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Biochemistry

Coronavirus Ireland: What exactly is Covid-19 and what will happen next? Biochemistry expert Prof Luke O’Neill explains – Independent.ie

How can something so tiny be wreaking such havoc? SARS-CoV2 is the name of the virus that causes the new disease Covid-19, named on February 11.

t is so small that 500 million of them would fit on the full stop at the end of this sentence. David and Goliath, except David isn't even as big as an ant when compared to Goliath. And yet look what's happening. Economic turmoil. Cities and towns in quarantine. People not travelling for holidays or weddings. Sporting events cancelled. People who feel sick and who have met someone with the virus keeping themselves in isolation for 14 days. And the fear that the worst is yet to come outside China where it all started. That something so tiny can pack such a punch is a testament to how powerful viruses can be.

Viruses were first observed in 1948 with an especially powerful microscope called the electron microscope. The first members of the viral rogues gallery to be seen were the viruses that cause polio and smallpox. Both are highly contagious (around three-fold more than SARS-CoV2) and wreaked havoc in humans for centuries, paralysing us, disfiguring us and killing us. Then vaccines were developed and that put an end to that, with smallpox being eradicated completely and polio almost beaten.

Apart from being able to see them, scientists also figured out what viruses were made of. They have a coat made of fat, so they don't dissolve in water, although alcohol can dissolve them, which is why alcohol hand rubs are good at killing them.The alcohol dissolves the fat. Inside the fatty bag lies their genetic material - the recipe that can be read to make more virus. They also have proteins sticking out of the bag and they use these proteins to latch on to the cells they want to infect. A bit like a key, the protein fits into a lock on the surface of the cell the virus wants to infect and opens the door.

In the case of SARS-CoV2, the proteins occur on the end of the spikes that make the crown that surrounds them. This is why it's called a corona virus. They stick the spike key into a lock called ACE2 on your lung cells and the virus then gets inside. This is why it infects your lungs: that's where the ACE2 lock is.

It needs to get inside the cell to use it as a factory to make more viruses.

The ultimate parasite

Viruses are the ultimate parasite. As far as we know they bring no benefits. A bit like unwelcome guests who come to stay, procreate in your guest room having eaten all your food and drunk your wine, and then leave without saying thanks.

The recipe that SARS-CoV2 has to make more of itself is called RNA. This is why SARS-CoV2 is a bit like flu - the influenza virus also has RNA as its recipe, as do viruses that cause the common cold and Aids. There are plenty of types of RNA viruses.

Once it's made copies of itself, it leaves and moves on to another cell. The trouble is, it sometimes kills the cell it infected - the guests leave a bomb as they depart - and that's when the trouble can begin. You start to hurt. Influenza will kill billions of cells in your lungs in a typical infection, which causes fluids to build up making it hard to breathe. That can really irritate your lungs. And then you cough it out. The virus makes you cough because it wants to spread. The drops of spit fly through the air and land on surfaces where someone else picks them up and then touches their nose or mouth and the virus enters a new body. The unwanted guests have moved next door.

This is why it's important to wear a mask if you're infected since that traps the virus. And why the number one recommendation of the World Health Organisation is to wash your hands. And why it's good to clean surfaces if you've someone in your house who's infected. Wearing a mask doesn't seem to protect people much as they fidget with it or take it off a lot. And the virus can probably get in through your eyes anyway.

Natural defence

But now some good news. Luckily evolution has helped you. Your immune system is on hand to recognise the intruder and bring out the big guns to kill it. It's like you've got on your iPhone and called for the gardai to get rid of your unwelcome guests (if possible, before they have done the deed in your guest room).

The immune system has evolved all kinds of ways to recognise and eliminate the intruder. It has special sensors for the virus's RNA which set off the alarm. It can also detect the spike protein. Your immune system can make antibodies and these latch on and stop the virus getting into cells. A bit like putting blu-tack over the key. The antibodies also help immune cells eat the virus.

Your immune system even has a way of killing the virally-infected cell. This is almost like the gardai deciding to blow up your house. It is worth it because it stops the virus (or your guests) moving into other houses in your neighbourhood. Remember, they've multiplied. So blowing up one house saves many.

If you're healthy, your immune system works a treat. The gardai are well fed, have had a good night's sleep and have the weapons to do their job. And, once the job is done, they are highly experienced. Should the unwanted virus turn up again, they can recognise and kill it on sight. This is how vaccines work. They are weakened forms of a virus, or parts of it, which train the immune system so that when the real culprit comes along, the immune system is ready to attack and you are protected.

So what can go wrong?

In the case of Covid-19 (and influenza), people who are sick with other ailments (for example cancer or heart disease) can't mount a proper defense and so the virus runs riot. Their immune systems aren't up to the job because of the other illnesses they have. Sadly, this can mean fatalities which at this stage are around 2pc and mainly involve people with other illnesses. As we age, our immune system does, too, so this puts older people at risk. We therefore need a vaccine and huge efforts are going into that with the real hope that one will be available in nine-12 months.

Doctors are also testing medicines to stop the virus from harming us. Drugs used to treat HIV are showing promise; HIV is somewhat similar because it has RNA too.

A drug used to treat malaria called chloroquine is also showing promise, as are high doses of steroids. What these drugs do is interesting. Although the immune system is failing in people who get really sick, it turns out that one part is over-active. Because the virus is running rampant, it hugely provokes this part (called innate immunity) which causes a process called inflammation to kick off - this makes your temperature go really high and causes your lungs and other organs to fail.

What people actually die of is the friendly fire caused by this over-active inflammatory response which is sometimes called a 'Cytokine Storm'. Steroids and chloroquine put that fire out and so protect you.

It's a bit like where there were two unwanted visitors in your house, there are now thousands and the gardai get their batons out and go to work on them. A melee ensues and sadly in the violence and chaos you die. Not a good result. Steroids and chloroquine are like cold water being sprayed over the gardai.

What next?

SARS-CoV2 is a new virus so we have to be vigilant. The death rate is unlikely to go up and if anything might go down as more people are found to have fought it. It also mutates at a rate slower then say HIV or influenza so it can't change itself too readily.

This means that once your immune system recognises it and eliminates it, it will recognise it again. A change might also mean it becomes more toxic, killing more, but again this is unlikely.

It may well enter the community and become just another virus that causes flu-like symptoms that we learn to live with. It might weaken as it adapts to us. Killing us is in general a bad idea for a virus - it's like those guests... why would they kill you when they want to sponge off you again? Many will develop resistance and refuse the unwanted guests entry. And when we have a vaccine, the vulnerable can be protected.

Right now though, follow the guidelines. Isolate yourself if you have symptoms and have come into contact with someone with the virus and call your GP. No need if you don't meet these criteria. Wash your hands a lot.

Soap and water is fine -work up a good lather as viruses hate soap because it dissolves them. If you're vulnerable, don't travel to places where the virus is. We all just need to keep calm, remain vigilant and wait it out. This too will pass.

Luke O'Neill is professor of biochemistry in the School of Biochemistry and Immunology at Trinity College Dublin

Originally posted here:
Coronavirus Ireland: What exactly is Covid-19 and what will happen next? Biochemistry expert Prof Luke O'Neill explains - Independent.ie

Biochemistry

UVM Appoints New Dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences – UVM News

University of Vermont Provost and Senior Vice President Patricia Prelock today announced the appointment of Leslie V. Parise, Ph.D., as dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS).

Parise has built a long and successful career at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (UNC-CH), where she rose through the ranks from assistant to full professor. For the past decade, Parise has served as the chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, which currently ranks fifth in the United States for National Institutes of Health-funded biochemistry departments.

Dr. Parise is a strong proponent of translating research to benefit society, said Prelock. She impressed the search committee with her understanding of the importance of UVMs land-grant mission, and the critical role CALSand UVM Extensionhave played in advancing this mission. She has a track record of working with faculty to promote inventions, patenting, and licensing agreements. And her entrepreneurial mindset resonates with the innovative spirit so central to our UVM community. I have no doubt that Dr. Parise will be an exceptional leader and member of our community.

President Garimella said of her appointment, We are delighted that Dr. Leslie Parise is joining the University of Vermont as dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She brings an impressive skillset to the university: great prowess in basic and translational research, longtime success promoting entrepreneurship and technology transfer, a commitment to student success, and a proven track record as a leader. We very much look forward to welcoming her to the UVM community.

Parise said she is honored to join the UVM community. CALS and UVM Extension play an incredibly important role in demonstrating the power of UVMs land-grant mission, she said. I look forward to meeting and working closely with the world-class faculty, staff and students of UVM, along with residents of Vermont. Finding ways to further engage our constituents to strategically maximize the educational, research and service missions of CALS, and to increase its visibility across the state and beyond will be among my priorities. I look forward to further positioning CALS as a microcosm for positive global impact.

Widely recognized for cardiovascular and cancer research, Parises work has been continuously funded, including more than $14.5M from the NIH. She is also a strong advocate for faculty and student advancement. As department chair at UNC, she worked with faculty, students and postdoctoral fellows to reinvigorate programs through a range of approaches including enhanced internal communication and planning, and increased mentoring.

Parise helped faculty maintain and grow funding through partnerships across campus and with neighboring institutions to facilitate greater investment from foundations and government agencies such the Keck Foundation, American Heart Association, National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. She also facilitated partnerships with neighboring institutions to stimulate investment in a highly transformative technology for solving molecular structures called cryo-electron microscopy.

In 2017, Parise was elected Chair of the Faculty at UNC-CH, a role she held until May 2019. In this capacity, she represented all 3,800 faculty of the UNC-CH campus, interacting closely with the chancellor, provost, deans and faculty from within the university, as well as UNCs Board of Trustees, system president, and a faculty assembly from across the states 17-campus system. She has worked closely on issues ranging from curriculum changes, to budget models, to advancing diversity.

Parise will join UVM on May 15.

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UVM Appoints New Dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences - UVM News

Biochemistry

Hormones, the road to Damascus – Telangana Today

Many talk freely about hormones, but only a handful really know about them, their source, origin and still very few, if at all, have any clue on their function.All my fellow iron warriors, I need to address you that all of us are captives of our hormones. Our very existence and training progress and many bodily functions are totally controlled by our hormones. Hormones are secreted by various glands comprising the endocrine system.

The two types of hormones concerning our interests are steroids and polypeptides. They course through our bodies and eventually act on a target organ. The problem lies with the fact that, we, through our various researches, have only a minute clue about their individual potential and how they collaborate.

Steroidal hormones are a product of cholesterol, produced in the gonads (testis and ovaries) and the cerebral cortex (brain), and the second type the polypeptide hormones are manufactured by various other glands through different combinations of amino acids. The hormones regulate almost all of our bodily functions.

The endocrine system synergises with the nervous system to give the human body a comprehensive benefit. The direct effect of the hormones is a tad bit difficult to understand but the resultant effect is of the greatest concern to all physical culturists.

An analogy in this regard will reveal it all. In a game of carroms, the striker coin coincides the second coin to strike the third coin in the hole. A biochemical example in this regard would be insulin, a hormone released by the beta cells in the islets of Langerhans in our pancreas, elevates cellular uptake of glucose, which, in turn, causes increased muscle glycogen synthesis and hence reduces blood-borne glucose which, again, causes a dip in insulin response.

During steady state activities like marathon running, this reduction in blood glucose and the resultant decrease in insulin production causes an increase in the mobilisation of stored fat. Phew! A lot of complex biochemistry one may say, but, instead, following our logic and reasoning ability we can easily comprehend and conclude that it is the demand that creates supply.

Taking few above-mentioned biochemical facts into consideration, one can easily conclude that workouts must necessarily exert the practitioner, stretching their physical thresholds, and, when the body undergoes this intensity of exercise, the systemic fatigue that accrues demands one to rest amply without which productivity becomes indirectly proportional.

Intensity, as the hard core proponents of this word would define, would be One has not any clue of high intensity exercise if one has not puked after performing one set of one single rep of a barbell bicep curl.

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Hormones, the road to Damascus - Telangana Today

Biochemistry

Children’s cancer researcher named Woman of the Year – UNSW Newsroom

Professor Maria Kavallaris, a leading childhood cancer researcher and a pioneer of nanomedicine in Australia, is the 2020 NSW Premier's Woman of the Year.

Professor Kavallaris is Head of Translational Cancer Nanomedicine at Childrens Cancer Institute and Founding Director of the Australian Centre for NanoMedicine at UNSW Sydney.

The prestigious award, announced a ceremony in Sydney this morning,recognises NSW women who have excelled in their chosen career, field or passion; are exceptional achievers who have made a significant contribution to NSW; and whose accomplishments make them a strong role model for other women.

I am truly honoured to have received this award and I hope it inspires young women to do what they love, grow and learn, and to lead with generosity and respect, Professor Kavallaris said.

Professor Kavallaris is internationally renowned for her research in cancer biology and therapeutics. She has been widely recognised for the innovation and impact of her research, her leadership as well as her mentoring of talented young scientists. She is passionate about training the next generation of research leaders.

Her personal journey with cancer began at the age of 21 and has driven her research to develop effective and less toxic cancer treatments.

As one of the original three scientists appointed at the Childrens Cancer Institute when its laboratories first opened in 1984, she has made important discoveries in relation to the mechanisms of clinical drug resistance and tumour aggressiveness in childhood cancer.

Her studies have not only identied how some tumours can grow and spread;she has also applied this knowledge to develop eective, less toxic cancer therapies using nanotechnology.

To be able to make a difference to the lives of children with cancer and their families by developing better treatments and improving survival rates is very humbling. Even if you can save one childs life, thats an incredible feat, Professor Kavallaris said.

As a conjoint professor in the UNSW Faculty of Medicine, Professor Kavallaris relishes her role of mentor and has supervised many Honours and PhD students, several of whom have become research leaders.

Professor Kavallariss extensive research and leadership contributions have been recognised withnumerous awards including the NSW Premiers Prize for Science and Engineering (Leadership in Innovation in NSW) in 2017, the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biologys Lemberg Medal in 2019 and she was made aMember of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to medicine, and to medical research, in the field of childhood and adult cancerson Australia Day 2019.

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Children's cancer researcher named Woman of the Year - UNSW Newsroom

Biochemistry

University School of Medicine surpassed funding record with grants from NIH – University of Virginia The Cavalier Daily

During 2019, the University School of Medicine met multiple milestones. The Federal Drug Association approved an artificial pancreas for Type I diabetics developed over the past decade at the University. Another team of researchers discovered the protein that allows the bacteria species Geobacter sulfurreducens to conduct electricity, which could have implications for biomedical device development.

While commonalities between these projects may not be immediately apparent, they all are similar in that they have the same major source of funding the National Institutes of Health, a federal agency that conducts and supports medical research. In the past year, NIH awarded the University a record amount of funding $146.3 million, a $25.4 million increase from fiscal year 2018.

David S. Wilkes, dean of the School of Medicine, attributed the Universitys growing number of approved grant proposals from NIH, as well as the more than $400 million the School of Medicine received overall this year, to a targeted approach to research that focuses on specific areas of study. Emphasizing depth over sheer breadth, Wilkes claimed, served the School of Medicine well in terms of finances and achievements.

We put plans in place to reinvigorate the research enterprise at the medical school, Wilkes said. That was in part through finding specific areas of research to invest in, investing in current faculty and also making strategic hires of additional faculty.

Faculty and staff implemented these new strategies at the School of Medicine nearly five years ago when they committed to promoting seven core biological and medical fields cancer, cardiovascular medicine, metabolic disorders, neurosciences, organ transplant, precision medicine and regenerative medicine. In each of these key disciplines, researchers conduct basic, clinical and translational studies to learn how the body functions and develop novel treatments and therapies.

Were hoping for discoveries that enhance the care of patients, the way healthcare is delivered or novel techniques for diagnosing disease and testing how medicines work, Wilkes said. Were hoping for a better understanding of biology as it relates to human conditions.

One of the beneficiaries of numerous NIH grants is Boris Kovatchev director of the University Center for Diabetes Technology and a pioneer on the artificial pancreas, a device thousands already rely on for life-sustaining insulin. When explaining why he has stayed at the University for 28 years, Kovatchev noted that the Universitys Center for Diabetes Technology is well-respected when it comes to diabetes technology development. He also expressed gratitude for several colleagues at the University including Marc Breton, Sue Brown, Mark DeBoer and Stacy Anderson for their expertise on Type I diabetes treatments and the funding from NIH they contribute to the program.

When I came to U.Va. a long time ago, U.Va. already had a very strong endocrinology and diabetes program, Kovatchev said. Now, the U.Va. Center for Diabetes Technology is probably number one in the world.

Initial funding for Type I diabetes research for Kovatchev started over 20 years ago, and for almost 12 years, NIH has continuously awarded Kovatchev and his team grants. In 2016, they received over $12 million for clinical trials of the artificial pancreas. Not only did this sum significantly surpass the average amount of NIH research project grants in fiscal year 2018 $535,239 but it is also the largest given by NIH for research on Type I diabetes.

NIH has special diabetes funding, and that has been a reliable source of funding for specific areas of research related to Type I diabetes, Kovatchev said. They have been our major source.

Similarly, contributions from NIH subsidize the work of Edward H. Egelman, professor of biochemistry and molecular genetics. Along with other scientists from Yale University and the University of California, Irvine, in 2019, Egelman discovered the structure that enables certain bacteria species to conduct electricity.

While it was commonly accepted that bacteria transported electrons via filamentous appendages that can cause infections, or pili, researchers found that distinct filaments encase molecules with metal and compose a nanowire to facilitate electron transfer. Egelman cited recent and past NIH grants as essential for this type of research, as well as for exploring novel topics that led him to unexpected conclusions.

I am very fortunate to have had sustained funding from the NIH for almost all of my career, and this has allowed my research to go off in unanticipated directions, Egelman said in an email to The Cavalier Daily. The point is that with fundamental or basic research we never quite know what the consequences will be but my NIH funding allowed me to pursue these studies that may have direct implications for everything from nanoelectronics to biomedical engineering.

NIH continues to support a variety of ongoing endeavors at the University. For example, researchers at the University and Virginia Tech recently accepted $3.4 million to develop a miniature model of a lymph node they hope will aid future studies of the organ. The integrated Translational Health Research Institute of Virginia, an initiative throughout the state to connect clinical researchers, disbursed $200,000 from NIH to four multi-institutional research projects several of which involve University faculty in its initial effort to sponsor combined biomedical and data-driven projects, such as the use of ultrasounds to help treat depression.

At the start of a new decade, the challenge for the School of Medicine, Wilkes said, is not necessarily if there will be adequate monetary resources for research, but rather if there will be adequate laboratory space. With a record year behind them, University researchers are looking forward now, as research expansion is likely on the horizon.

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University School of Medicine surpassed funding record with grants from NIH - University of Virginia The Cavalier Daily

Genetics

Signal Genetics, Inc. (MGEN) May Report Negative Earnings: Know the Trend Ahead of Next Week’s Release – Yahoo Finance

Signal Genetics, Inc. (MGEN) is expected to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended December 2019. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.

The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on March 11. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus Estimate

This company is expected to post quarterly loss of $0.25 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +24.2%.

Revenues are expected to be $0.97 million, up 102.1% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions Trend

The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings Whisper

Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Signal Genetics, Inc.

For Signal Genetics, Inc.The Most Accurate Estimate is the same as the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that there are no recent analyst views which differ from what have been considered to derive the consensus estimate. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of 0%.

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On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.

So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Signal Genetics, Inc. Will beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?

While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Signal Genetics, Inc. Would post a loss of $0.30 per share when it actually produced a loss of $0.36, delivering a surprise of -20%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates just once.

Bottom Line

An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Signal Genetics, Inc. Doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportSignal Genetics, Inc. (MGEN) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

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Signal Genetics, Inc. (MGEN) May Report Negative Earnings: Know the Trend Ahead of Next Week's Release - Yahoo Finance

Genetics

Seattle Genetics Announces Cancellation of Presentation and Webcast at the Cowen 40th Annual Healthcare Conference – Yahoo Finance

Seattle Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq:SGEN) announced today the cancellation of the Companys presentation and webcast at the Cowen 40th Annual Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, previously scheduled to take place on March 3, 2020 at 9:20 a.m. Eastern Time. Management will no longer be attending the conference as a precautionary measure related to travel amidst the evolving coronavirus situation.

About Seattle Genetics

Seattle Genetics, Inc. is a global biotechnology company that discovers, develops and commercializes transformative medicines targeting cancer to make a meaningful difference in peoples lives. ADCETRIS (brentuximab vedotin) and PADCEV (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv) use the companys industry-leading antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technology. ADCETRIS is approved in certain CD30-expressing lymphomas, and PADCEV is approved in certain metastatic urothelial cancers. In addition, investigational agent tucatinib, a small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is in late-stage development for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer and in clinical development for metastatic colorectal cancer. The company is headquartered in Bothell, Washington, and has offices in California, Switzerland and the European Union. For more information on our robust pipeline, visit http://www.seattlegenetics.com and follow @SeattleGenetics on Twitter.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200302005307/en/

Contacts

Investors:Peggy Pinkston(425) 527-4160ppinkston@seagen.com

Media:Monique Greer(425) 527-4641mgreer@seagen.com

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Seattle Genetics Announces Cancellation of Presentation and Webcast at the Cowen 40th Annual Healthcare Conference - Yahoo Finance

Genetics

Time to Buy Beat-Down Myriad Genetics, Inc. (MYGN) Stock? Here is the INSIGHT – The InvestChronicle

Myriad Genetics, Inc. (MYGN) is priced at $16.72 after the most recent trading session. At the very opening of the session, the stock price was $18.01 and reached a high price of $18.67, prior to closing the session it reached the value of $18.06. The stock touched a low price of $16.68.

Myriad Genetics, Inc. had a pretty Dodgy run when it comes to the market performance. The 1-year high price for the companys stock is recorded $48.40 on 08/02/19, with the lowest value was $16.66 for the same time period, recorded on 02/28/20.

Price records that include history of low and high prices in the period of 52 weeks can tell a lot about the stocks existing status and the future performance. Presently, Myriad Genetics, Inc. shares are logging -65.45% during the 52-week period from high price, and 0.36% higher than the lowest price point for the same timeframe. The stocks price range for the 52-week period managed to maintain the performance between $16.66 and $48.40.

The companys shares, operating in the sector of services managed to top a trading volume set approximately around 1.67 million for the day, which was evidently higher, when compared to the average daily volumes of the shares.

When it comes to the year-to-date metrics, the Myriad Genetics, Inc. (MYGN) recorded performance in the market was -38.60%, having the revenues showcasing -35.04% on a quarterly basis in comparison with the same period year before. At the time of this writing, the total market value of the company is set at 1.24B, as it employees total of 2600 workers.

According to the data provided on Barchart.com, the moving average of the company in the 100-day period was set at 26.23, with a change in the price was noted -11.58. In a similar fashion, Myriad Genetics, Inc. posted a movement of -40.92% for the period of last 100 days, recording 1,050,314 in trading volumes.

Total Debt to Equity Ratio (D/E) can also provide valuable insight into the companys financial health and market status. The debt to equity ratio can be calculated by dividing the present total liabilities of a company by shareholders equity. Debt to Equity thus makes a valuable metrics that describes the debt, company is using in order to support assets, correlating with the value of shareholders equity. The total Debt to Equity ratio for MYGN is recording 0.21 at the time of this writing. In addition, long term Debt to Equity ratio is set at 0.21.

Raw Stochastic average of Myriad Genetics, Inc. in the period of last 50 days is set at 0.45%. The result represents downgrade in oppose to Raw Stochastic average for the period of the last 20 days, recording 0.45%. In the last 20 days, the companys Stochastic %K was 5.99% and its Stochastic %D was recorded 5.32%.

Bearing in mind the latest performance of Myriad Genetics, Inc., several moving trends are noted. Year-to-date Price performance of the companys stock appears to be encouraging, given the fact the metric is recording -38.60%. Additionally, trading for the stock in the period of the last six months notably deteriorated by -28.94%, alongside a downfall of -45.05% for the period of the last 12 months. The shares increased approximately by 17.44% in the 7-day charts and went up by -7.06% in the period of the last 30 days. Common stock shares were lifted by -35.04% during last recorded quarter.

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Time to Buy Beat-Down Myriad Genetics, Inc. (MYGN) Stock? Here is the INSIGHT - The InvestChronicle

Neuroscience

Immersion Neuroscience Uncovers What Folks Really Love With a Little Help From PR Mavens at Bob Gold & Associates – Business Wire

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Immersion Neuroscience, the worlds most advanced predictive software company unlocking neuroscience to measure what people love, has selected Bob Gold & Associates, a nationally recognized boutique public relations and marketing agency, as its public relations agency of record to help launch its new cloud-based audience prediction platform. The Immersion platform helps companies identify, quantify and predict what live or taped events, training, and entertainment motivate audiences to action so that companies can significantly improve their ability to connect with consumers and increase ROI.

"With more than two decades of research, weve developed an entirely new way to understand how the brain values content, and how to predict what content will drive actions with high accuracy," said Paul J. Zak, Ph.D., Founder of Immersion. We coined the term immersion to denote a measurable neurologic state, and today, Immersion offers an easy to use and powerful tool that allows any company to analyze content and predict how audiences will respond. And it doesn't take a neuroscientist to know that Bob Gold & Associates, with their unparalleled expertise and a proven track record, is the right company to help get our story told.

Immersions proprietary solution and software is the world's most accurate way to measure the brain's unconscious emotional responses to virtually any type of content whether its video, music, live events, training, educational resources and more. Developed by distinguished research scientists, Immersions simple to use and scalable predictive SaaS platform democratizes neuroscience so that anyone can measure what people love at scale.

Life doesnt happen inside a lab, Zak added. Until now, companies could only measure what people in the real world said they liked not how their brains were truly valuing an experience. Immersion is able to measure what folks truly, viscerally love, anywhere, anytime and in real time.

The Immersion platform infers when the brain values an experience in real-time with a small wearable sensor that can be used anywhere. Unlike traditional neuroscience technologies that use expensive, immobile and delicate lab equipment and require highly trained professionals to collect and analyze the data, Immersion takes multiple measures of brain activity and puts them into an easy to understand 0-10 measure collected every second. Immersions clients use the platform anywhere, anytime and at scale, empowering companies to predict future behavior and market outcomes with 90% or better accuracy.

"Immersion is a revolutionary company. With their unique cloud-based solution, measuring brain activity is no longer confined to a laboratory with expensive instruments," said Bob Gold, CEO of Bob Gold & Associates. "There are billions of dollars being spent in original programming, half of which never connects with audiences. Today for every network and streaming service, hits are everything. Immersion has proven, with peer-reviewed publications and blinded studies, its ability to identify hit shows, movies, songs and so much more.

Because its built in the cloud, and not in a lab, Immersions software is portable and effortlessly scalable, enabling clients to leverage the power of neuroscience on the fly, anywhere in the world. And while other companies can take months to compile results, Immersions software provides an immediate assessment, unlocking the power of neuroscience for anyone without the need for extensive training.

In one study, for example, two measures from the platform peak immersion, and frustration were enough to predict the top-rated unscripted TV shows with 84% accuracy.

Many leading global brands are already utilizing Immersion in countless ways. This includes shaping content and business decisions by predicting hit TV shows and movies, chart-topping songs, sales bumps, TV ratings, viral content, what has the highest impact at live events, and even HR and corporate training, all by accurately identifying what is truly valued by audience members brains.

For more about Bob Gold & Associates, visit http://www.bobgoldpr.com.

To learn more about Immersion, visit http://www.getimmersion.com.

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Immersion Neuroscience Uncovers What Folks Really Love With a Little Help From PR Mavens at Bob Gold & Associates - Business Wire