Arizona Biosciences News

Jun 26, 2012

Flinn-Brown Fellows Complete Intensive Seminar Series, Look Toward State-Level Service

Throughout the celebrations marking Arizona’s Centennial, many have wondered about how the next generation of civic leaders can prepare for the future. The third class of Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Fellows has been busy thinking about that same thing and planning their leadership contributions to Arizona’s next century.

Tags: civic leadership academy, fellows
Jun 21, 2012

Biozona Weekly: Banner Sun Health discovery; AZ-tested skin-cancer drug debuts; Banner in NY Times editorial

Top bioscience news, May 20 – June 19: Study at Banner Sun Health Research Institute finds potential Alzheimer’s predictor; skin-cancer first tested in AZ debuts; Banner Alzheimer’s trial makes New York Times editorial.

 

Tags: alzheimer’s, banner alzheimer’s foundation, banner estrella medical center, banner sun health research institute, basal-cell carcinoma, cardiovascular ultrasound, education, ge healthcare, scottsdale, skin cancer, stem, vismodegib
May 22, 2012

Biozona Weekly: Banner leads $100M Alzheimer’s trial; $1.2M available to Arizona medical-device startups; AZBio expo in review

Top bioscience news, May 10-21: Dr. Eric Reiman leads Banner clinical trial to prevent Alzheimer’s disease; Peoria and BioAccel offer $1.2 million to medical-device startup firms; AZBio expo attracts industry professionals.  (Plus 10 more stories.)

Tags: algae, alzheimer’s, arizona bioindustry association, banner, bioaccel, biotechnology, clinical trial, covance, doctor shortage, eric reiman, expo, funding, gilbert, heliae, maryann guerra, medical center, research, start-ups, universities
May 17, 2012

$1.2M pool available to medical-device startups

Applications are due on July 6 from medical-device startup firms interested in seed funding of up to $300,000 and space at BioInspire, a new incubator in Peoria, Ariz. The funding comes through a partnership between the city and BioAccel, a Phoenix-based nonprofit focused on furthering bioscience startup firms.

Tags: bioaccel, bioinspire, biotechnology, new venture development program, peoria medical device incubator, technology, venture philanthropy
May 15, 2012

Banner Alzheimer’s Institute leading $100M international clinical trial

A potentially groundbreaking study on an experimental drug to delay or stop the onset of Alzheimer’s is being led by researchers at Banner Alzheimer’s Institute. The $100 million clinical trial centers on members of an extended family in Colombia who are genetically predisposed to the disease.

Tags: alzheimer's, alzheimer’s prevention initiative, anti-amyloid treatment, banner alzheimer's institute, dominantly inherited alzheimer’s network, eric reiman, genentech, study, trial
May 09, 2012

Biozona Weekly: TGen leads $4.5M brain-tumor study; Covance closes Chandler facility; Peoria incubator to debut

Top bioscience news, May 1-7: TGen shares in $4.5 million NIH brain-tumor grant ¶ Covance closes $150M lab in Chandler as cost-saving measure ¶ New Peoria bioscience incubator, BioInspire, to open soon

 

Tags: algae, arizona commerce authority, bioinspire, bioscience, brain cancer, brain tumors, covance, drugs, funding, genomic, gilbert, heliae, incubator, national academy of science, peoria, research, scottsdale, technology, tgen, university of arizona
Apr 19, 2012

Biozona Weekly: C-Path featured; new angel fund debuts; NE Phoenix bio campus approved

Top bioscience news, March 26-April 17: Dr. Carolyn Compton speaks on C-Path’s outlook ¶ ASU alumni form a new angel fund supporting early-stage high-tech companies ¶ Phoenix City Council approves a new bioscience campus in northeast Phoenix. (Plus 4 more stories.)

Tags: angel, arbsource, arizona state university, arizona technology enterprises, biltmore angels, biosciences, biotechnology, capital, carolyn compton, chandler innovations incubator, charlie lewis, critical path institute, drug development, education, fungal infection, gene-based therapies, grants, investment, mayo clinic, phoenix biomedical campus, public health, stem, university of arizona, wastewater treatment, workforce
Apr 09, 2012

Biozona Weekly: Record STEM grant for CAC; new law to protect university research; PCH/Mayo liver partnership

Top bioscience news, March 14-April 6: Central Arizona College earns its largest-ever HIS-STEM grant from the U.S. Department of Education ¶ Gov. Jan Brewer signs a bill into law that facilitates industry-university partnerships ¶ Phoenix Children's Hospital and Mayo Clinic partner on new liver-transplant program.  (Plus 9 more stories.)

Tags: algae, bioscience, biotechnology, brain cancer, cancer diagnostics, central arizona college, children’s urgent care, confidential data, gateway community college, gilbert, hb 2272, healthcare, heliae, incubator, jan brewer, liver transplant, mara aspinall, optumrx, pathways, pediatric, pharmaceutical, phoenix children’s hospital, research, ribomed, stem grant, taxes, technology, tucson, university of arizona college of medicines-phoenix, university of arizona medical center, ventana, workforce development
Feb 29, 2012

Biozona Weekly: Arizona STEM Network launches; NantCare comes to Phoenix; Op-eds for UA COM expansion

Top bioscience news, February 17-28: With a second multi-million-dollar grant, SFAz is rolling out the Arizona STEM Network statewide ¶ NantCare, a newly acquired telehealth firm associated with Patrick Soon-Shiong, has moved to Phoenix ¶ Op-eds by a state legislator and a university president argue for continued funding for the UA College of Medicine-Phoenix (Plus 9 more stories.)

Tags: agribusiness, ann weaver hart, arizona bioindustry association, arizona board of regents, arizona center for algae technology and innovation, arizona commerce authority, bioindustry organization of southern arizona, bioscience, biotechnology, cancer, college of medicine-phoenix, education, grants, health information, medical data, patrick soon-shiong, science foundation arizona, scottsdale healthcare, stem, that antibiotics, university of arizona
Feb 17, 2012

C-Path announces hiring of new president and CEO Carolyn Compton

Carolyn Compton, an internationally recognized cancer pathologist who previously led important units at the National Institutes of Health, has been hired as the new president and CEO of the Tucson-based Critical Path Institute. Dr. Compton replaces Raymond Woosley, a longtime fixture in Arizona's bioscience community, who founded C-Path in 2005 to help make development of health-care innovations safer, faster, and cheaper. 

Tags: carolyn compton, critical path institute, raymond woosley
Feb 16, 2012

Biozona Weekly: Science standards critiqued; Chandler incubator expanding; Ulthera secures ACA support

Top bioscience news, February 9-16: The Thomas B. Fordham Institute's assessment of science standards nationwide finds little to praise in Arizona's standards. ¶ Chandler's Innovations tech incubator will expand its facility by more than 50% ¶ Medical-device maker Ulthera has received funding from the Arizona Commerce Authority and plans to expand its Mesa presence. (Plus 3 more stories.)

Tags: alzheimer’s, arizona commerce authority, battelle, bioscience, cancer, chandler, flinn, funding, imaging device, mesa, roadmap, science education, technology incubator, terahertz spectral imager, ulthera, ultrasound devices, university of arizona
Feb 07, 2012

Biozona Weekly: Bio Roadmap update; canine cancer research; much more

Top bioscience news, January 24-February 7: Bioscience Roadmap update shows sharp increase in jobs ¶ TGen's canine research provides insights into human cancer ¶ Carolyn Compton assumes C-Path leadership (Plus 10 more stories.)

Tags: algae, arizona scitech festival, battelle, bioscience, cancer, critical path institute, flinn, grant, growth, insys therapeutics, personalized medicine, pharmaceutical, roadmap, robert penny, skin cancer, supercomputer, translational genomics research institute, university of arizona
Jan 31, 2012

Arizona Bioscience Sector Sustains Strong Job Growth

Neither the recession nor the subsequent economic doldrums have impeded growth of Arizona’s bioscience sector, a new report shows. During the post-recessionary period of 2009-10, bioscience jobs increased by 7.4 percent, compared to a 1.8 percent drop for the state’s overall private sector, according to an analysis of Arizona biosciences, commissioned by the Flinn Foundation. 

Tags: arizona's bioscience roadmap, battelle, bioscience, economic development, flinn
Jan 24, 2012

Biozona Weekly: CHW becomes Dignity Health; UA's incubator opens new facility; Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center is 10

Top bioscience news, January 18-23: Catholic Healthcare West, parent of St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, changes its name and governing structure ¶ UA's Arizona Center for Innovation opens expanded facilities ¶ Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare turns 10 (Plus 5 more stories.)

Tags: arizona center for innovation, arizona state university, biomedical education, bioscience hub, cancer, catholic healthcare, dignity health, greg stanton, h5n1 avian flu virus, healthcare, incubator, information technology, medipacs inc., virginia g. piper, workforce
Jan 18, 2012

Biozona Weekly: Fernado Martinez op-ed; Ventana partners with Bayer; IGC in Indianapolis

Top bioscience news, January 9-17: BIO5 head Fernando Martinez says greater Tucson can become a mini-Silicon Valley ¶ Ventana begins work on a companion diagnostic for a Bayer cancer drug ¶ IGC broadens the reach of The Cancer Genome Atlas project to Indianapolis (Plus two more stories.)

Tags: bio5 institute, cancer genome atlas, electronic health records, fernando martinez, helios education foundation, international genomics consortium, translational genomics research institute, university of arizona, ventana medical systems
Jan 17, 2012

New Phoenix mayor signals emphasis on biosciences

Greg Stanton, the newly elected mayor of Phoenix, began his tenure on January 3 with a strong show of commitment to the bioscience sector, announcing a plan to develop a bioscience cluster around the Mayo Clinic hospital campus in north Phoenix and reaffirming his support for the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix. 

Tags: arizona state university, bioscience cluster, biosciences, greg stanton, mayo clinic, phoenix mayor, university of arizona college of medicine-phoenix
Jan 11, 2012

Arizona-centric "Dream Team" targets melanoma

A partnership of nearly 50 scientists, led by Jeffrey Trent, president and research director of the Phoenix-based Translational Genomics Research Institute, has won a highly competitive $6 million grant to find new ways to stop melanoma, the most dangerous kind of skin cancer. Researchers from Arizona State University and Mayo Clinic Arizona are also playing key roles for the project, which is funded by Stand Up To Cancer and the Melanoma Research Alliance. 

Tags: biodesign institute at asu, drugs, grant, jeffrey trent, mayo clinic, melanoma, skin cancer, tgen
Jan 09, 2012

Biozona Weekly: NAU in downtown Phoenix; Commerce Authority puts down $3M; vision for bio hub at Mayo

Top bioscience news, January 4-January 9: NAU set to establish programs on downtown Phoenix Biomedical Campus ¶ Commerce Authority establishes $3M program to support innovative small companies ¶ First details emerge on Mayo-centered bioscience nexus in North Phoenix (Plus 5 more stories.)

Tags: arizona commerce authority, arizona state university, desert ridge bioscience technology collaborative, don cardon, mayo clinic, northern arizona university, phoenix biomedical campus, teri britt pipe, visiongate
Jan 03, 2012

Biozona Weekly: Keim comments on flu-study controversy; PCH, ASU work on electrode implant; 2011 Roadmap progress

Top bioscience news, December 30-January 3: NAU professor Paul Keim addresses the H5N1 flu-study controversy ¶ Phoenix Children's Hospital neurosurgeon David Adelson is leading a study with ASU collaborators of electrode implantation in the brain ¶ A look back at the top bio achievements of 2011 (Plus two more stories.)

Tags: arizona state university, arizona's bioscience roadmap, david adelson, joan koerber-walker, northern arizona university, paul keim, phoenix children's hospital, robert green
Dec 19, 2011

Biozona Weekly: BioAccel launches VC network; Mayo breaks ground on $182M facility; Trent to lead SU2C Dream Team

Top bioscience news, December 8-19: BioAccel launches network to attract funding for bio startups ¶ Mayo Clinic breaks ground on $182 million cancer-treatment center ¶ Trent to lead Stand Up to Cancer melanoma dream team (Plus three more stories.)

Tags: algaebio, bioaccel, cancer, drug trials, flinn foundation, mayo clinic, melanoma, tgen, university of arizona, venture capital
Dec 15, 2011

With Civic Leadership Seminar Complete, Newest Flinn-Brown Fellows Look Ahead

Following completion of an intensive, 10-week seminar to build their civic-leadership capacity, members of the Fall class of the nonpartisan Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy are now planning their next steps toward public service in Arizona at the state level. 

Tags: civic leadership academy, fellows
Dec 08, 2011

Biozona Weekly: Arizona Cancer Center, St. Joe's affiliate; Syncardia makes Forbes list; Chandler bets on STEM

Top bioscience news, November 25-December 7: The Arizona Board of Regents approve an important affiliation between St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center and the University of Arizona. ¶ Forbes names Syncardia Systems Inc. of Tucson to its list of 100 most promising private companies in America. ¶ Chandler Unified School District will offer a four-year STEM diploma at Perry High School. (Plus three more stories.)

Tags: arizona cancer center, phoenix biomedical campus, st. joseph's hospital and medical center, stem education, syncardia systems inc., university of arizona
Nov 22, 2011

Biozona Weekly: Peoria approves bio incubator; Gordon to join CSS Institute; Scottsdale as treatment hub

Top bioscience news, November 10-November 21: The City of Peoria, the Plaza Companies, and BioAccel have settled on a plan to open the Peoria Incucellerator. ¶ After he leaves office, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon will take a top leadership role at the Chan Soon-Shiong Institute for Advanced Health. ¶ Along a five-mile stretch of Shea Boulevard are some of the most important cancer-treatment institutions in Arizona. (Plus 5 more stories)

Tags: alzheimer's, bioindustry, bioscience, cancer, chan soon-shiong, cloud, gene-sequencing, national lambdarail, peoria incubator, personalized medicine, phil gordon, research network, scottsdale
Nov 10, 2011

Biozona Weekly: Arizona's computing-genomics hub; ASU links hormone to memory loss; biofuels research in Arizona

Top bioscience news, October 25-November 9: Arizona researchers and entrepreneurs apply new computing strategies to genomics ¶ ASU researchers link hormone in birth-control drug to memory loss ¶ Biofuels research in Arizona continues to draw attention (Plus 6 more stories)

Tags: algae, biofuels, biosciences, computing-genomics, genome, memory, sustainability
Oct 25, 2011

Arizona SciTech Festival set for Feb 2012; Parkinson's, Alzheimer's studies in metro Phoenix; Bayer's Maricopa cotton research

Top bioscience news, October 10-25: Arizona Science and Technology Festival set to debut in February 2012  ¶ Several metro-Phoenix institutions engage in notable Parkinson's, Alzheimer's studies  ¶ Under the radar, Bayer's Maricopa facility hosts advanced bioag research. (Plus 5 more stories)

Tags: arizona scitech festival, arizona state university, bayer, luceome biotechnology, northern arizona university, paul keim, roche, university of arizona
Oct 24, 2011

Artificial-heart maker SynCardia, IGC chief Penny take top honors at AZBio Awards

Capping an evening celebrating Arizona's bioscience community, SynCardia Systems Inc., the maker of the Total Artificial Heart, was named Arizona Bioscience Company of the Year at the 2011 Arizona BioIndustry Association Awards on October 13. Robert Penny, chief executive officer of the International Genomics Consortium, was honored with the Jon W. McGarity Leadership Award.

Tags: azbio, international genomics consortium, robert penny, syncardia
Oct 21, 2011

Flinn Foundation Announces Grant for First-Annual Arizona Science and Technology Festival

The Flinn Foundation has announced its support for the inaugural Arizona Science and Technology (SciTech) Festival, a six-week event in cities and towns across Arizona that will showcase innovation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The Festival’s events will be centered in February 2012, coinciding with the celebration of Arizona’s centennial.

Tags: arizona science and technology festival, asu, bioscience, education, engineering, mathematics, science, scitech, stem, technology
Oct 21, 2011

Flinn Foundation Announces Grant for First-Annual Arizona Science and Technology Festival

The Flinn Foundation has announced its support for the inaugural Arizona Science and Technology (SciTech) Festival, a six-week event in cities and towns across Arizona that will showcase innovation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The Festival’s events will be centered in February 2012, coinciding with the celebration of Arizona’s centennial.

Tags: arizona science and technology festival, asu, bioscience, education, engineering, mathematics, science, scitech, stem, technology