, Inc., a biotechnology start-up company that develops proprietary, targeted antioxidant treatments to slow the aging process, announces the development of a treatment that stops hair from graying as it ages. EXT’s new treatment is the only
targeted antioxidant of its kind.

MichBio, the association for Michigan biosciences, will host Harry Stylli, Ph.D., president and CEO of San Diego, CA-based Sequenom, Inc. as the keynote speaker for its May 6 Annual Business Meeting at the Kensington Court Hotel in Ann Arbor.  Sequenom has established a presence in Michigan with recent acquisitions of the Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM) in Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor-based Sensigen.

Kalamazoo’s Southwest Michigan Innovation Center celebrated its fifth anniversary on
March 5, with a ribbon cutting ceremony to announce the completion of its 11,000-
square-foot facility expansion.

The Innovation Center is located within Western Michigan University’s Business
Technology and Research Park. The building expansion, which includes HVAC
renovations, will add an additional nine laboratories and new multipurpose room to the
facility offering space for an additional 40 employees.

Michigan’s FDA Drug Immunity Law Repeal Debate Heats Up Again. With the
recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to uphold a lower court verdict against Wyeth (vs
Levine) and affirmed the claim that FDA oversight of drug labeling doesn’t prevent statelevel consumer liability lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies.

The Michigan House Judiciary Committee will be taking up House Bills 4316, 4317 and
4318 on Wednesday, March 18. These bills would repeal a 1996 law granting legal

MichBio On The Road – President’s Report March 2009

The last month has seen a wide range of visits, meetings and activities.
Back in mid-February, I visited Cayman Chemical, where 3,361 different biochemicals
and research tools are manufactured and analyzed on site at a 66,000 square foot
facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Cayman hired several dozen former Pfizer chemists and
others in the aftermath of the latter company’s facility closure announcement.

To read where this sum of money originated and how these funds will be spent by Automation Alley click here.

How does human knowledge expand over time? Intriguing as the question is, it's not easy to investigate, due to the difficulty of measuring knowledge and its spread.

Biomedical and materials engineers at the University of Michigan have developed a nanotech coating for brain implants that helps the devices operate longer and could improve treatment for deafness, paralysis, blindness, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.

Enzo Biochem, Inc. (NYSE:ENZ - News) announced the acquisition of substantially all the assets of privately-owned Assay Designs, of Ann Arbor, MI, for a purchase price of approximately $12.2 million in cash, subject to post-closing purchase price adjustments based on Assay Design’s working capital as of the closing date. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to operating results.

Research to turn trees into liquid fuel gets a boost with approval of the $410 billion federal omnibus spending bill. The bill allocates $1.4 million for a new biofuel research program at the Michigan State University Upper Peninsula Tree Improvement Center in Escanaba.

The University of Michigan announced the formation of a consortium to create new embryonic stem cell lines that will aid the search for disease treatments and cures.

The A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute Consortium for Stem Cell Therapies is the first major embryonic stem cell research program launched in Michigan since the Nov. 4 passage of a state constitutional amendment allowing scientists to create new stem cell lines using surplus embryos from fertility clinics.

Terumo Heart, Inc. announced that NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center recently became the second U.S. center, and first in the Northeast, to implant the DuraHeart™ Left-Ventricular Assist System as part of the DuraHeart Bridge-To-Transplant U.S. pivotal trial, a multi-center, prospective, non-randomized study, involving 140 patients in up to 40 centers nationwide. The trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of the device in helping to sustain patients awaiting heart transplant who are at risk of death due to end-state left ventricular failure.

March is National Colon Cancer Awareness month. The average person does not understand much of the medical information on websites today. But that problem is being corrected by a new Michigan medical information company, Cancer Information Center (CIC).

To read about Ann Arbor SPARK's opening of its third incubator and what services it will offer to its tenants click here.

To learn more about the NanoTech Research and Development Institute click here.

To learn the actual name of the "holy powder" and why researchers are so interested in its health benefits click here.

To learn about the basis for this research and how the grant money will be used click here.

ATDC levels average 20-fold higher in cancerous cells

Researchers from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified a gene that is overexpressed in 90 percent of pancreatic cancer, the most deadly type of cancer.

Expression of the gene, Ataxia Telangiectasia Group D Complementing gene, called ATDC, is on average 20 times higher in pancreatic cancer cells than in cells from a normal pancreas. What’s more, the gene appears to make pancreatic cancer cells resistant to current therapies.

On March 5, 2009 at 2:00 pm, the ribbon will be cut to celebrate the Southwest Michigan Innovation Center’s fifth anniversary and 11,000-square-foot facility expansion.  The ceremony will be held at 4717 Campus Drive, Kalamazoo, MI 49008 in Western Michigan University’s Business Technology and Research Park.

To read about the latest technology offered, the level of service rendered and to see photos of the brand new, northern-Michigan inspired site click here.

On Demand ERP Solution Helps Manufacturers Operate Profitably in Challenging Market

Plex Systems, Inc., provider of Plex Online software for the manufacturing enterprise, announced the Software as a Service (SaaS) solution delivers Manufacturing Execution System (MES) functionally by tightly integrating data collection between shop floor systems and the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) suite.

To read about the details of this discovery and how and when this test will reach the market click here.

To read more about this trip, where it will visit and how to register click here.

To learn more about Shanghai Bio and its areas of expertise click here.

NanoBio Corp., a biopharmaceutical company developing dermatological products, anti-infective treatments and intranasal vaccines, announced today that it has acquired $12 million in series B equity financing with Perseus LLC and other existing investors. To date, over $80 million in funding has been directed toward the development of the company’s NanoStat™ technology platform.

A regulatory dossier in electronic format is now essential to increase your competitive edge in the global pharmaceutical marketplace. Learn more about eCTD submissions to global regulatory authorities. Visit www.aptuitconsulting.com and click the "Get ready for eCTD" button on right to replay Aptuit Consulting's recent webinar, Are You Ready For eCTD? Solving the eCTD Puzzle.

GeneGo, Inc., the leading systems biology tools company, announced that Millipore has licensed 250 manually curated pathway maps from GeneGo, Inc. for their new Interactive Biological Pathway Tool. Available at www.millipore.com/pathways, the tool links Millipore’s cutting edge antibodies, proteins, and assays as well as relevant bioinformatics content to related biological pathways. These maps have been categorized by diseases and cellular processes to make it easier to find relevant information.




CeeTox, the Kalamazoo-based leader for in vitro toxicology testing, has named Timothy M. Mitchell President. Mr. Mitchell previously held sales, marketing and general management roles for companies including Covance Inc, DCL Medical Laboratories, ACM Medical Laboratories, and Corning Inc.

Syed Ahmed Mustafa, MBA, has joined CeeTox, Inc. to serve as the Director of Sales & Marketing. CeeTox is the Kalamazoo-based leader for in vitro toxicity testing. Mr Mustafa leads an expanded marketing effort worldwide.

To read about the Wayne County Stem Cell Commercialization Center and the plans for its operation click here.

To read who will become the new president and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and what his plans for success will be click here.

Velesco Pharmaceutical Services, located in a state-of-the-art former Pfizer facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is proud to announce enhanced scientific and leadership capabilities with the addition of Peter Angus, Pharm.D., Ph.D., and Lisa Crandall, MS. Dr. Angus and Ms. Crandall are a part of the core scientific team at Velesco, a contract research organization supporting early stage product development work for pharmaceutical companies.

Arboretum Ventures, a leading venture capital firm specializing in early‐stage private company investments, announced the final closing of its second investment fund, with commitments totaling $73 million. The latest fund follows Arboretum’s $24 million debut fund, which closed in 2005. The firm remains focused on investing in promising healthcare and life science companies across the U.S.

MichBio on the Road - President’s Report

The last month or so has been a non-stop, diversity of visits, meetings and advocacy efforts.

We are currently on the edge of a major health care reform.  As a country, we expect the best in all things, including health care.  However, at the same time, we are in the midst of a recession and the competing desire to limit costs, which creates two competing and seemingly mutually exclusive interests.

The biotechnology industry is expected to rebound and outperform healthcare and the rest of the market this year, according to findings from an investor perception study released today by Thomson Reuters and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) at the 11th Annual BIO CEO & Investor Conference in New York. The perception study is an in-depth assessment of Wall Street’s views of the biotech industry, its current challenges, its relative valuation, and the outlook for 2009.

by Mark Sanchez | Business Review Western Michigan
Monday February 09, 2009

Biosciences remains a "big business" in Michigan, accounting for nearly 100,000 jobs and generating $9.34 billion in economic impact, according to a new study.

The study commissioned by the Washington, D.C.-based Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America paints a case for further public and private support for growing the industry in Michigan, especially at a time of such economic stress.

Seasoned Entrepreneurs Give Advice on Fundraising in Good Times and Bad

The February 11 meeting of BioArbor featured two of Michigan’s leading bioscience entrepreneurs discussing how they have positioned their companies and strategies they have used for fundraising in shifting economic conditions.  Robert Zerbe, M.D., President and CEO of QuatRx Pharmaceuticals, and Roger Newton, PhD, FAHA,

At the Borgess Research Institute (BRI), top researchers, skilled research coordinators and an experienced operations team continually bring the newest innovations and medical advancements to those who need them.  Here we design, develop and use groundbreaking research interventions that improve the quality of life for our patients.

Scores of technologies developed by Michigan State University researchers are being actively marketed online by MSU Technologies, the university’s technology commercialization office.

To read about the success of Cerenis Thereapeutics, a drug development company, and its position of strength click here.

BioSpace, the world’s leading life science career network and an onTargetjobs company, announced today that it will produce and manage the 2009 BIO Career Fair. This year's BIO Career Fair, powered by BioSpace, will be held on May 18, in conjunction with the 2009 BIO International Convention from May 18-21 in Atlanta. More information is at www.biocareerfair.org.

To read about this precise, 3-D device called the da Vinci Surgical System and how it is enhancing surgical procedures click here.

To read about the state of Michigan's biosciences industry and the potential for further growth click here.

Venomix, Inc., is pleased to announce that John C. Sorenson, Ph.D., has been elected a director of the company.  Sorenson is retired from Syngenta where he was president of Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc., in Raleigh, N.C.  Prior to that, he was president of Syngenta Seeds, Inc., in Minneapolis, Minn.

Asterand plc (LSE: ATD), a leading provider of human tissue and services to pharmaceutical companies engaged in drug discovery research, and BioWisdom Ltd, a market leader in delivering healthcare intelligence to the pharmaceutical industry, announce that the Companies have entered into a data syndication agreement to provide value added delivery of Asterand’s human gene expression profiles through BioWisdom’s intelligence solutions. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Join this Webcast and learn how the new Administration will affect the Life Sciences Industry, specifically the pharma, biotech and medtech sectors.  Click here to learn more and to register.

Intellectual property based on breakthrough research from a team led by Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif at the Montreal Heart Institute Research Centre, Canada.
 

Six University of Michigan engineering students have invented an electronic data logger kit that makes it easier for medical researchers to conduct clinical drug trials in ambulances.

The kit can record voices, display when its medication contents are expired, and register when the ambulance arrives on the scene, among other features.

In early February, the National Institutes of Health's Neurological Emergencies Treatment Trials network is distributing 150 of the students' data loggers to its 17 hub medical research institutions across the country.

To read which companies received funding from the Grand Angels click here.

To read how the Michigan Economic Development Group is helping 10 Michigan companies and which companies are receiving the assistance click here.

Biology exists in a physical world. That's a fact cancer researchers are beginning to recognize as they look to include concepts of physics and mathematics in their efforts to understand how cancer develops -- and how to stop it.

Neogen Corporation (Nasdaq: NEOG) announced the appointment of Dr. Jennifer Rice as Neogen’s Senior Scientific Officer. In this newly created position, Dr. Rice will have responsibility for the overall direction of Neogen’s research activities.

Primetime Special Airs Saturday, February 7 at 9pm
Following “Cold Case” on WWJ-TV, CBS in Detroit

 

Scientists at NanoBio Corp. and the University of Michigan have demonstrated in the laboratory that their novel topical nanoemulsion kills the highly resistant strains of bacteria that cause chronic illness and death among individuals with cystic fibrosis.

The findings are significant because they represent a new model for treating resistant bacteria that lead to pulmonary failure in patients with cystic fibrosis, according to the study authors. Results of the in vitro study are published in the January issue of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

LANSING, Mich., Jan. 27, 2009 — Neogen Corporation (Nasdaq: NEOG) announced today that it has entered into an agreement to become the distributor of Chr. Hansen’s innovative probiotic feed supplements for the North American swine and poultry markets.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program encourages you to apply by February 27 for a new SBIR Phase II Bridge Award funding opportunity. The Bridge Award supports the next stage of development for previously funded NIH SBIR Phase II cancer therapy and cancer imaging technology projects and more than triples the amount of funding available to applicants through the NCI SBIR Program. The Phase II Bridge Award helps to:

To learn about Altarum's acquisition click here.

To learn more about the stem cell research program of GeneGo and its newest team member click here.

To read about cosmic ionizing radiation and how it is affecting the DNA of airline pilots click here.

To read about the new findings by University of Michigan that are linked to this autoimmune disease of the skin click here.

EAST LANSING, Mich. — A patented Michigan State University process to pretreat corn-crop waste before conversion into ethanol means extra nutrients don't have to be added, cutting the cost of making biofuels from cellulose.

To learn how Beaumont Hospitals has found a way to treat a problem affecting more than 13 million people in the United States click here.

To learn why PNNL earned this accolade and how it will benefit them, click here.

The Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship is an event that celebrates and promotes entrepreneurship in the Great Lakes region. ACE brings together entrepreneurs, service providers, investors, students, government agents, and other members of the business community to network, learn, and connect. In 2008, about 400 people participated in ACE.



KALAMAZOO, Mich. – If you are a college student, it’s never too early to start thinking about your future plans.  Kalamazoo is a great place to live and work.  Our existing local companies already know this and want to share what they know with you - Kalamazoo’s bright, young talent.

To read how Ann Arbor SPARK and Sensei are connecting corporate talent to area small businesses through a five-month training program click here.

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Publications ranging from the journal Science to Time magazine have blasted biofuels for significantly contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, calling into question the environmental benefits of making fuel from plant material. But a new analysis by Michigan State University scientists says these dire predictions are based on a set of assumptions that may not be correct.

To learn who gave the grant to TechTown and how this money will be used click here.

The Southwest Michigan Innovation Center’s Board of Managing Directors has announced Robert De Wit, Ph. D., as its President and Chief Executive Officer.  As the leader of the Southwest Michigan Innovation Center, De Wit will be responsible for day-to-day operations of the 58,000-square-foot life science accelerator, the tenancy of its client companies and community relations. 

To learn more about this decision and what steps the MEDC will take next click here.

LANSING, Mich., Jan. 12, 2009 — Neogen Corporation (NASDAQ: NEOG) has received approval from the FDA and National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) for its quick and easy BetaStar®US test for dairy antibiotics in milk. This approval allows milk producers and processors in the United States to use Neogen’s new test to comply with FDA regulations that require the mandatory testing of milk for dairy antibiotics.  

To read how this development will potentially inject millions of dollars into the state's economy click here.

Ann Arbor, Michigan - Jan. 7, 2009 - Velcura Therapeutics Inc., a clinical-phase biotechnology company developing therapies for bone disease, has completed its second successful Investigational New Drug application (IND) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its lead compound, VEL-0230.  The November 2008 IND filing enables Velcura to proceed with clinical trials in patients with stable Rheumatoid Arthritis.

A small, orally available molecule, VEL-0230 functions to both restore bone health and as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent in animal models.

DETROIT--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Asterand plc (LSE:ATD), a leading provider of human tissue and services to pharmaceutical companies engaged in drug discovery research, announces the appointment of John Stchur to the Asterand Board as an Executive Director. Mr. Stchur will continue as Chief Financial Officer of Asterand plc.

Jack Davis, Chairman of Asterand plc, commented:

ANN ARBOR, Mich.— Artificial bone marrow that can continuously make red and white blood cells has been created in a University of Michigan lab.

This development could lead to simpler pharmaceutical drug testing, closer study of immune system defects and a continuous supply of blood for transfusions.

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—In a move that will directly create at least 2,000 jobs during the next decade and accelerate expansion of the University of Michigan's research activities critical to the state's economic development, the U-M Board of Regents today approved the purchase of the Ann Arbor property of pharmaceutical firm Pfizer Inc.

In time, U-M anticipates replacing—and even exceeding—the number of high-quality jobs once located at the site.

To learn about this large investment in Metabolic Solutions Development Company click here.

To read more about this award click here.

Click here to read the full story.

To read about the benefits of the SmartStart program click here or follow this link http://techtownwsu.org/business/BDP.php

Join the many who have already experienced and enjoyed MichBio's very first issue of BioMatters!

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—Is obesity all in your head?

New research suggests that genes that predispose people to obesity act in the brain and that perhaps some people are simply hardwired to overeat.

An international research team co-led by the University of Michigan found six new genes that help explain body mass index and obesity, and all but one of the genes are tied to the brain rather than to metabolic functions, such as fat storage and sugar metabolism.

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Diversity is valuable socially, economically and now environmentally.

Research by Michigan State University scientists has found that growing more corn to produce ethanol – creating less diverse landscapes – reduces the ability of beneficial insects to control pests, a loss valued at about $58 million per year in the four states studied (Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin).

 

ANN ARBOR, Mich.— A carbon nanotube-coated “smart yarn” that conducts electricity could be woven into soft fabrics that detect blood and monitor health, engineers at the University of Michigan have demonstrated.

St. Joseph, Michigan, December 10th, 2008 – GeneGo, Inc., a leading provider of software and databases for systems biology and pathway analysis, today announced that A*STAR’s Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN) has become a certified GeneGo Center of Excellence (COE). SIgN researchers will have access to GeneGo’s MetaCore, training and advanced support. SIgN COE will provide a pathway analysis environment for all SIgN researchers.

To learn about these three companies and others click here.

ANN ARBOR, Mich., December 11, 2008 - Accuri Cytometers Inc., a life sciences company developing revolutionary bench-top flow cytometer systems, today announced the first recipient of its Accuri Flow Cytometer Creativity Awards Program.. Heather Newkirk, Ph.D., Executive Director of Business Development and Quality Assurance/Regulatory Affairs at Clinical Reference Laboratory, Inc.

Contact:  Mark Fellows, University Relations, Mark.Fellows@ur.msu.edu, Cell: (517) 819-5437, Office: (517) 884-0166; David Weliky, Chemistry, Office: (517) 355-9715, Ext. 281, weliky@chemistry.msu.edu

E-mail Editor

Published: Dec. 10, 2008
Story
Weliky and Curtis-Fisk

Chemistry professor David Weliky and Ph.d student Jaime Curtis-Fisk with a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscope used to probe the structure of protein inclusion bodies in E. coli. Photo by G.L. Kohuth.

ANN ARBOR, Mich.— One of the most promising new ideas about the causes of cancer, known as the cancer stem-cell model, must be reassessed because it is based largely on evidence from a laboratory test that is surprisingly flawed when applied to some cancers, University of Michigan researchers have concluded.

By upgrading the lab test, the U-M scientists showed that melanoma—the deadliest form of skin cancer—does not follow the conventional cancer stem-cell model, as prior reports had suggested.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jeff Weiss Jeff@TechTransferOnline.com Phone: 1.248.593.5926 www.TechTransferOnline.com Becomes Free to List Intellectual Property TROY, MICHIGAN, USA – December 4th, 2008 – www.TechTransferOnline.com, the largest intellectual property (IP) portal in the world, announced today that it has waived all fees to list technologies on its site, to any organization.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. Since the time Tricia Ann Vinson was first diagnosed with scoliosis in sixth grade, the condition had become increasingly painful and debilitating.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich.—Hormone therapy could accentuate certain pre-existing heart disease risk factors and a heart health evaluation should become the norm when considering estrogen replacement, new research suggests.

The research also showed that in women without existing atherosclerosis, hormone therapy use included some positive effects on lipids but also some negative effects related to heart health, said MaryFran Sowers, lead researcher and professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

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The West Michigan Science & Technology Initiative and EDF Ventures today announced the incorporation and financing of a new medical device company, TransCorp, Inc.

Ann Arbor, MI - - Assay Designs, Inc., a leading provider of immunoassay kits, antibodies, and reagents to the life science and translational research markets, has announced a strategic agre

Ann Arbor, MI - - MichBio, the association for Michigan’s biosciences industry, today announced the names of the winning applicants for its Emerging Biosciences Showcase

Ann Arbor, MI - - October 31 is the last day to receive early-bird pricing for attending the MichBio Expo, the state’s largest and premier gathering of biosciences professionals in Mic

Ann Arbor, MI - - MichBio, the association for Michigan’s biosciences industry, announced that it has added the Michigan Biosciences Showcase to its program on day one o

Ann Arbor, MI - - MichBio, the association for Michigan’s bioscience industry, today announced the program for its 2008 Expo and Conference at the Rock Financial ShowPlace in

Ann Arbor, MI - - MichBio announced that Johnson & Johnson Vice Chairman, Christine A.


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