MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Vigilant Biosciences, Inc., developer of the rinse and spit screening test for the early detection of oral cancer, today announced the appointment of Jonathan Jack Lord, M.D. to its Board of Directors. Dr. Lord is nationally recognized for his role in improving healthcare through innovation in medical practice, business leadership, government and higher education.

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Lord to our Board of Directors and look forward to his counsel as we bring our innovative product to market, said Vigilant Biosciences founder and Chairman Matthew H.J. Kim, J.D. His experience and leadership across the spectrum of healthcare organizations will help the company to positively impact lives through the successful commercialization of our products.

The oral cancer product under development by Vigilant Biosciences represents todays model for bringing new technologies to market in response to critical, unmet needs, said Dr. Lord. Early detection of cancer is the best tool to fight this debilitating disease, while also eliminating unnecessary and burdensome testing by ruling out false positives.

Dr. Lord currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Dexcom, as a Director at Stericycle, and serves on advisory boards for Serco PLC (UK), Anthelio Health and Third Rock Ventures. He has earned certificates in Governance and Audit from the Harvard Business School. A nationally recognized leader in innovations in health care, Dr. Lord became the University of Miamis Chief Innovation Officer when he returned to his alma mater after three decades in healthcare leadership roles, in September 2011. In March 2012, he was named Chief Operating Officer of the Miller School of Medicine and UHealth-University of Miami Health System. He completed a financial turnaround of the Miller School and continues to serve today as a Professor of Pathology. A board-certified forensic pathologist who began his medical career in the U.S. Navy and later served as Chief Operating Officer of the American Hospital Association and several biotech companies, Dr. Lord served as the CEO for Navigenics, Inc. following his tenure as the former Chief Innovation Officer and senior vice president of Humana. During his time at Humana, he created Humanas Innovation Center, which combines research, technology and consumer experience to promote health and well-being. He also contributed to the field of predictive sciences by using advanced analytics to predict who will become ill in the future and how to prevent disease. Further cementing his ties to UM, he oversaw the creation of the UM/Humana Health Resources Center on the Miller School campus in 2006. Dr. Lord also serves or has served as a member of a number of prestigious boards and organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Advisory Committee to the Director; the National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research and Quality, which advises the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services; and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations. He was a member of the Presidents Council at UM, an advisory group of some of the University's most prominent alumni. His previous academic appointments include Dartmouth Medical School, George Washington University and the Eastern Virginia School of Medicine. More information for the Board of Directors for Vigilant may be found at http://www.vigilantbiosciences.com/people.html.

Vigilants product, which is under development, consists of a low-cost, oral cancer-specific oral rinse test strip that provides an immediate and simple color change in the presence of certain levels of proteins clinically proven to be associated with early-onset of oral cancer typically before a lesion is visually detected with a screening aid. Dental offices and public health screening facilities are seen as primary initial markets for the technology. The test can be applied to everyone, with particular emphasis on tobacco users, people who consume alcohol and people with human papillomavirus (HPV), and initially represents an approximately $600 million U.S. market opportunity and a multibillion dollar opportunity worldwide. The background intellectual property for the test was developed at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine by Elizabeth Franzmann, M.D., Associate Professor of Otolaryngology and under exclusive license to Vigilant.

About 42,000 new cases in the U.S. and 640,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with oral cancer each year with more than half of those patients dying from the disease within 5 years of diagnosis due to late-stage diagnosis and intervention. Oral cancer treatment options include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

About Vigilant Biosciences, Inc.

Vigilant Biosciences, Inc. is a medical technology company enabling early intervention to improve outcomes. The companys initial product development initiatives are aimed at overcoming the oral cancer challenge - identifying more cancers at an earlier stage and thereby improving overall survival rates while minimizing healthcare costs. For more information, visit http://www.vigilantbiosciences.com.

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Jonathan “Jack” Lord, M.D., Named to Vigilant Biosciences Board of Directors

IRVINE, Calif., July 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- PRO-DEX, INC. (PDEX), a leading medical device developer and manufacturer of world-class powered surgical devices, has partnered with UC Irvine's The Henry Samueli School of Engineering to offer graduating seniors the opportunity to work alongside industry veterans in the design and manufacture of next-generation medical devices.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111025/LA93174LOGO-c)

Collaborating with the Samueli School's Engineering Design in Industry (EDI) program, Pro-Dex was one of three participating companies in the EDI program this past year. Five senior engineering students worked on a "real-world" engineering challenge as part of Pro-Dex's development of a new proprietary staple delivery device for use in small bone and extremity surgeries.

"Forging industry-university relations and the chance for graduating students to meet and work with engineers and program managers from local companies on a weekly basis is the key to this program's success," says Dr. John Garman, EDI manager, recruiter and instructor. "I think it's safe to say no other course offered in the mechanical and aerospace engineering department has a higher rate of student job placement this is our metric for excellence."

Pro-Dex Vice President of Engineering, Sid Desai, commented, "Working with future leaders and innovators in design and manufacturing is key to Pro-Dex's long-term strategy for growth." Desai added, "UCI Engineering is renowned for its talented and innovative engineering alumni. Our team was continually impressed with the students' enthusiasm and insight in solving key challenges through the design improvements they suggested for this device."

The EDI program is a group, project-oriented design class tasked with solving engineering design challenges posed by participating industry partners such as Pro-Dex. Partners participating in the most recent round of projects represented industries ranging from consumer products to medical devices. Each participating company provided its design challenge, and interfaced with faculty and students to develop an improved product. With 10 weeks to complete the project, students worked on-site with the industry partners providing input on key project elements such as material selection, design for manufacturing changes, and 3-D models of the suggested improvements and solutions. More information on the program and recent industry sponsored projects can be found at https://eee.uci.edu/programs/edi/.

About Pro-Dex, Inc.

Pro-Dex, Inc., with operations in California and Oregon, specializes in bringing speed to market in the development and manufacture of technology-based solutions that incorporate powered surgical device drive and embedded motion control systems serving the medical, dental, semi-conductor and scientific research markets. Pro-Dex's products are found in hospitals, dental offices, medical engineering labs, scientific research facilities and high tech manufacturing operations around the world. For more information, visit the Company's website at http://www.pro-dex.com.

Statements herein concerning the Company's plans, growth and strategies may include 'forward-looking statements' within the context of the federal securities laws. Statements regarding the Company's future events, developments and future performance, as well as management's expectations, beliefs, plans, estimates or projections relating to the future, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of these laws. The Company's actual results may differ materially from those suggested as a result of various factors. Interested parties should refer to the disclosure concerning the operational and business concerns of the Company set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Pro-Dex, Inc. Partners with UC Irvine School of Engineering

The Pediatric Physicians Organization at Boston Childrens Hospital presented Longwood Pediatrics Margaret Manion, MD, of Weston, with the 2013 Community Pediatric Award on May 29, the highest honor Boston Childrens bestows on physicians.

Recipients have an ongoing commitment to their patients and families and to the education of young doctors who come after them.

Dr. Manion consistently practices good medicine and does good works without making a big show of it. She is a Mount Holyoke College graduate who went to Mount Sinai for medical school and then the Floating Hospital for her residency and a chief residency year.

She won numerous scholarly awards in college and medical school, including the Louisa Stone Stevenson award at Mount Holyoke College, and the Merck award at Mount Sinai.

She has been in private practice ever since, first at Weston Pediatrics, where she was managing partner for a number of years, and now at Longwood Pediatrics since 2008.

Dr. Manion has been elected Best of Boston Top Docs on three separate occasions, in 2009, 2011 and 2012. Childrens Director of Community Pediatric Programs Julie Dollinger proclaims she is pleased that Boston Childrens has finally caught up with the city of Boston in recognizing our local treasure.

Dr Manion is active in the alumni association for the Floating Hospital, and serves on the Board of Trustees for The Gifford School in Weston. She is also a longstanding member of several important academic committees in the Longwood area, including the Newborn Medicine Credentialing Committee at the Brigham, the Credentialing Committee at Boston Childrens, and the Community Medicine Committee at Boston Childrens.

In addition to serving her community and the hospital community well, she is a terrific doctor whose patients love her. She currently resides in Weston with her husband, Amir Nankali.

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Weston resident wins 2013 Community Pediatric Award

LA JOLLA A summer program that invited UC San Diego alumni and others with ties to the campus to spend four days exploring innovative research and educational programs as well as visiting the beach and taking fitness classes launches next week with fewer participants than expected.

Forty people signed up for the Triton Summer Experience, which will take participants on a guided tour through the protected marine areas off La Jolla in a research vessel and into a robotic surgical lab at the medical school. Participants are set to arrive Wednesday.

Although organizers had hoped up to 200 people would enroll, they later realized they marketed it too late in the year for many families to include it in their summer plans and scaled it back.

The outing costs about $2,000 for a family of four and includes four nights accommodations in university-owned apartments.

Families will have access to a concierge and are encouraged to visit nearby beaches. The program agenda includes a family movie night and a tour of the Stuart Collection, the outdoor public art display on campus. Participants also have the option of seeing a play at the La Jolla Playhouse.

What we were trying to do was create a vehicle to have people come back to the campus and explore the innovative and new projects that are here on campus, said Anita Trevino Neubarth, a business development coordinator with the universitys Housing, Dining and Hospitality Services department.

Although they initially looked to replicate alumni camp programs offered at other UC campuses, organizers opted to create a getaway focused more on providing interactive experiences involving scientists and fellows affiliated with the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology, the School of Medicine and Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

We wanted to do something that was more experiential versus coming in and sitting in a classroom, Neubarth said.

Recruitment is also a goal. Some of the families that signed up have teenage children who are interested in possibly attending UC San Diego in the future.

For the alumni who are older, we are hopeful that they will be able to experience what UCSD has turned into, see where the research is going, she said. For families with children, it could expose them to areas they may want to pursue in college and beyond.

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UCSD alumni program turns low key

Rutgers' two-body governance structure came under attack last week when State Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D., Gloucester) introduced legislation to eliminate the 59-member board of trustees and absorb its powers into the board of governors, which is expanding to 15 from 11 members.

The trustees serve in a largely advisory capacity, but last year helped block a proposed merger that would have moved Rutgers-Camden into Rowan University and left Rutgers no presence in South Jersey.

One alumna argued that the attempt to abolish the trustee board, which was not voted on by the Legislature, was "a conspiracy, a hijacking" of the school's governance. Others questioned a perceived silence from the board of governors, the administration, and other alumni networks.

But while the issues of funding, governance, and Rutgers-Camden's status are entangled, Scales and Shankman said in an interview after the meeting, the move to remove the trustees should be considered on its own as well.

Don't put down Rowan, the board of governors, or other campuses in the campaign to raise awareness about Rutgers-Camden, Ivory told the group. He told the crowd to leverage the school's alumni network: Put signs up throughout the state, he said, and send as many e-mails to as many people as possible.

"Just call. And over the weekend, you don't even get to talk to anybody. Leave a voice mail," Ivory said of legislators considering the proposal to abolish the board of trustees. "And flood the damn e-mail box with messages from Rutgers alums saying, 'We do not appreciate what you are trying to do. You owe us the respect of an opportunity to respond.' "

Contact Jonathan Lai

at 856-779-3220 or jlai@phillynews.com, or

follow on Twitter @elaijuh.

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Rutgers alumni urged to mobilize once again

Wed, Jul 03, 2013

Parkland College, a community college in Illinois, and defense contractor Riverside Research, based in New York, are in discussions with the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana in an effort to continue pilot training at the UI Institute of Aviation.

The UI aviation school is slated to be closed next year. It owns 30 single-engine aircraft and employs 20 people, according to a report appearing in the central Illinois News-Gazette. The university's board of trustees voted in July, 2011 to scrap the aviation program, citing "declining interest" and potential savings of $750,000 per year. The vote came despite a lobbying effort on the part of staff, alumni, and the aviation industry.

There are not yet any firm plans for what the program would look like should the deal go through. Parkland currently has no formal aviation program, but has in the past offered ground school courses on a not-for-credit basis. Kris Young, vice president for academic services at Parkland, said the deal would be "very complicated ... it would be a sizable and different addition to what we do."

Young said the community college might offer an associates degree in science with an aviation focus, with the credits transferrable to a four-year university like UI. The community college offers other such programs, called Parkland Pathways, and Young said she would like to see one that supports aviation students.

Enrollment at the UI Aviation Institute has declined from a peak of 266 in the 2006-2007 school year to 50 this summer. The three parties intend to meet together for the first time this month to discuss their options.

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Partnership Eyed To Keep Illinois Flight School Open

ATLANTA, June 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Today Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) President John E. Maupin Jr., D.D.S. announced his planned retirement, closing a celebrated tenure and an over 30-year accomplished career in academic medicine, healthcare administration and public health. Effective July 1, 2014, after the end of the upcoming academic year, Dr. Maupin will be succeeded by Valerie Montgomery Rice, M.D., a Harvard-educated obstetrician and gynecologist, who was named as executive vice president and dean in 2011. Dr. Montgomery Rice will retain the position of dean when she becomes president next year. With this announcement, Dr. Montgomery Rice becomes the nation's first African-American woman to lead a free-standing medical school as chief executive officer. As dean, she will continue amongst the ranks of the 16 percent of women serving as dean leading academic medical institutions.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130628/CL40156)

In 2010, the MSM board of trustees approved a new leadership structure that would merge the roles of dean and president upon Dr. Maupin's retirement. This new structure is consistent with a recent trend among the nation's medical schools-- elevating the role of dean to chief executive officer while retaining chief academic officer responsibilities.

"We are appreciative for the service and superior leadership Dr. Maupin displayed during his seven-year tenure as president," said Anthony Welters, chairman of MSM's board of trustees, executive vice president of United Health Group and member of the office of the CEO. "Under Dr. Maupin's guidance, the school has made significant advances, expanding academic programs and clinical affiliations, creating innovative partnerships, modernizing facilities, and strengthening the infrastructure to better support research, patient care and teaching."

Mr. Welters went on to explain, "The board of trustees is confident that the carefully orchestrated succession plan helps to maintain business continuity, provide a seamless transition, and help to facilitate Dr. Montgomery Rice's success as the next leader."

"During her tenure as dean, Dr. Montgomery Rice demonstrated her commitment to the mission and vision of the medical school," said Art R. Collins, chairman of the board of trustees' committee on transition and founding partner of the Collins Johnson Group. "In our selection of Dr. Montgomery Rice as dean, the trustees looked at a long-term strategy. We believed the dean could ascend to leading the medical school and her current role would provide the necessary consistency to continue advancing the mission."

A native of Macon, Ga., Dr. Montgomery Rice, served in numerous leadership positions at some of the nation's most prestigious academic and health institutions. Dr. Montgomery Rice received an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Georgia Institute of Technology, a medical degree from Harvard Medical School, and completed her training in obstetrics and gynecology at Emory University Medical School and reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Hutzel Hospital in Detroit. A renowned infertility expert and nationally recognized clinical scientist, Dr. Montgomery Rice also served on numerous professional and scientific advisory panels, national industry boards and authored more than 50 medical research articles.

"I consider it an honor that our board is entrusting me with the responsibility of continuing to build on the legacy of this pre-eminent institution," said Dr. Montgomery Rice. "The vision is crystal clear. My role is to continue to further the mission while also positioning the school to remain relevant and at the forefront of an ever-changing medical education environment."

During the next year, the two leaders will continue to enhance key partnerships, advance development and philanthropic outreach, and maintain a focus on faculty and staff engagement.

Upon retirement, Dr. Maupin plans to continue to serve on corporate and civic boards. "Being a part of the growth and development of Morehouse School of Medicine has been a remarkable experience," said Dr. Maupin. "Much about MSM is highly distinctive, but what makes it so special is the extraordinarily dedicated faculty and staff, community-focused students, and committed trustees and alumni."

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Morehouse School of Medicine Announces Leadership Transition

By Kathleen J. Sullivan

Seven scholars with Stanford affiliations are among the 30 people who recently received 2013 Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans.

Three of this year's Soros Fellows earned bachelor's degrees at Stanford. Two are students at the School of Medicine and two others are Stanford Law School students.

The late Paul and Daisy Soros, Hungarian immigrants and American philanthropists, established the program in 1997 and awarded the first fellowships the following year. The couple wanted to "give back" to the country that had given so much to them and their children, to address an unmet need by assisting "young New Americans at critical points in their educations" and to call attention to the extensive and diverse contributions of immigrants to the quality of life in the United States. Paul Soros died June 15.

Each fellow receives tuition and living expenses that can total as much as $90,000 over two academic years. Fellows can study in any degree-granting program in any field at any university in the United States. Fellows are selected on the basis of merit the specific criteria emphasize creativity, originality, initiative and sustained accomplishment in annual national competitions.

Following are the 2013 Soros Fellows with Stanford affiliations.

Valentin Bolotnyy

Valentin Bolotnyy, a Stanford alum, will begin his doctoral studies in economics at Harvard University in the fall. Bolotnyy, who was born to Jewish parents in Ukraine, moved to the United States with his family when he was 8. While he was a lackluster student in Ukraine, he was determined not to let his family's sacrifices go to waste. Hard work led to academic success and an internship with the late U.S. Rep. Tom Lantos, D-San Mateo (Calif.).

When his family was caught in the economic crisis of 2008, Bolotnyy's budding interest in economic analysis became his scholarly passion at Stanford. In 2011, he won the Firestone Medal for Excellence in Undergraduate Research for his thesis, which explored the role of federal affordable housing goals in the growth of the subprime mortgage market. Praised as "one of the most outstanding, original and creative undergraduate honors theses in the recent history of Stanford," it led to presentations at the National Bureau of Economic Research and the Federal Reserve Board and to a forthcoming publication in Real Estate Economics.

Bolotnyy, who earned a bachelor's degree in economics in 2011 at Stanford, served as chair of Stanford in Government, a student-led public service group. After graduation, he became a research assistant at the Federal Reserve Board's Office of Financial Stability Policy and Research.

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Stanford law, medical students and undergraduate alumni win Soros Fellowships

FILE PHOTO

Gov. Chris Christie

Governor Christie came out Tuesday in support of a proposal to eliminate the board of trustees at Rutgers University, saying the schools imminent merger with the states medical university presented an opportunity to streamline its governing structure.

Christie, a Republican, endorsed a bill sponsored by Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, to eliminate Rutgers board of trustees and cede its powers to the universitys board of governors. He did so as Rutgers is preparing to absorb much of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey starting Monday as part of a larger restructuring of the states higher-education system that also gave Rowan University in Glassboro UMDNJs School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Rutgers governance structure is confusing and not in compliance with what most of the rest of the country does, Christie said. I think to streamline their governance now, as were creating a new Rutgers on July 1, would be the right thing to do.

Rutgers said in a statement that Sweeneys bill violates the 1956 law that made Rutgers the state university. The law, known as the Rutgers Act, which requires both boards to sign off on any governance changes at the university.

It is clear, after reviewing the text of the legislation that it would violate the legislative contract contained in the Rutgers Act, the statement said. Clearly, any changes to the governance of the university should be the product of a deliberative and considered process that involves stakeholders from the university.

After Sweeney introduced the bill on Monday the same day the Legislature approved a state budget for the coming fiscal year that sends more money to Rutgers and Rowan Rutgers officials pledged to fight any effort to eliminate its board of trustees.

The board is largely advisory, but it does have the final say over the disposition of property and other assets that Rutgers, previously a private school, owned when it was made a state university in 1956. The board of governors does most of the decision making.

The trustee board which has 88 members according to the universitys website, including alumni and gubernatorial appointees dates to the schools founding in 1776 and was a vocal opponent of plans to merge Rutgers-Camden with Rowan when the Legislature debated the higher education restructuring last year.

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Christie endorses plan to eliminate Rutgers' board of trustees on eve of merger with UMDNJ

Newswise GLASSBORO - Hundreds of alumni are expected to reunite at the third Glassboro State College/Rowan University Black Alumni and Friends Reunion, July 19-21.

Themed Reuniting the past, shaping the future, the weekend event on Rowans main campus is an opportunity to reconnect with friends and raise scholarship money for deserving students.

It will be an exciting weekend as G.S.C./Rowan University black alumni converge from all across the nation," said Melanie Burney, a 1984 G.S.C. graduate and member of the reunion organizing committee. "Many have gone on to serve their communities as judges, politicians, educators, entrepreneurs and community activists. We are excited to welcome them back to campus to reconnect and share in the Universitys incredible growth.

Added committee member Anthony R. Phillips, Class of 83: As Cooper Medical School at Rowan prepares to welcome its second class of first-year students and UMDNJ's School of Osteopathic Medicine integrates with Rowan, black alumni are excited to engage with the university community and contribute to Rowan's tremendously bright future.

The weekend is co-sponsored and organized by the Rowan University Alumni Association and alumni from several G.S.C./R.U. classes. Registration is tax-deductible and benefits the William H. Myers Scholarship Endowment and Dr. Gary Hunter Memorial Scholarship funds.

The weekend will start with a Friday night wine and cheese reception and features a roster of activities including an indoor picnic Saturday, campus tours, access to the Recreation Center swimming pool and Student Center game room, a Saturday night party in the Student Center ballroom, and a Sunday prayer breakfast led by the Rev. James Robert McFadden, a former G.S.C. student, of Resurrection Baptist Church in Philadelphia.

Advance tickets must be purchased before 5 p.m., July 1. To purchase tickets, please register online through the Rowan University Alumni office (https://alumni.rowan.edu/) or call (856) 256-5400 for more information.

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Rowan University Welcomes Black Alumni and Friends