November Bulletin

Issue 62

Community Notices | News | Jobs | Funding | Events

Community Notices

November Seminar

Next Marble Center (hybrid) seminar is on Monday November 8th, 4-5pm, with a research update by Dr. Morteza Sarmadi of the Langer lab on “Microscale polymeric-based technologies for controlled release of biologics and small molecules.”

Following the talk, we will host a guest hot topic presentation on the U.S. National Nano-technology Initiative Strategic Plan by Dr. Lisa Friedersdorf, Director of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office and Assistant Director for Microelectronics, Materials, and Nanotechnology at the White House Office of Science and Technology (OSTP).

Following the seminar, please join us for an outdoor social with food and soft drinks at the Hockfield Court (starting at 5pm).

In the News

The U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) publishes its 2021 Strategic Plan

This update of the NNI Strategic Plan presents goals and objectives to guide NNI participating agencies and the nanotechnology community over the next five years. The plan provides the framework under which individual agencies conduct their own mission-specific nanotechnology programs, coordinate these activities with those of other NNI agencies, and collaborate. Read more…

Glympse Bio to Present Data from First Application of New Liquid Biopsy Diagnostic Platform at AASLD's The Liver Meeting 2021

(Glympse Bio) The new liquid biopsy approach is an evolution of Glympse's biosensor platform, which was previously administered by injecting biosensors into patients and collecting a urine sample for analysis. The data in Glympse's late breaker oral presentation, given by Arun J. Sanyal, M.D. of Virginia Commonwealth University, demonstrate that a non-invasive blood assay of protease activity can effectively predict the presence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in preclinical models and can accurately diagnose NASH versus healthy patients in human studies. These data indicate that disease-specific protease activity can be meaningfully analyzed via a simple blood test. Read more…

Undruggable No Longer

(Gen Eng News) KRAS has been a challenging target for immunotherapies because it’s small enough to evade immune detection, observes Christopher Haqq, MD, PhD, executive vice president, head of research and development, and chief medical officer, Elicio Therapeutics. Nonetheless, KRAS is being targeted by ELI-002, a therapeutic vaccine that Elicio is developing with its amphiphile (AMP) platform. The company says that the AMP platform can deliver investigational immunotherapeutics directly to the “brain center” of the immune system—the lymph nodes. Read more…

Documentary short, “The Uprising,” showcases women in science who pressed for equal rights at MIT in the 1990s

(MIT News) A 13-minute film, “The Uprising” introduces the story behind the 1999 Study on the Status of Women Faculty in Science at MIT and its impact both at the Institute and around the globe. Featuring Nancy Hopkins, professor emerita of biology at MIT, the film chronicles the experiences of marginalization and discouragement that accompanied Hopkins’ research leading up to the study and further highlights the steps a group of 16 female faculty members took to make science more diverse and equitable. Read more…

Seen here, biologist Nancy Hopkins played a central role in organizing the effort to compile data showing female MIT science faculty at the time received less lab space and lower salaries than their male counterparts. The report led to improved practices for ensuring equal access and pay, both at MIT and around the world.

Why mRNA is the new powerhouse of medicine

(Financial Review) The powerful technology that has enabled mRNA vaccines to save millions of lives during the coronavirus pandemic has much broader potential, according Bob Langer, one of the co-founders of Moderna. Read more…

Jobs

Scientist/Senior Scientist, Nonviral Delivery Process Development, Beam Therapeutics.

Beam Therapeutics is seeking a highly talented Scientist with expertise in nonviral delivery of nucleic acid drugs and nanoparticle formulation. Reporting into Associate Director of Process Development the candidate will provide technical support for scaling up and optimizing LNPs. They will work alongside internal and external groups and help develop clinical scale process for a safe and potent delivery systems to enable in vivo base editing. The ideal candidate should have good understanding of formulation and process optimization of lead candidate. Read more…

Executive Director, The Donna and Benjamin M. Rosen Bioengineering Center, Caltech.

The Donna and Benjamin M. Rosen Bioengineering Center (www.rosen.caltech.edu) promotes and supports creative and cutting-edge research across all bioengineering disciplines at Caltech. The Executive Director will have the opportunity to lead and expand the Rosen Bioengineering Center's efforts, working with faculty, staff, and students across the Institute doing innovative research in multiple fields at the intersection between biology and engineering. The Executive Director will collaborate with Caltech development, administration, and communications offices to support bioengineering research and education, and to communicate Caltech advances to the public. The Executive Director reports to the Director of the Rosen Bioengineering Center. Read more…

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska.

The Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in chemical engineering at the rank of assistant professor. Applications from all areas in chemical engineering are encouraged to apply. Applicants are expected to have an earned Ph.D. in chemical engineering or a closely related field. Applicants must have a record of strong scholarly achievement and a demonstrated commitment to excellence in undergraduate and graduate education. Candidates must have the potential to establish a strong externally funded research program. Candidates must demonstrate a commitment to contributing to a culture that supports diversity and inclusion. Read more…