Biozona Weekly: Alzheimer

February 26, 2015

By hammersmith

National Science Foundation director visits the Valley
2/23/15 | KJZZ | Andrew Bernier

National Science Foundation director France Cordova, the head of a federal agency in charge of more than $7 billion in grant money, said on a recent visit to Arizona that the agency is funding more problem and solution oriented plans connecting multiple fields.

Solving the Alzheimer’s mystery (Parts 1-3)
2/22/15 | Arizona Republic | Ken Alltucker

This three-part series looks at an extended Colombian family certain to face Alzheimer’s disease and the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute study now underway that may change its fate.

Banner-University Medicine becomes statewide academic enterprise
2/21/15 | Arizona Daily Star | Op-ed (Ann Weaver Hart & Peter S. Fine)

The merger of Banner Health and the University of Arizona Health Network has created a statewide academic enterprise that could bring long-term and important benefits to the people of Arizona and has the potential to transform academic medicine in the United States.

NAU joins effort to produce more STEM teachers
2/19/15 | Arizona Daily Sun | Michelle McManimon

Northern Arizona University has joined a nationwide effort to increase the number of K-12 science, technology, engineering and math teachers with its acceptance into 100Kin10, a network of 230 educators, government agencies, corporations, nonprofits and foundations committed to producing 100,000 new STEM teachers in 10 years.

Brain Food: NAU physicist creates nanorobots that could fight cancer
2/19/15 | KNAU | Bonnie Stevens

John Gibbs is a physicist at NAU that makes microscopic nanorobots–magnetic, metal machines that could be used to detect and treat tumors from inside malfunctioning cells–that he hopes will be the next big breakthrough in fighting cancer.

Five VCs gave tips, criticisms to three startups at TiE AZ forum
2/18/15 | Phoenix Business Journal | Hayley Ringle

Five out-of-state venture capitalists gave advice and constructive criticism to three Phoenix-area startups at TiE Arizona’s 13th annual Venture Capital Roundtable in Tempe, an event that also provided dozens of entrepreneurs in the audience with resources and possible partnerships.
 
Innovation is sweeping through U.S. medical schools
2/16/15 | Wall Street Journal | Melinda Beck

A wave of innovation sweeping through medical schools across the country includes Mayo Clinic’s new medical school in Scottsdale set to open in 2017, which will include study of health-care economics, biomedical informatics and systems engineering and a focus on working in teams and avoiding burnout.

Tucson company’s imaging helps detect skin cancer early
2/14/15 | Arizona Daily Star | Kayla Samoy

DermSpectra, a Tucson-based company founded in 2011, is a skin cancer imaging company aiming to provide a standardized approach to total body imaging for medical practices and clinical trials.

Scottsdale eyes ASU spinoff tech to detect Alzheimer’s, Cerebral Palsy and other diseases
2/11/15 | Phoenix Business Journal | Hayley Ringle

Saccadous, an early-stage Scottsdale-based Arizona State University spin-off company, has an eye tracker tech device that uses eye movements to detect neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Cerebral Palsy, Parkinson’s disease and even concussions in a non-invasive manner.