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Research and Markets: Animal Biotechnology – Technologies, Markets and Companies – Updated 2012 Report

Posted: September 4, 2012 at 10:16 pm

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/cgq6bx/animal_biotechnolo) has announced the addition of Jain PharmaBiotech's new report "Animal Biotechnology - Technologies, Markets and Companies" to their offering.

This report describes and evaluates animal biotechnology and its application in veterinary medicine and pharmaceuticals as well as improvement in food production. Knowledge of animal genetics is important in the application of biotechnology to manage genetic disorders and improve animal breeding. Genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics are also being applied to animal biotechnology.

Transgenic technologies are used for improving milk production and the meat in farm animals as well as for creating models of human diseases. Transgenic animals are used for the production of proteins for human medical use. Biotechnology is applied to facilitate xenotransplantation from animals to humans. Genetic engineering is done in farm animals and nuclear transfer technology has become an important and preferred method for cloning animals. There is discussion of in vitro meat production by culture.

Biotechnology has potential applications in the management of several animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever, avian flu and bovine spongiform encephalopathy. The most important biotechnology-based products consist of vaccines, particularly genetically engineered or DNA vaccines. Gene therapy for diseases of pet animals is a fast developing area because many of the technologies used in clinical trials humans were developed in animals and many of the diseases of cats and dogs are similar to those in humans. RNA interference technology is now being applied for research in veterinary medicine

Molecular diagnosis is assuming an important place in veterinary practice. Polymerase chain reaction and its modifications are considered to be important. Fluorescent in situ hybridization and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays are also widely used. Newer biochip-based technologies and biosensors are also finding their way in veterinary diagnostics.

Biotechnology products are approved by the Center for Veterinary Medicine of the FDA. Regulatory issues relevant to animal biotechnology are described.

Approximately 109 companies have been identified to be involved in animal biotechnology and are profiled in the report. These are a mix of animal healthcare companies and biotechnology companies. Top companies in this area are identified and ranked. Information is given about the research activities of 11 veterinary and livestock research institutes. Important 109 collaborations in this area are shown.

Share of biotechnology-based products and services in 2011 is analyzed and the market is projected to 2021.

The text is supplemented with 34 tables and 5 figures. Selected 250 references from the literature are appended.

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Research and Markets: Animal Biotechnology - Technologies, Markets and Companies - Updated 2012 Report

Recommendation and review posted by G. Smith

How To Run A Harvard Lab From The Battlefield

Posted: September 4, 2012 at 10:16 pm

As a former major in the Rhode Island National Guard, Kevin Kit Parker has been called into duty in Afghanistan three times in the last decade. Somehow, he also finds time to run a 20-member bioengineering lab at Harvard thats innovating itself onto the cutting edge of microfluidics, tissue engineering and biomechanics. "For the last 10 years its been more than science--Ive had to fight a war at the same time." So how does he manage it all?

Busily!

In December of 2010, Parker, currently a member of the United States Army Reserve and a professor of applied mathematics at the United States Military Academy at West Point, was in Japan at a conference preparing to present his theoretical model of cell building to a room full of scientists. As his host ambled through a lengthy introduction, his BlackBerry buzzed. "While they were introducing me to give this talk I got an email saying, 'Youre going to Afghanistan next month.'"

Parker's lab (together with a Caltech group across the country) recently made headlines when they built a cyborg robot out of sheets of silicone and slices of living, lab-grown muscle, that mimicked the swimming strokes of a living jellyfish. Also on slow boil at the Parker group is research on wound-healing bandages, cellular simulators to observe the effect of blast injuries on neurons, and strong, sturdy nano fabrics spun out by what looks like a cotton candy machine. Recently, Parker was part of a Wyss Institute research team that won a $37 million DARPA grant to build a 10-organ "human on a chip" which would mimic, on a reduced scale, the physiology of the human body. In between, Parker has led counterinsurgency maneuvers in Afghanistan and used some of what he learned in the field to help Massachusetts State Police combat organized gang crime.

It comes as no surprise that Parker grew up multitasking. As a child, I played sports, and I played army and had a lab in my garage, he says. I had a Sears chemistry set. I used to scoop up dead animals and dissect them. Majors in physics and engineering led to a PhD and post doc at Vanderbilt. Parker had just secured an appointment at Harvard when he was called into Afghanistan in 2002. He told Harvard to wait a year, went out into battle, then came back to pick up his post.

Parker's first focus as a young scientist at Harvard was cardiac cell biology and tissue engineering. But he found himself getting called on by his army colleagues to study trauma effects of war on the brain. In the beginning, Parker resisted. Finally a friend of mine got wounded, Parker says, which was when he relented. "Think about this. I have all these resources available. What kind of jerk am I that I only work on the things that I want to work on?" Parker decided to focus his work on what he knew best--creating tissue-engineered sections of tissue--not of the heart, as he did in his PhD days, but of the brain.

I told DARPA, 'Listen, to do brain injury research, if I start blowing up goats in Harvard yard, Im not going to last long.' To better understand brain injuries, his first goal was to recreate, on the benchtop, the impact an explosion would have on brain tissue. And so members of Parkers lab, young veterans among them, put their heads together and combined what they knew about explosives and tissue engineering.

In September 2010, while the project was still in its early stages, Parker testified to a Congressional committee on what science knew about traumatic brain injuries. The issue is a complex and understudied scientific problem because, Parker said, "It can require a knowledge of explosives, shock physics, cell and tissue mechanics, molecular biology, neurobiology, psychology, and neurodegenerative diseases. I am not an expert in any of these fields, but I know a few words from each and that might be about as good as it gets."

The result is what Parker calls a concussion on a chip--a scaled-down explosion applied to a lab-grown bit of brain tissue. We hit paydirt, he says of the two papers the group published in 2011. I think we had a really big breakthrough. Everyone was excited because it pointed to some drug targets some pathways that were interesting based on what we found an explosion might feel like to a neuron.

The composition of Parker's lab group reflects his enthusiasm for collaborative, interdisciplinary research. It relies on the wide-ranging skills of biologists, chemists, engineers, and even employed a dentist at one point. Weve got a lot of crazy cats in there, Parker says. In fact, that's his recipe to stay ahead: "The cutting edge of a field is often putting two fields together--things that don't belong." For example, his lab studies cells using an algorithm law enforcement agencies use to do qualitative analysis of fingerprints.

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How To Run A Harvard Lab From The Battlefield

Recommendation and review posted by G. Smith

Even in normal range, high blood sugar linked to brain shrinkage

Posted: September 4, 2012 at 10:12 am

Public release date: 3-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Rachel Seroka rseroka@aan.com 612-928-6102 American Academy of Neurology

MINNEAPOLIS People whose blood sugar is on the high end of the normal range may be at greater risk of brain shrinkage that occurs with aging and diseases such as dementia, according to new research published in the September 4, 2012, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"Numerous studies have shown a link between type 2 diabetes and brain shrinkage and dementia, but we haven't known much about whether people with blood sugar on the high end of normal experience these same effects," said study author Nicolas Cherbuin, PhD, with Australian National University in Canberra.

The study involved 249 people age 60 to 64 who had blood sugar in the normal range as defined by the World Health Organization. The participants had brain scans at the start of the study and again an average of four years later.

Those with higher fasting blood sugar levels within the normal range and below 6.1 mmol/l (or 110 mg/dL) were more likely to have a loss of brain volume in the areas of the hippocampus and the amygdala, areas that are involved in memory and cognitive skills, than those with lower blood sugar levels. A fasting blood sugar level of 10.0 mmol/l (180 mg/dL) or higher was defined as diabetes and a level of 6.1 mmol/l (110 mg/dL) was considered impaired, or prediabetes.

After controlling for age, high blood pressure, smoking, alcohol use and other factors, the researchers found that blood sugar on the high end of normal accounted for six to 10 percent of the brain shrinkage.

"These findings suggest that even for people who do not have diabetes, blood sugar levels could have an impact on brain health," Cherbuin said. "More research is needed, but these findings may lead us to re-evaluate the concept of normal blood sugar levels and the definition of diabetes."

###

The study was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council Australia and the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund.

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Even in normal range, high blood sugar linked to brain shrinkage

Recommendation and review posted by G. Smith

Harvard Medical School is cited for mistreatment of lab animals

Posted: September 4, 2012 at 10:12 am

Harvard Medical School is cited

for mistreatment of lab animals

In less than two years, four monkeys have died in labs at Harvard Medical School, including one that was left in a cage as the cage went through a mechanical washer. The most recent death occurred this spring, when a cotton-top tamarin monkey died of thirst for lack of a water bottle.

In addition, 41 deer mice died in April at a Harvard facility after their water source was cut off.

The Department of Agriculture has given the medical school an official warning for violating the U.S. Animal Welfare Act.

When you see multiple incidents at the same facility over a period of time, thats when you realize that this is indicative of a system-wide problem, said Michael Budkie, executive director of Stop Animal Exploitation Now!

Harvard University made the nonprofit groups top-10 list of animal-welfare violators for the first half of 2012, along with Harvard Medical School. The two institutions have separate licenses from the USDA to use animals for research and testing.

The Animal Welfare Act, enforced by the USDAs Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or APHIS, requires labs to handle research animals as carefully as possible to prevent trauma, overheating, physical harm, behavioral stress or unnecessary discomfort.

APHIS also is investigating the death of five monkeys at the Harvard-affiliated New England Primate Research Center, said USDA spokesman David Sacks. The centers interim director, Frederick Wang, stepped down in March after the death of the tamarin monkey.

In March, Harvard Medical School Dean Jeffrey S. Flier ordered an independent review panel to evaluate the management and care of animals used in experiments. The panels recommendations included the appointment of a veterinarian and biosafety officer to oversee the primate center and the development of new approaches to its oversight process.

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Harvard Medical School is cited for mistreatment of lab animals

Recommendation and review posted by G. Smith

THERAVECTYS Raises 7.48 Million Euros, One of the Largest Funding in Private Equity in 2012

Posted: September 4, 2012 at 10:12 am

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

THERAVECTYS, a biotechnology company that is developing a new generation of vaccines based on lentiviral vector technology (*), announced today that it has secured 7.48million euros as of the end of H1 2012. These funds, raised exclusively from private investors, will enable THERAVECTYS to pursue the development of a new generation of vaccines, with an anti-HIV therapeutic vaccine as first priority.

For this third funding round, Guy PAILLAUD, former executive manager of PROMODES, and John PIETERS, former CEO of AMGEN Francesome of the company's historical investorshave been joined by 10 new private investors, which include BETTENCOURT family, Philippe ODDO and Richard HENNESSY.

Development of new vaccine candidates

In particular, this new amount of funds raised will enable the company to fund:

"We thank our investorsboth old and newfor the trust that they have placed in us. Thanks to their support, within the next two years we hope to be able to demonstrate in humans not only the safety but also the potential effectiveness of our anti-HIV vaccine candidate," says RenaudVAILLANT, CEO at THERAVECTYS, who adds that "this funding should also allow us to continue and even strengthen our efforts in research and development on new indications alone or in collaboration with other large pharmaceutical laboratories."

(*)Lentiviral vectors: THERAVECTYS uses lentiviral vector technology to develop a new generation of vaccines. Unlike other gene transfer vectors, lentiviral vectors have the unique ability to induce a strong, sustainable and diversified cellular immune response by endogenously stimulating dendritic cells. This breakthrough technology is expected to make it possible to prevent or effectively treat numerous diseases against which the induction of an effective cellular immune response is required: viral diseases (HIV), bacterial or parasitic infections, cancers, etc.

About THERAVECTYS (www.theravectys.com)

THERAVECTYS, a biotechnology company, has developed a new generation of vaccines based on lentiviral vector technology. Built on the results of fundamental research conducted at the Pasteur Institute, this breakthrough technology is expected to enable preventing or effectively treating many diseases in which the induction of effective cellular immune response is required. Benefitting from an exclusive worldwide license with the Pasteur Institute and from financial support from public institutions, THERAVECTYS is continuing its research and development efforts to combat other diseases. It plans to soon be developing new vaccine candidates, either alone or in collaboration with other pharmaceutical laboratories. contact@theravectys.com

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THERAVECTYS Raises 7.48 Million Euros, One of the Largest Funding in Private Equity in 2012

Recommendation and review posted by G. Smith

Bharathidasan Varsity announces M.Phil in industrial biotechnology

Posted: September 4, 2012 at 10:12 am

Department of Industrial Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, has announced an M.Phil programme.

Factoring in the rapidly evolving scenario in industrial biotechnology in the areas of regulatory infrastructure, improving standards of bio-manufacturing, increasing capabilities in food technology and development, increasing research and development collaborations with Indian and international companies, the Department of Industrial Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, has announced an M.Phil programme in the subject from 2012-13.

The innovative course, according to professor and department head T.Thirunalasundari, will fill the gap between expectations of biotechnology industry and skills created by higher education sector, combining research, entrepreneurial skills and industrial placement experience in biotechnology companies all over the world.

Application of biotechnology in the production of industrial materials is expected to transform industrial manufacturing sector similar to the impact created by pharmaceutical and agricultural sectors.

Sustainable development in the general industrial sector implies applying know how and technologies to reduce material and energy consumption, increase use of renewable and biodegradable materials, generate less pollution and waste, and produce more environmental friendly products.

Technical application of industrial biotechnology holds promise for arriving at new tools, techniques and know how for the sustainable development. Some of the new applications include gene therapy, drug designing, tissue engineering and regenerative medicines, cloning, pharma products and agriculture, Dr.Thirunalasundari explained. The curriculum has been designed by distinguished scientists and academicians, industrial experts and technologists.

The department, she said, has tie ups with research institutions and commercial industries. The programme will not only lead to assured placement in industries and create scope for pursuing higher education in India and abroad, but also enable candidates to transform into entrepreneurs if they desire.

Candidates of M.Sc. Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Botany, Zoology and other related life science disciplines are considered eligible for the M.Phil programme of one-year duration.

Applications can be downloaded from the university website http://www.bdu.ac.in and submitted before September 14.

For more details, dial 0431 2407066 (559) or email headbt@bdu.ac.in.

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Bharathidasan Varsity announces M.Phil in industrial biotechnology

Recommendation and review posted by G. Smith


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