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Cell Biology

Molecular Biology of the Cell seeks early-career editors to focus on curating preprints – Newswise

Newswise Molecular Biology of the Cell (MBoC) is assembling an editorial board of early-career researchers dedicated to curating and classifying the impact of new articles published in MBoC and preprints posted on bioRxiv. Supported by a Learned Society Curation Awardfrom the Wellcome Trust and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute awarded to MBoCs publisher, the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), this new board of diverse, young editors will contribute to curation and recognition of research works across the subjects covered by MBoC.

The recent growth of preprint servers and rapid pace of research dissemination can pose a challenge for researchers and evaluators, says ASCB Curation Manager Michael Lacy. It is sometimes difficult to discover the most interesting articles to read or to assess the significance and potential impact of new research. Our curators will be a valuable addition to the journal and ASCBs community, helping to spotlight important work for a broader audience.

Early-career editors should meet the following criteria:

Responsibilities of early-career editors include:

Early-career editors receive:

Applications should be submitted by Monday January 18, 2021 and must include 1) a CV, 2) a brief description of their research topic, interest in the position and future career plans (1 page total), and 3) a letter of recommendation. We are especially interested in recruiting a diverse group of candidates including those from under-represented backgrounds, across international regions, and from a broad range of research topics.

For more information and instructions to apply, visit our web pageor contact Michael Lacy (mlacy@ascb.org)

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Molecular Biology of the Cell seeks early-career editors to focus on curating preprints - Newswise

Cell Biology

20 ways UM-Flint CAS innovated in 2020 (Part 1) – University of Michigan Flint News

It goes without saying: This year has been filled with unprecedented hardships. Students, faculty, and staff across the UM-Flint community have encountered countless challenges that often change from week to week.

Despite these challenges, UM-Flint remains committed to keeping students safe while continuing to provide a world-class education. UM-Flint has developed a culture of innovation to meet that goal. Solutions that were once hard to imagine are now embraced to help create the best experiences for students and community members.

This culture of innovation has spread to every school, college, and unit across the university, producing so many examples that they would be impossible to list in their entirety. This two-part series presents, in no particular order, 20 innovative highlights from the College of Arts & Sciences in 2020.

Students in AST 120: Survey of Astronomy, taught by Lecturer II Michele Stark, are learning by playing the video game "The University of Mars." While exploring the solar system, astronomy students discover more about elemental particles, moon phases, planetary orbits and more. It's easy to stay engaged with an online asynchronous course when you're having fun!

Assistant Professor of Biology You-shin Chen wanted to be sure her Cell Biology students got hands-on experience while studying from home. That's why she set up a drive-through on campus where students could pick up laboratory materials. Then they conducted numerous experiments away from the lab, including extracting DNA from fruits & vegetables and separating plant pigments to study photosynthesis. She says, "We are trying to be as a creative as possible to cultivate students' desire for learning."

After travel restrictions forced the Department of History to cancel their Wyatt Global Exploration Program, faculty began thinking of other ways they could support their students. That resulted in more than $70,000 in additional scholarships being awarded to every eligible History major and minor.

Performances from the Department of Theatre & Dance continued in new formats to keep students and audiences safe. The first performance of the season was Poof!, recorded in a socially distanced format and released online. In Poof!, a housewife comes to the end of her rope with an abusive husband, but she doesn't expect him to spontaneously combust.

The Department of Political Science didn't let remote learning stop Coffee & Conversation, an event series that invites the UM-Flint community to discuss current issues with faculty. On Nov. 11, they held a virtual election debrief, facilitating dialogue on the presidential election process. Many Political Science faculty have also contributed their expertise to media coverage of the election season; Lecturer IV Kim Saks-McManaway provided insight on election vote counts and Associate Professor Jason Kosnoski shed light on possible timelines for election results.

Our student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers designed, built, and tested an original drone design, in preparation for the national IAM3D competition. The pandemic forced the competition online, but they weren't deterred. The team developed a video showcasing their design process, earning them second place in just their second year competing.

In Shelley Spivack's CRJ 388/588: Corrections A Critical Perspective course, socially distanced learning has not stopped community leaders and working professionals from enhancing the experience for students. Among the guest speakers this year were Judge Mark Latchana of the 7th Circuit Court, Judge Jessica Hammon of 67th District Court, Leon El- Amin from the M.A.D.E. Institute, Dr. Denise Smith Allen, a retired state probation officer, and Chad Sharpe, Director of the Genesee Valley Regional Center.

36 high school teams competed in UM-Flint's High School Programming Competition, hosted by Computer Science & Information Systems. The event took place virtually in May despite the pandemic preventing in-person meetings. The high school competitors were treated to a keynote address from Dr. Mark Guzdial of UM-Ann Arbor.

Created by Assistant Professor of Biochemistry Besa Xhabija, the "Keeping COVID-19 Out of Flint" initiative provided both the protective equipment and knowledge necessary to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Xhabija collaborated with recent graduate Miguel Strawn to create informational videos and pamphlets. Miguel managed the delivery of 300 care packages containing masks, gloves, and soap to Flint Residents.

The 61,00 sq. ft. Expansion to the Murchie Science Building is on track to open in winter semester 2021. The MSB Expansion not only enhances the experience for STEM majorslearners in all disciplines will enjoy the benefits of a space that features a student-centered design that removes barriers to instruction.

Stay tuned for ten more innovations in part two of this series.

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20 ways UM-Flint CAS innovated in 2020 (Part 1) - University of Michigan Flint News

Cell Biology

Immunicum AB (publ) Provides Additional Information on the Proposed Transaction and Virtual Investor Event Summary – GlobeNewswire

Press Release

8 December 2020

Immunicum AB (publ) Provides Additional Information on the Proposed Transaction and Virtual Investor Event Summary

Immunicum AB (publ; IMMU.ST) provided today an overview and details on the topics to be covered during the previously announced Investor Event regarding the proposed combination between Immunicum and DCprime. The live presentation and Q&A session will be led by members of the Immunicum and DCprime management teams during the webcast tomorrow, Wednesday, December 9th at 3.00 pm CET. To view the livestream of the event, click here: https://bit.ly/36V9VAQ

Questions can be sent before and during the event to ir@immunicum.com. The presentation is now available on Immunicums website.

The business combination with DCprime is a rare and exciting opportunity through which we gain improved control of the entire value chain of development for ilixadencel while adding a complementary clinical-stage program to our pipeline. This transaction is an essential step to generating shareholder value, commented Sven Rohmann, MD, Ph.D., CEO of Immunicum. Through this additional information and tomorrows Investor Event, our objective is to provide a more extensive overview of this proposed transaction to the Immunicum shareholders. Speaking for the combined leadership, we are convinced that this is a truly transformative opportunity for the Company.

Merger RationaleAs announced on November 18th, combining forces with DCprime will establish a leading company built on decades of combined immuno-oncology and cell therapy expertise in the field of allogeneic dendritic cell biology.

Building a Fully Integrated Company & Leveraging Value

Complementary Organizations & Clinical Pipeline

Broadening Shareholder Base & Financing

Transaction Process

Next Steps

Scientific BackgroundFrom a scientific perspective, both Immunicum and DCprime share the therapeutic approach of using allogeneic, off-the-shelf dendritic cell biology to enable a patients immune system to more effectively fight cancer.

Cancer Treatment in the Age of Immunotherapy

Dendritic Cells, Immunicum & DCprime

Clinical Pipeline UpdateThe combination of Immunicum and DCprime will enable the newly unified organization to advance a synergistic pipeline spanning both large and orphan indications in solid as well as blood-borne tumors, with two programs in Phase II clinical development and multiple near-term value inflection points as well as a portfolio of preclinical programs and research capabilities to fuel future pipeline expansion.

Combined Pipeline Overview & Upcoming Clinical Milestones

ASH Oral Presentation Update

Pipeline Expansion Opportunities

Transaction SummaryThe business combination of Immunicum and DCprime is first and foremost based on the shared and unique biology of allogeneic, off-the-shelf dendritic cell-based therapies and the complementary therapeutic approaches of intratumoral priming and cancer relapse vaccination. From this foundation, the unified company can build and expand a strong pipeline in solid and blood-borne tumors which will establish Immunicums position as a leading cell therapy player. This pipeline will also facilitate near- and long-term clinical development progress and value creation.

In addition, as two synergistic organizations, Immunicum and DCprime will bring together and further develop strong in-house research and process development capabilities.

Van Herk and AP4, two leading institutional investors, have expressed their support to the combined entity.

For more information, please contact:

Sven Rohmann, MD, Ph.D., CEOTelephone: +46 8 732 8400E-mail: info@immunicum.com

Investor Relations

Jonas Rodny and Carolin WikenPaues berg CommunicationsTelephone: +46 190 90 51 E-mail:ir@immunicum.com

Media Relations

Joanne Tudorica and Sophia Hergenhan, Ph.D.Trophic CommunicationsTelephone: +49 171 351 2733E-mail:ir@immunicum.com

About Immunicum AB (publ)

Immunicum is establishing a unique immuno-oncology approach through the development of allogeneic, off-the-shelf cell-based therapies. Our goal is to improve survival outcomes and quality of life by priming the patients own immune system to fight cancer. The Companys lead product ilixadencel, consisting of pro-inflammatory allogeneic dendritic cells, has the potential to become a backbone component of modern cancer combination treatments in a variety of solid tumor indications. Immunicum has evaluated ilixadencel in several clinical trials including the recently completed exploratory Phase II MERECA study in kidney cancer and the Company is moving towards late-stage clinical development. Founded and based in Sweden, Immunicum is publicly traded on the Nasdaq Stockholm. http://www.immunicum.com

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Immunicum AB (publ) Provides Additional Information on the Proposed Transaction and Virtual Investor Event Summary - GlobeNewswire

Cell Biology

Enara Bio relocates to The Oxford Science Park’s newest facility to expand R&D capabilities in the search for novel cancer immunotherapies -…

Oxford and London, UK 9th December 2020. Enara Bio, a biotechnology company leveraging its proprietary T-cell/T-cell receptor (TCR) discovery and Dark Antigen platforms to deliver targeted cancer immunotherapies, announces its expansion and move to the new Bellhouse Building at The Oxford Science Park. Enara Bios move from the Oxford BioEscalator to one of the UK's largest biomedical innovation centres is in preparation for its future growth and ambition to transform cancer care. The dedicated research facility will enable the company to accelerate the preclinical development of its lead MR1-targeting T-cell therapy program while continuing to drive the discovery of novel cancer antigens and TCRs for immunotherapy.

The move, which will see the company occupy over 5,000 sq. ft of office and laboratory space in the Bellhouse Building, is a key milestone in Enara Bios growth and development. The purpose-built facility will enable Enara Bio to bring together key personnel with world-leading capabilities in bioinformatics, immunopeptidomics, cell therapy process development, and immunology to discover and develop novel TCR-based immunotherapies.

Kevin Pojasek, President and CEO of Enara Bio, said:

We are delighted to be expanding and moving into The Oxford Science Park. As pioneers of TCR-directed T-cell immunotherapies, it seems fitting that we will be the first occupier of the Bellhouse Building, the parks latest, state-of-the-art facility. Our current growth is fuelled by the interest generated by our innovation platform and its transformative potential. The move will enable us to scale up our research and development efforts and hopefully realize this potential as we explore novel targets such as Dark Antigens and MR1, which hold great promise in the search for next generation cancer immunotherapies.

Piers Scrimshaw-Wright, CEO of The Oxford Science Park, added:

Enara Bios exciting work on novel immunotherapies makes it the ideal first occupier of the Bellhouse Building, named after one of the University of Oxfords earliest entrepreneurs. Professor Brian Bellhouse formed PowderJect in 1993, and based the company at The Oxford Science Park, where Enara Bio can now continue its own pioneering research. We are delighted to welcome the company to the Park and look forward to supporting its development in the coming years.

About Enara Bio

Enara Bio (formerly Ervaxx) is a science-led company targeting the T-cell/cancer-cell interface (the immune synapse) to develop new targeted cancer immunotherapies designed to treat a broad patient population. Enara Bio is exploring the hidden depths of cancer and T-cell biology to discover and characterize novel immunotherapy targets, such as Dark Antigens and MR1-presented ligands. We are pioneering approaches to exploit these targets with TCR-directed T-cell immunotherapy and therapeutic vaccines. To achieve our mission, we are leveraging our differentiated Dark Antigen and TCR discovery platforms that integrate bioinformatics, immunopeptidomics, metabolomics and immunology in our Oxford, UK-based research lab. Enara Bio is backed by leading life science investors, including SV Health Investors. We have partnerships with world-class academic institutions, including the Francis Crick Institute, Cardiff University, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the University of Oxford, to help drive the leading edge of these new areas of science.

For more information visit: http://www.enarabio.com

About The Oxford Science Park

The Oxford Science Park is owned and managed by Magdalen College, Oxford. Created in 1991, the Park upholds the Colleges heritage and provides one of the most influential science & technology environments in the UK. There is approaching 750,000 square feet of workspace accommodation across the Park, which is now home to 2,700 people and more than 130 businesses. These range from start-ups based in the Magdalen Centre innovation hub to major international companies and include Blue Earth Diagnostics, MiroBio, OrganOx, OxSonics Therapeutics, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, OXGENE, ProImmune, Oxford Sciences Innovation, Evox Therapeutics, Vaccitech, Exscientia, Sensyne Health and Intuitive Surgical.

In addition to being a key property investment, the Park is at the heart of Magdalen College's strategy to support discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship. It will continue to develop The Oxford Science Park as a long-term strategic asset, with ambitious plans to create an additional 500,000+ sq ft of office and laboratory space on the remaining 12 acres of land over the next 3-5 years. This additional capacity will support the growth of businesses already based on the Park, providing flexible workspace accommodation, and enabling new companies to enjoy the Parks exceptional environment and collegiate and collaborative ethos. The Oxford Science Park is located approximately four miles south-east of Oxford city centre, just off the Citys southern ring road. It has easy access to the M40 and A34, as well as to Heathrow Airport and mainline train services. For further information, please visit: http://www.oxfordsp.com or follow us on twitter @OxfordSciencePK

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Enara Bio relocates to The Oxford Science Park's newest facility to expand R&D capabilities in the search for novel cancer immunotherapies -...

Cell Biology

University researchers scoop over 4 million in EU funding competition – Deadline News

A SCOTTISH university projects have been awarded millions in a prestigious EU funding competition.

Two projects led by the University of Dundee researchers were awarded 4m by the European Research Council (ERC).

The grant was awarded as part of the Consolidator Grant competition as part of universities frontier research in life sciences.

Dr Yogesh KulathuandDr Jorunn Bos, both of the UniversitysSchool of Life Sciences, have been awarded the grants for their research projects that look to investigate unexplored areas of cell biology and explore novel ways to provide plant protection, respectively.

Dr Kulathus project, StressHUb, aims to gain insights into the fundamental principles regulating stress at the cellular level.

The 2.1 million ERC funding will enable Dr Kulathu and his colleagues to develop new technologies and methodologies for use in understanding how unresolved stress results in disease.

The cells of the human body are constantly exposed to stresses, such as UV light and carcinogens, heat, and metabolic stresses.

Cells use intricate intracellular signalling pathways to translate these environmental challenges into appropriate cellular responses.

Currently, these signals and the reasons why they go wrong in disease are poorly understood due to the lack of tools and methods to study them.

Dr Kulathu, MRC Investigator and Group Leader at the Medical Research Council Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (MRC PPU), said, We are studying almost unexplored areas of cell biology which has immense potential for ground-breaking discoveries.

StressHUb will explore the functions of branched heterotypic ubiquitin chains (HUbs) in cellular stress responses.

These branched HUbs play important roles in the physiology of human cells, however, their functions have not been defined because of the complex nature of these modifications and the lack of ways to study them.

We will develop novel tools and methodologies which will reveal the cellular machinery that makes these modifications, how they are formed in response to stress, and their roles in resolving cellular stress.

This knowledge can then be used to develop drugs to treat various diseases where cellular stress is not resolved, such as neurodegeneration, chronic inflammatory diseases and cancer.

Dr Bos, a principal investigator in the Division of Plant Sciences and the James Hutton Institute based in Invergowrie, and her project, APHIDTRAP, will explore and develop new ways to provide crop protection against insects.

The grant, worth almost 2 million, will allow her research team to take new directions to answer important questions on how insects such as greenfly and blackfly, commonly known as aphids, are such successful pests.

Current aphid control relies almost exclusively on insecticides, which are costly, damaging to the environment and to which aphids develop resistance.

Dr Bos and her team are interested in understanding the molecular dialogue that takes place between plants and aphids to come up with new solutions.

Dr Bos said:This project is building on years of work by members of my team, past and present, and without them this would not have been possible,

The key questions that drive APHIDTRAP are building on previous findings that aphids can actively promote host susceptibility using effector proteins. The function of these effector proteins is based on association with host proteins and modification of their activity.

The next step is to try and understand how these protein-protein interactions take place, and what the downstream consequences are with regards to susceptibility.

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University researchers scoop over 4 million in EU funding competition - Deadline News

Cell Biology

Cytovia Therapeutics announces plans to initiate in 2021 Clinical Development of Universal iPSC NK Cell Therapy for Hematological and Solid Tumors -…

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cytovia Therapeutics, an emerging NK cell therapeutics company, announced today that it plans to file with the FDAin 2021an Investigational New Drug (IND) application and initiate clinical trials in hematological and solid tumors with its Universal iPSC NK cell therapy (U-iNK).

Cytovia's CEO, Dr. Daniel Teper commented: "Cytovia is among a select group of biotech companies developing Gene Edited iPSC NK and CAR NK cell therapeutics. We are aiming to be, in 2021, the second company to initiate clinical trials with an iPSC NK product. We are enthusiastic about the potential of U-iNK to prevent relapse in Acute Myeloid Leukemia, and in combination with PD1/ PDL-1 inhibitors and our own NK engager bispecific antibodies, to improve outcomes in solid tumors starting with hepatocellular carcinoma."

Cytovia will participate in the RBC Capital Markets Healthcare Private Company Conference on December 15-16, 2020. Daniel Teper, PharmD, CEO, Wei Li, PhD, CSO and Kaouthar Lbiati, MD, VP, Product Strategy will take part in a Fireside chat with RBC's Senior Analyst, Gregory Renza, MD, on December 16, 2020 at 10am ET. A link to the discussion will be available on Cytovias website and social media channels.

About Cytovia TherapeuticsCytovia Therapeutics Inc is an emerging biotechnology company that aims to accelerate patient access to transformational immunotherapies, addressing several of the most challenging unmet medical needs in cancer. Cytovia focuses on Natural Killer (NK) cell biology and is leveraging multiple advanced patented technologies, including an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) platform for CAR (Chimeric Antigen Receptors) NK cell therapy, next-generation precision gene-editing to enhance targeting of NK cells, and NK engager multi-functional antibodies. Our initial product portfolio focuses on both hematological malignancies such as multiple myeloma and solid tumors including hepatocellular carcinoma and glioblastoma. The company partners with the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF), the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, INSERM, and CytoImmune Therapeutics.

Learn more atwww.cytoviatx.comand follow Cytovia Therapeutics on Social MediaFacebook,LinkedIn,Twitter, Youtube

For more information, please contact:

Cytovia Therapeutics, IncSophieBadrVice President, Corporate Affairssophie.badre@cytoviatx.comCell: 1 (929) 317 1565

Anna Baran-DjokovicVice President, Investor Relationsanna@cytoviatx.comVP Investor RelationsCell: +44 7521083006

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Cytovia Therapeutics announces plans to initiate in 2021 Clinical Development of Universal iPSC NK Cell Therapy for Hematological and Solid Tumors -...

Cell Biology

Bateman, Diamond, Hultgren named to National Academy of Inventors – Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

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School of Medicine scientists honored for innovation

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis faculty members (left to right) Randall J. Bateman, MD, Michael S. Diamond, MD, PhD, and Scott Hultgren, PhD, have been elected fellows of the National Academy of Inventors.

Neurologist Randall J. Bateman, MD, virologist and immunologist Michael S. Diamond, MD, PhD, and microbiologist Scott Hultgren, PhD all faculty members at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have been named fellows of the National Academy of Inventors, the highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors.

They are among 175 new fellows elected this year in recognition of their innovation in creating and facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society. They will be honored at a ceremony during the academys annual meeting in June in Tampa, Fla.

Randall J. Bateman

Bateman, the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Distinguished Professor of Neurology, is being recognized for his pioneering work in diagnostics and clinical treatment for Alzheimers disease. His research into techniques to detect molecular signs of Alzheimers has led to the first blood test approved under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), to aid in the diagnosis of Alzheimers. The aim of the CLIA program, under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, is to ensure quality laboratory testing in people. The Alzheimers test, made by the startup company C2N Diagnostics, became available to patients and physicians in October.

Bateman co-founded C2N in 2007 with David Holtzman, MD, the Andrew B. and Gretchen P. Jones Professor and head of theDepartment of Neurology, to provide a technology the two had developed called SILK, or stable isotope labeling kinetics. The technology measures the breakdown and synthesis rates of neurological proteins important in Alzheimers disease, such as amyloid beta, tau and others, data that can be crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of potential Alzheimers drugs. Multiple large pharma companies have partnered with C2N to use SILK to help assess drugs in clinical development.

More recently, Bateman has focused on developing sensitive techniques for detecting Alzheimers proteins in blood. The approved blood test is based on identifying the presence of amyloid beta, but he also is working on a promising blood test for tau.

Bateman earned his bachelors degree at Washington University in 1996, and his medical degree at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland in 2000. He completed his residency at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and a clinical fellowship at Washington University School of Medicine before joining the faculty in 2005.

His many honors include the Chancellors Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the MetLife Award in Medical Research and the Potamkin Prize for Research in Picks, Alzheimers, and Related Diseases, an international recognition sometimes referred to as the Nobel Prize for Alzheimers research. He is an elected fellow of the National Academy of Medicine.

Michael S. Diamond

Diamond, the Herbert S. Gasser Professor of Medicine, a professor of molecular microbiology, and of pathology and immunology, is being recognized for his accomplishments developing research tools and drug and vaccine candidates for emerging viruses such as West Nile, dengue, chikungunya, Zika and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Most recently, Diamond developed research tools to aid the international search for treatments and preventives for COVID-19, including a mouse model for COVID-19. He helped identify antibodies that are undergoing clinical testing as potential drugs for COVID-19, and developed two vaccine candidates that have shown promise in animal studies, one of which soon will be the focus of a vaccine trial in people.

During the Zika epidemic, Diamond helped develop the first mouse model and the first pregnant mouse model of Zika infection, enabling research into the devastating neurological damage seen in the fetuses of infected pregnant women. He conducted pivotal preclinical studies to advance a Zika vaccine, and identified antibodies against Zika virus that led to two novel diagnostic tests to detect Zika virus in patients.

Diamond earned his medical and doctoral degrees from Harvard in 1994. After completing a research fellowship in molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley, Diamond moved to the University of California, San Francisco, where he completed his residency in internal medicine and a clinical fellowship in infectious diseases. He returned to Berkeley to complete another research fellowship in infectious diseases in 2001, before joining Washington University School of Medicine that year.

Diamond is an elected fellow or member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the American Academy of Microbiology, the Association of American Physicians and the National Academy of Medicine.

Scott Hultgren

Hultgren, the Helen L. Stoever Professor of Molecular Microbiology, is being recognized for his pioneering research in nonantibiotic treatments and preventives for urinary tract infections (UTIs), one of the most common infections in women.

Current therapies use antibiotics to kill bacteria in the urinary tract, but they are often ineffective and can promote drug resistance. Hultgren discovered bacterial and host mechanisms that determine the onset, course and outcome of UTIs, including discovering how E. coli bacteria evade the immune system and form stable, protected bacterial communities known as biofilms. This work has led to the identification of alternative therapies based on preventing bacteria from causing disease without killing them, such as compounds that target bacterial attachment to human tissues. His work also has led to an investigational vaccine that has completed phase 1a/1b clinical trials and has been allowed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for compassionate use in patients with multidrug-resistant UTI caused by E. coli.

Hultgren co-founded Fimbrion Therapeutics, which is developing decoy sugars known as mannosides as nonlethal antimicrobials to eliminate bacteria from the urinary tract. These compounds are in phase 1 clinical trials. He is also a cofounder of Quretech Bio, which is working to develop first-line drugs to combat infectious diseases and prevent antibiotic resistance.

Hultgren earned his doctoral degree from Northwestern University in 1987 before moving to Sweden to do postdoctoral research under Staffan Normark, PhD, at the University of Ume. Normark joined Washington University as head of the molecular microbiology department in 1989 and recruited Hultgren to join the faculty later that same year.

Hultgren holds 22 U.S. patents and has four pending patent applications. His many honors and awards include the Eli Lilly Microbiology Award and election to the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Washington University School of Medicines 1,500 faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals. The School of Medicine is a leader in medical research, teaching and patient care, ranking among the top 10 medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.

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Bateman, Diamond, Hultgren named to National Academy of Inventors - Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Cell Biology

Project positions at Translational Health Science and Technology Institute – Mathrubhumi English

Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), an Autonomous Institute of the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India; NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, P.O. Box No. 04, Faridabad-121001, has notified various Project positions at the Institute.

Projects and Positions are as follows:

Project: Preclinical and Pharmacokinetics Evaluations of select AYUSH Herbal Extracts/Formulations for Mitigating SARS-CoV2 Associated Pathologies

Project Associate: Masters Degree in any branch of Life Science or Pharmacology with 2 years experience in Animal Cell Culture and Molecular Biology Techniques

Project: Adaptive Molecular Diagnostics

Research Fellow: M.Sc in Chemistry/Biochemistry/Microbiology with one year of Post qualification research experience in Cell Biology or Microbiology or Genomics from a R&D Institute

Project: Structure Determination of targeting of ubiquitously expressed membrane integrated form of Chloride Intracellular channels (CLICs) for discovery of small molecular anti-cancer therapeutics

Research Associate: PhD in Organic Chemistry/Medicinal Chemistry or equivalent

Project: Development, Characterization and Evaluation of protective efficacy of self-amplifying mRNA vaccine candidates against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV 2)

Project Scientist: PhD In any branch of Life Science with 2 years post qualification research experience in animal cell culture and molecular Biology techniques

Senior Project Associate: Ph.D In any branch of Life Science with 1 year post qualification research experience in mouse/hamster handling and experimentation

Project Associate: Masters Degree in any branch of Life Science or Pharmacology with 2 years experience in animal cell culture and molecular Biology techniques and/or mouse/hamster handling and experimentation

Details of the Project, selection procedure, last date for applying and other terms and conditions are available in the detailed notification at https://thsti.in/application/jobs.php

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Project positions at Translational Health Science and Technology Institute - Mathrubhumi English

Cell Biology

Coronavirus: The 40-year-old drug that could stop people getting sick from COVID-19 – The Australian Financial Review

On Tuesday, one its co-founders, Pierre Kory, appeared before a US Senate Homeland Security and governmental affairs committee, saying there was more evidence.

He reminded the hearing on Early Outpatient Treatment: An Essential Part of a COVID-19 Solution that in May, against widespread opposition, he had recommended corticosteroids be used to treat COVID-19.

That turned out to be a lifesaving recommendation," Associate Professor Kory told the hearing. "I am here today with a new recommendation.

He said four large randomised controlled trials involving more than 1500 patients had demonstrated Ivermectins effectiveness as a safe prophylactic agent in COVID 19, when used in early outpatient treatment.

He noted discoveries related to Invermectin had won two researchers the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2015.

All I ask is for the National Institutes of Health to review our data, he said.

At an alliance press conference in the US last week, Professor Kory said that as vaccines would not be distributed fast enough to save lives, something was needed in the interim.

COVID-19 is a runaway train barrelling down the tracks, and if youre on those tracks, Ivermectin can help lift you out of harms way," he said.

Paul Marik, co-founder of the alliance, said Ivemectin had been used safely by 3.7 billion people.

It had high activity fighting the SARS-CoV-2 virus as well as the inflammation produced in all stages of COVID-19.

It works pre-and post-exposure, the early symptoms phase and late-stage disease," Professor Marik said.

Australia was first to identify the drug's potential against COVID-19, says Stephen Turner, head of the Department of Microbiology at Monash. Monash

In April, the Monash and Doherty study indicated Ivermectin resulted in the loss of nearly all viral material within 48 hours, with no toxicity, in non-human cells.

But in May, another study found the design of this study made it difficult to extrapolate to humans.

Ivermectin works by interfering with the life cycle of pathogens, disrupting some basic cell biology. So it needs to be used at low enough doses to minimise side effects in patients, says Stephen Turner, head of the Department of Microbiology at Monash.

Now the researchers are looking at safe dosing that could still get the protective effect while limiting side effects. Their trials are under way and, until they report, the jury is still out.

Allen Cheng, professor of infectious diseases epidemiology at Monash and a member of Australias National COVID Evidence Taskforce, which keeps an eye on all the available evidence, agrees the jury is still out.

He says the taskforce currently recommends against the use of Ivermectin as treatment outside of trials and has no recommendation for its use in prevention.

The taskforce has a list of almost 30 other treatments that have not been found to work, which reinforces that treatments need to be tested rigorously in clinical trials," Professor Cheng says.

"Obviously, evidence is constantly changing, so if evidence emerges that Ivermectin (or any other treatment) works, these recommendations would change.

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Coronavirus: The 40-year-old drug that could stop people getting sick from COVID-19 - The Australian Financial Review

Cell Biology

Magenta Therapeutics Announces Commencement of First Phase 2 Clinical Trial of MGTA-145 for Stem Cell Mobilization, Oral Presentation of MGTA-145…

Dec. 7, 2020 13:00 UTC

Enrollment commenced in the MGTA-145 Phase 2 clinical trial of autologous transplant of multiple myeloma patients at Stanford University

Oral presentation of Phase 1 clinical data presented at the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting confirming MGTA-145 achieved proof-of concept: all safety and efficacy endpoints met and mobilized cells demonstrated functional superiority over other mobilization approaches in preclinical studies

Preclinical data from MGTA-117, the first targeted antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) from the Magenta platform, continue to indicate that it is an effective, potent conditioning agent with the potential to improve transplant outcomes in patients with blood cancers and genetic diseases

Magenta expects to provide additional updates on its programs and clinical plans in early 2021

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Magenta Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MGTA), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel medicines to bring the curative power of stem cell transplant to more patients, today announced final clinical results from its earlier completed Phase 1 clinical trial as well as development updates for its MGTA-145 stem cell mobilization therapy, including commencement of enrollment in a Phase 2 clinical trial in multiple myeloma, and its plans for a Phase 2 clinical trial in allogeneic stem cell transplant for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The company also previously announced a clinical collaboration with bluebird bio to evaluate MGTA-145 for mobilizing and collecting stem cells in adults and adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD). Additional preclinical results were also presented at the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, taking place virtually from December 5-8, 2020, on the Magenta conditioning platform, including MGTA-117 program, which is a targeted antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) to prepare patients for stem cell transplant.

MGTA-145 Advancement to Phase 2 Development in Blood Cancers

The company announced that enrollment has started and is ongoing in a Phase 2 clinical trial of MGTA-145, used in combination with plerixafor, to mobilize and collect stem cells for autologous stem cell transplantation of multiple myeloma patients at Stanford University. Magenta expects that this trial will provide patient-level data on stem cell mobilization and collection, characteristics of the mobilized graft and engraftment in patients with multiple myeloma.

Additionally, through a collaboration with the National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match, a global leader in facilitating allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, Magenta plans to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial in early 2021 using MGTA-145 to mobilize and collect stem cells from allogeneic donors for transplant in patients with AML, ALL and MDS. Allogeneic stem cell transplant provides a potentially curative therapeutic option for patients with these diseases. This clinical trial will evaluate stem cell mobilization, collection, cell quality, engraftment and the potential for reduced Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD), which is of particular importance in the allogeneic transplant setting.

MGTA-145 in Sickle Cell Disease

Magenta Therapeutics recently announced an exclusive clinical collaboration with bluebird bio to evaluate the utility of MGTA-145, in combination with plerixafor, for the mobilization and collection of stem cells in adults and adolescents with SCD.

The data from this clinical trial could provide proof-of-concept for MGTA-145, in combination with plerixafor, as the preferred mobilization regimen for patients with SCD. bluebird bios experience with plerixafor as a mobilization agent in SCD aligns with Magentas combination therapy approach, utilizing MGTA-145 plus plerixafor with potential for safe, rapid and reliable mobilization of sufficient quantities of high-quality stem cells to improve outcomes associated with stem cell transplantation.

MGTA-145 Presentations at ASH

Magenta presented final clinical data from its MGTA-145 stem cell mobilization Phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers at the ASH Annual Meeting. All primary and secondary endpoints were met in the study completed earlier this year.

The results demonstrate that a single dose of MGTA-145, in combination with plerixafor, rapidly and reliably mobilized high numbers of stem cells in a single day without the need for G-CSF for potential use in diseases that can benefit from autologous and/or allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The additional data also offer further confirmation that MGTA-145, in combination with plerixafor, was well tolerated and provides a rapid and reliable method to obtain large numbers of hematopoietic stem cells. Transplant of these cells in preclinical models resulted in enhanced, durable engraftment, in addition to highly immunosuppressive properties, leading to reduced GvHD.

Results from this study provide a robust dataset and proof of concept that MGTA-145, in combination with plerixafor, provides rapid and robust mobilization of stem cells and that these cells have better engraftment potential, are able to be gene modified and engraft and reduce GvHD in preclinical models compared to cells mobilized with other available agents. The data reinforce the availability of compelling opportunities for development in both the autologous and allogeneic transplant settings, said John Davis Jr., M.D., M.P.H., M.S., Head of Research & Development and Chief Medical Officer, Magenta Therapeutics.

The data were presented by Steven M. Devine, MD, Chief Medical Officer of the National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match and Associate Scientific Director of the CIBMTR (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research).

Conditioning Program (MGTA-117 and CD45-ADC) Presentations at ASH

Magenta also provided updates on its conditioning platform at the ASH Annual Meeting, including MGTA-117 and CD45-ADC programs. Preclinical data from a study of MGTA-117 demonstrate that it is an effective, potent conditioning agent for transplant with anti-leukemic activity, significantly decreasing tumor burdens, leading to delayed tumor growth and increased median survival rates in animal models of AML. Ongoing GLP toxicology and GMP manufacturing progress continue to be supportive of advancing MGTA-117 towards an IND filing in AML and MDS.

Additionally, preclinical data from a study of Magentas CD45-ADC, a CD45-targeted conditioning agent designed to remove the cells that cause autoimmune diseases to enable curative immune reset, demonstrated the ability to achieve successful outcomes as a single agent in the most challenging disease model through fully mismatched allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant, where only radiation or combinations of toxic chemotherapies are available, potentially providing patients the option of a reduced toxicity conditioning regimen. The company continues to evaluate this program preclinically.

About MGTA-145

MGTA-145 is being developed in combination with plerixafor to harness complementary chemokine mechanisms to mobilize hematopoietic stem cells for collection and transplantation. This new combination has the potential to be the preferred mobilization regimen for rapid and reliable mobilization and collection of hematopoietic stem cells to improve outcomes in autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation, which can rebuild a healthy immune system for patients with blood cancers, genetic diseases and autoimmune disorders.

MGTA-145 has the potential to replace the current standard of care for patients and allogeneic donors who currently rely on the use of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) alone or in combination with plerixafor, which can take up to five days or longer to mobilize sufficient numbers of stem cells, often resulting in significant bone pain and other side effects.

About Magenta Therapeutics

Magenta Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing medicines to bring the curative power of immune system reset through stem cell transplant to more patients with blood cancer, genetic diseases and autoimmune diseases. Magenta is combining leadership in stem cell biology and biotherapeutics development with clinical and regulatory expertise, a unique business model and broad networks in the stem cell transplant world to revolutionize immune reset for more patients.

Magenta is based in Cambridge, Mass. For more information, please visit http://www.magentatx.com.

Follow Magenta on Twitter: @magentatx.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release may contain forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. The use of words such as may, will, could, should, expects, intends, plans, anticipates, believes, estimates, predicts, projects, seeks, endeavor, potential, continue or the negative of such words or other similar expressions can be used to identify forward-looking statements. The express or implied forward-looking statements included in this press release are only predictions and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, without limitation risks set forth under the caption Risk Factors in Magentas Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 3, 2020, as updated by Magentas most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although Magenta believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance or events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur. Moreover, except as required by law, neither Magenta nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the forward-looking statements included in this press release. Any forward-looking statement included in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it was made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

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Magenta Therapeutics Announces Commencement of First Phase 2 Clinical Trial of MGTA-145 for Stem Cell Mobilization, Oral Presentation of MGTA-145...