Reports + Research
San Diego’s Symbiosis: STEM Talent and Life Science Companies
Over the last decade, the San Diego region has experienced a 36.5% growth in employment by biotechnology and technology companies. The growth is attributable to many reasons, including world-class research institutes. One of the most important reasons is San Diego’s great STEM talent to fill the jobs. Companies like Illumina are responding by creating “workplaces of the future” to attract the best talent.
A Genetic Test for Alzheimer’s
UC San Diego and UC San Francisco scientists recently published data on a new test that looks at multiple genetic risk factors to provide a score of who may be more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease earlier in life. The test has immediate clinical applicability in selecting volunteers for clinical trials of drugs to prevent Alzheimer’s. In San Diego, Alzheimer’s is the third leading cause of death, and there are no approved treatments to prevent or slow down the disease.
Waiting for the Nobels
The first week in October is exciting for science lovers as we await who will receive the Nobel Prize. Here are some predictions for who might be on the short list. Read about two local Nobel laureates who discuss what’s it like to win a Nobel Prize (Blackburn, Guillemin).
What Would Biotech Look Like Without Immigrants?
These biotech companies took pictures showing the number of employees who are U.S. citizens, born in the U.S., and whose parents are born in the U.S compared to all employees. Our innovation economy is dependent on bringing together and encouraging the best ideas and brightest people from all around the world. It’s no secret that diverse teams are more successful.
Vividion Therapeutics Named to FierceBiotech 15
San Diego’s Vividion Therapeutics, a spin-out from The Scripps Research Institute, was named one of 15 “Fierce” biotechs. Vividion aims to find new protein drug targets by mapping drug-protein interactions across the entire proteome.
Read + Listen
POW! Podcast of the Week
Veteran biotech reporter Luke Timmerman has launched a podcast, and his first subject is a good catch – Anylam’s CEO John Maraganore. Anylam recently reported positive Phase 3 clinical trial results. It’s a big win that has been 15 years in the making. The company was founded in 2002 on breakthrough research in RNAi by Drs. Andrew Fire and Craig Mello, who were awarded the Nobel Prize in 2006.
BOW! Book of the Week
A Splendid Solution delves into Jonas Salk’s (founder of the Salk Institute in La Jolla) difficult path to developing the first safe and effective polio vaccine. He had to overcome the politics of medicine and roadblocks by a rival researcher to spare lives from the devastating disease. The polio vaccine is still in use today. The U.S. is now free of polio, but it is still common in a few countries in Asia and Africa.
Events
It’s Happening Here
October 6:
October 6 is MFG Day, which is the largest manufacturing day on the West Coast. Come see what is #MadeinSD.
October 4–8:
Experts from across the world in infectious diseases will be coming to San Diego for IDWeek, taking place October 4–8.
October 5–6:
On October 5–6, Scripps Translational Science Institute will host DIGIMED17, a conference about transforming healthcare through evidence-driven digital medicine.
November 15:
Save the date for a first look at the 2018 California Life Sciences Industry Report.
