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San Diego/Scotland Synergies?
Posted by Mary Canady December 18th, 2009 .
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Our work cultivating a biotech network in San Diego has attracted a lot of attention. When I travel, or on social media, I tell people how our group has a real ‘energy’ which is fueled by the combination of online and face-to-face interactions. I met the folks from Nexxus Scotland, a group that was launched in 2003 with similar ideals to the SDBN. They asked me to write a summary of our network for their quarterly newsletter which you can access here. Check out the Nexxus site and what they’re doing in Scotland–we both share strong ties to our academic heritage. They’ve also been around longer than us, and I think we can learn from their success.

We’ve also had interest from other regions who have a keen interest in interacting with us. Luke Timmerman mentioned great synergies that can exist between biotech hubs at their recent event. What do you think about forging stronger relationships with other hubs, and how could we facilitate these interactions?

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Attend Lab Automation 2010–Lots of Affordable Options
Posted by Mary Canady December 9th, 2009 .
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Lab Automation 2010 is a somewhat self-explanatory conference which brings together diverse industries such as drug discovery and development, forensics and security, and clinical diagnostics. Next year it will be in Palm Springs January 23-27, and they have many affordable (or even free) options for attending. Here is a list of the options for those of you on a budget (aren’t we all these days):

1. Early Bird Discount. Register by Dec. 14th and get $200 off of the industry rate and $100 off of the academic rate. See details on the registration information page
2. Waivers. If you qualify, you can get free admission as an academic (PDF) or if you are unemployed (PDF).
3. Free exhibit hall pass. The exhibit hall is full and will have many interesting companies (and cool instruments of course) for you to network with. There is even some free food involved, see details on the registration information page.
4. Day Pass. You can attend for just one day for half the rate. Great for those of us who want to drive up and might not want to spend the night. See details on the registration information page.

In addition, ALA also provides free career counseling and great weekend short courses. It could be a very fruitful trip for you up the 15!

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What Would Darwin Do?
Posted by Mary Canady December 6th, 2009 .
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If you’ve talked to me about my passion for science and biotech, I’ve likely told you about my desire to do an Ignite or Unconference for Biotech. These are different ways to ‘shake up’ events to discuss particular topics–spontaneity and thinking on your feet are the norm. For the most part, I’ve assumed scientists may not be ready for these types of events….however….

Yesterday I learned about CellSlam at the ASCB conference. You get three minutes, no AV, and a microphone to make your case for science from 7:15-8:15 p.m. on Monday in Ballroom 20B-C. That or make jokes about science, according to ASCB spokesperson John Fleischman. There are three bobble head Darwins for the Winner, the Other Winner, and Another Winner (a.k.a. first, second and third).

Only requirement is that you’re a conference attendee. I know some of you are coming here via Twitter–let’s show them what we’ve got! I’ll bring my flip cam and this could be your big break.

To sign up, see John Fleischman in Room 21 by 2 pm Monday. No fees. No rehearsals. I may bring my Mr. Microphone and do some a capella karaoke.

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NIH Director Francis Collins at ASCB: We Need More Sexy Scientists
Posted by Mary Canady December 6th, 2009 .
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Photo by Karras Photography*

I had mentioned that I was hoping to get a personal interview with Francis Collins, newly appointed NIH director, during his visit to the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) meeting. Turns out Dr. Collins wasn’t available for a long interview, but I was able to meet him briefly after his engaging talk following Rudolf Jaenisch’s excellent keynote last night in San Diego.

Dr. Collins talked about his first 116 days as NIH director, including the work they’ve done to quickly process stimulus grants and disburse the funds and to provide important guidelines for stem cell research. The clear message of his 30 minute talk, which seemed to fly by due to his ‘charismatically humble’ style, was that we scientists, now more than ever, need to communicate the importance of our research more broadly so that we will continue to garner the necessary funding.

Dr. Collins likened his first few months as NIH director to ‘drinking from a fire hose on a roller coaster,’ partly due to the large number of the grants that were received as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Collins said they expected about 3,000 but instead received 20,000. Of the $10 Billion appropriated to NIH from the ARRA, $5 Billion was awarded by October 1st 2009 for 12,000 projects. It is estimated that 50,000 new jobs will be generated over two years. Collins indicated that the NIH will not be biased towards ‘big science’ under his leadership, as might be feared from his involvement in the human genome project. He pointed out the breadth of the ARRA funding, from The Cancer Genome Atlas to the ASCB’s proposed online image library.

Collins also talked about the amazing progress in stem cell research, triggered by President Obama’s signing of the Stem Cell Executive Order March 9th of this year. Since that time, the NIH has worked hard to publish guidelines and has very recently (Dec. 2) approved 13 human embryonic stem cell lines and is approving another 27 (Dec. 4–to be announced soon). You can learn more at http://stemcells.nih.gov/. Collins also discussed great NIH funding programs to encourage innovation through their High-Risk Research Initiatives.

Collins’ passion for science was clear as he urged scientists to get more involved in educating the public about the science that we do so that it continues to be funded. ASCB has set up a web page that makes it easy to get the word out–check out http://www.ascb.org/arra. Collins also talked National Lab Day, a non-profit group which aims to connect scientists and grade 6-12 students, create local communities to foster collaborations and improve the quality of science education. The website lists projects for which teachers need resources, and will also connect scientists with those that need their expertise. (Would this be a great charity event for the SDBN in 2010?)

It’s also clear that Collins is still engaged firsthand with science and scientists, as he enjoyed friendly chats with Rudolf Jaenisch and other ASCB members, and was seen heading towards the party after the session. He also has gone ‘outside of his comfort zone‘ to promote science. He was asked by Stephen Colbert to ‘take his glasses off and shake out his hair’ to make science ‘sexy,’ and Collins in turn asked the ASCB audience to do this as well. What he meant is that we should go outside of our comfort zones to promote the importance of our work. Tell our friends, neighbors, and politicians about what we’re doing and why it’s important, similar to the IamBiotech campaign which we’ve discussed. Collins suggested that one of the best ways is to invite your political representatives to tour your laboratory. Why not? He said they’ll likely view it as a refreshing opportunity to hear some good news about your work.

Personally, I was very inspired by Dr. Collins’ speech. It is clear that he is a scientist at heart, but not afraid to be creative and vocal in promoting science, and it is very encouraging to have someone like him at the ‘helm’ of the NIH. At SDBN events, we’ve talked about the increasing power of the individual or small business to make a difference. How can we be creative in our local industry and community to make a difference? Comments welcome below, and fill out the http://sdbn.org/2010poll to get involved!

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*Photo courtesy of ASCB, generously provided by Karras Photography

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2010: The Year YOU Make Contact
Posted by Mary Canady December 2nd, 2009 .
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OK, cheesy title, I know. The point is that we want to know what you’re interested in seeing and doing in 2010 with the San Diego Biotechnology Network. What are the hot areas? What types of events would you like to see? Would you like to participate in new ways, such as blogging or charity events? We’re leaving it up to you, please take the survey at http://sdbn.org/2010poll by Dec. 10th and we’ll post the results!

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San Diego Biotech–What’s the Vibe?
Posted by Mary Canady November 30th, 2009 .
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With the help of IamBiotech, we interviewed you at the Oct. 29th ‘Bootstrapping Biotech’ event to learn more about what is going on in the area and communicate it to others. This interview with Philip Skinner is indicative of what we hear a lot–excitement about the possibilities, but nervous as well. We plan to continue the conversation at our December 8th event ‘Drug Discovery 2.0 with Assay Depot.’ See all the interviews at http://sdbn.org/bootstrap, and as always let us know what you think: in person, on the website, on LinkedIn, Facebook…you can even make your own video and send it to us!

We’ll also be interviewing you at the December 8th event, let’s keep the conversation going!

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New NIH Director Francis Collins to be at ASCB Meeting in San Diego
Posted by Mary Canady November 12th, 2009 .
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Newly appointed National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Dr. Francis Collins will attend and speak briefly at the American Society for Cell Biology Conference in San Diego Dec. 5-9. Dr. Collins will provide some short remarks after Rudolf Jaenisch’s keynote presentation at 6 p.m. SDBN has requested an interview and hopes to give San Diego Biotechnology professionals a voice for the direction of NIH funding.

Dr. Collins led the Human Genome Project, an achievement which significantly changed the landscape of life science research. The project has found increasing relevance as the data becomes ‘translated’ into implications for health and medicine. The information has pervasively impacted the way our industry ‘works,’ just one example being the improved communication between drug discovery and disease diagnostics. Dr. Collins is also a physician and a proponent of personalized medicine, and was appointed as NIH Director by President Obama in July of this year.

Dr. Collins has been a strong supporter of the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) for years, and is described as an ‘eloquent speaker and all around great guy’ by John Fleischman, Science Writer for ASCB. Fleischman said Dr. Collins has also been known to pick up a guitar and play at their functions. We know that Dr. Collins has a sense of humor because he has appeared on the Colbert Report. We can’t promise a ‘kumbaya’ session, or a funny rapport (pun intended), but it will be great to hear Dr. Collins talk about the direction of the NIH. The meeting is also a great place to learn and network with scientists and exhibitors, I highly suggest that you attend.

The ASCB is dedicated to basic research which is of paramount importance to supporting our local biotechnology economy, as our industry is fed by our top research institutions. Personally, I am interested in changes in NIH funding which will better prepare our academic scientists to more easily ‘translate’ their knowledge to industrial applications.

Do you have any questions for Dr. Collins? Please leave them as a comment below, and we will do our best to get them asked!

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Video Tonight: It’s All About You!
Posted by Mary Canady October 29th, 2009 .
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Ironically, this week I had some ‘bootstrapping’ challenges of my own with my website and email, and this morning we’re finding out that our video crew for tonight may be stuck in DC. I just talked with David Welch and as he put it, we’re going to make lemonade out of lemons. Bootstrapping sometimes means getting creative, not always being a perfectionist, and involving your network.

We’re still working out the details, but we’re planning on using more inexpensive cameras and also getting you involved in the interview process. David Welch has agreed to help you learn how to interview and record. Heck, this may even turn out better this way! We’d like the theme of the interviews to be Bootstrapping Biotech, here are some ideas for questions–feel free to come with your own questions or be ready to answer!

Bootstrapping Biotech Interview Questions

Background information: How long have you been in San Diego Biotech, Which Sector (Biotech/Pharma, Life Sciences, Medical Devices, Diagnostics, Biotech/Ag), where do (or did) you work?

How are you ‘Bootstrapping Biotech’? This could include starting a company, trying to do more with less using social media, or getting creative with your job search, etc.

Do you think we need to Bootstrap Biotech in San Diego? If so, what are your ideas for growth?

What is the most exciting thing you find about San Diego Biotech?

Do you have any concerns about San Diego Biotech? Has the current job situation made you consider leaving the area? If so, where would you go?

Do you have any ideas for communicating the value of Biotechnology to the general public?

Feel free to leave comments below on what you’d like to ask or be asked!

If you haven’t registered for tonight’s event, or need more information, visit http://sdbn.org/october. Also, be sure list yourself on the http://sdbn.org/bootstrap page. Hope to see you tonight!

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Technical Difficulties Over
Posted by Mary Canady October 27th, 2009 .
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The SDBN site was down yesterday afternoon–don’t you love the great timing? Anyway, you can now register for the Thursday’s event, go for it!

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The SBS is Coming! The SBS is Coming!
Posted by Mary Canady October 13th, 2009 .
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A reminder that the Society for Biomolecular Sciences is hosting a Label-free symposium in San Diego soon. They are an excellent resource for those of you who are looking to learn more about drug discovery. Check out the announcement below, the special offer for the SDBN (all you need is the code), and the other resources available for you to interact and learn.

SBS heads to San Diego this November!

Learn more by visiting www.sbsonline.org/labelfree

Explore new research.  Expand your network.  Save on registration.

The Society for Biomolecular Sciences will host:

Advances & Challenges in Label-Free Technologies for Drug Discovery

November 2 – 3, 2009, San Diego Marriott Mission Valley

And SDBN friends can save $100 on the Non-Member rate by using the coupon code SDBNLFN during the online registration process!  Visit www.sbsonline.org/labelfree for all the program details.

Takeda San Diego to Present at Upcoming Meeting

Dan Kassel, Ph.D., Vice President of Analytical Sciences and DMPK at Takeda San Diego, will present at the upcoming SBS label-free technologies symposium.  Dr. Kassel’s presentation, Early ADME/Tox Profiling During Discovery Research: Streamlined, High Throughput Methods for Data Generation and Data Evaluation, is one of 22 talks designed to explore and enhance the use of label-free technologies for drug discovery.   Learn more about the November 2 & 3 event at the San Diego Marriott Mission Valley by visiting www.sbsonline.org/labelfree.

A Call to All Academics:

Want to take advantage of key scientific content, access to new technologies and expand your network?  Reduced registration rates are available for the academic of government research communities.

The Society for Biomolecular Sciences is hosting Advances & Challenges in Label-Free Technologies for Drug Discovery, November 2 – 3 at the San Diego Marriott Mission Valley.  Academic and government researchers can attend for just $195.  Even better: encourage students to get in on the networking.  Students can participate for just $55.  Visit www.sbsonline.org/labelfree for details.

Looking to kick-start your career and gain peer recognition?

Submit an abstract for  a podium presentation at the SBS 16^th Annual Conference & Exhibition, April 11 – 19, 2010 in Phoenix, AZ.  The deadline for submissions is November 4, 2009; learn more by visiting the SBS web site.

Academic Screening Facility Directory

SBS has launched an online resource for information on high-throughput screening centers based in academic, government and non-profit research institutes from around the globe. Over 65 facilities have voluntarily contributed to the SBS Academic Screening Facility Directory, and the list keeps growing.  Check out the SBS web site for more details.

SBS launches free webcasts

For the first time, the Society for Biomolecular Sciences is launching free webcasts.  With the sponsorship support of the Genetics Policy Institute, SBS just made free webcasts available from their September 2009 symposium, Screening Stem Cells: From Reprogramming to Regenerative Medicine.  Check it out now by visiting the SBS web site.