Biozona Weekly: Ebola virus; Tucson ‘angels’; Mesa biotech program

August 8, 2014

By hammersmith

Tucson group among most active ‘angel’ investors
8/7/14 | Arizona Daily Star | David Wichner

Tucson’s Desert Angels group was among the 10 most active angel-investing organizations in the nation in the first quarter by providing seed money to early-stage companies, according to a new report by a national angel group.

Disease expert explains Ebola

8/7/14 | Arizona Republic | Submitted (Translational Genomics Research Institute)

Paul Keim, a leading scientist in the study of disease pathogens at Northern Arizona University and TGen, answers questions about the Ebola virus outbreak.

ASU scientist’s research led to experimental Ebola vaccine
8/6/14 | Arizona Republic | Ken Alltucker

Charles Arntzen, a Regents’ professor and researcher at ASU’s Biodesign Institute, helped contribute to an experimental Ebola vaccine, given to two health workers who were sickened by the deadly virus, with a study on the tobacco-derived vaccine in the early 2000s. Read also: Innovative Ebola treatment has ASU roots

Paradigm providing genomic testing for Pharmatech’s cancer registry
8/5/14 | GenomeWeb Daily News | Staff Report

Paradigm, a spinout of International Genomics Consortium that offers a next-generation sequencing-based cancer test called PCDx that sequences both DNA and RNA, announced it has initiated genomic testing for Pharmatech’s AccessPPM Cancer Registry.

What’s new at Mesa Public Schools?
8/4/14 | Arizona Republic | Cathryn Creno

A new Mesa Public Schools biotech program will allow high-school students to dual enroll in an online University of Arizona program and earn college credits for passing Biotechnology I and II and a class on scientific research methods.

Grand Canyon University puts Mesa campus on hold

8/4/14 | Arizona Republic | Parker Leavitt & Maria Polletta

Grand Canyon University is putting plans to develop a major satellite campus in Mesa on hold for at least a year, with a new projected opening of fall 2016, with plans for an even greater focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Silicon Valley Bank hiring 250 in Tempe, plans to lend $100 million to local tech and life science companies
8/1/14 | Phoenix Business Journal | Hayley Ringle

Silicon Valley Bank is expanding in the Phoenix area with plans to hire 250 people in the next three years and lend at least $100 million to technology and life science companies based in Arizona over the next five years.