Economic Development

EGEN, Inc. is collaborating with the National Cancer Institute's Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory in Frederick, Md., to accelerate human clinical testing of a nanotechnology-based gene therapy for brain cancer.

EGEN's candidate gene therapy -- which  relies on nanoparticles for effective delivery to the tumor site -- is already being evaluated in Phase I and II clinical trials in patients with colorectal and ovarian cancers. EGEN is seeking to begin Phase I trials against glioblastoma, a brain cancer that is difficult to treat.

Microarrays Inc. (MI) launches its new MI PathArray assays for studying targeted biological pathways. These pathway-centric arrays provide the highest microarray sensitivity in the form of more sharply focused research-specialty arrays, in a multi-assay format. The MI PathArray assays bring a fresh research tool to laboratories involved in the exploration of biological pathways.

HudsonAlpha Institute among featured projects

by Ron Nyren

Collaboration is the watchword in contemporary life sciences facilities.  Even as scientists from a variety of disciplines share knowledge in pursuit of new treatments for diseases, municipal governments are pooling resources with the private sector to create biotechnology clusters, universities are teaming with nonprofit companies and nonprofit organizations are working with for-profit companies to speed the "bench to bedside" process -- getting the results of research translated into therapies that start healing people as soon as possible.

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42_sameer_singhal.pdf

42 Contributing Writer Mike Kelley spoke with Sameer Singhal, a Division Director at CFD Research Corporation in Cummings Research Park. A Huntsville native, he grew up in Jones Valley and met his wife Ruchi, an Atlanta native, at Georgia Tech. Sameer and Ruchi make their home in the Hampton Cove area of Huntsville.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - The way Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle figures it, the state's $10 million investment into Cummings Research Park could have a ripple effect.

Gov. Robert Bentley has vowed not to receive a paycheck until the state unemployment rate, currently at 9.3 percent, drops to 5 percent. Using state dollars to fund an 88,000-square-foot building on the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology campus, however, is expected to generate jobs.

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prnewswire_serina_funding.pdf

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., June 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Serina Therapeutics, Inc. President and CEO Randall Moreadith, MD, PhD, reported today that Serina has closed on a $9.5 million financing round to advance its lead oncology candidate SER-203 into a Phase I study in humans in early 2012.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., May 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Serina Therapeutics, Inc., a pharmaceutical research and development company, announced that the company was awarded a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office covering its polymer technology. The patent entitled "Polyoxazoline and compositions comprising the same" (U.S. Patent No. 7,943,141) covers the synthesis and composition of polyoxazolines for the delivery of different drug molecules.

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thescientist_conversant.pdf

(New York, NY) – May 2, 2011 – The Scientist, magazine of the life sciences, announced today the winners of its 9th annual “Best Places to Work in Industry” survey. By forging new relationships and finding novel uses for existing technologies, the companies topping this year's survey are employing creative ways to advance science and expand their markets.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Much of the research, experiments and vital treatment materials in Huntsville laboratories are protected by backup power sources and safe in the aftermath of Wednesday's tornadoes and storms.

"We have biological specimens that represent not only high-dollar value but time value," said Dr. Joseph Ng, who teaches biology at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.