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Earlier this week Roche Holding AG announced that it would pay $230 million to acquire the San Diego, CA-based biopharmaceutical company Anadys. The reason for the acquisition is to bolster Roche’s standing in the hepatitis C market which is projected to grow to as much as $15 billion annually by 2019.

Anadys has a fairly large experimental pipeline of hepatitis C drugs, the most advanced candidate being setrobuivr that is being clinically tested in combination with the generic antiviral drug ribavirin and Pegasys (PEGylated α-interferon) as a hepatitis C treatment.

The Anadys deal comes on the heels of an agreement last week between Roche and Merck & Co to jointly market hepatitis C treatments in the US. Merck recently won approval last May for Victrelis (boceprevir) the first new hepatitis C treatment in over a decade. Also, late last month Vertex Pharmaceuticals received approval for a new hepatitis C drug called Incivek (telaprevir). Anadys is also conducting early clinical trials on ANA773 as a possible treatment for hepatitis C infection, cancer and other chronic diseases.

In other news, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is rumored to be contemplating purchasing Maryland-based Human Genome Sciences (HGS), which recently received US approval for Benlysta a novel monoclonal antibody treatment for the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematous. 

Benlysta was the first new drug to be approved to treat lupus in over 50 years. GSK is HGS’s commercialization partner for Benlysta which is expected to be a blockbuster drug. The reason for the takeover rumors is likely HGS’s stock price which has fallen from 52-week high of $30 to its current value of $15 per share. 

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!

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 A Massachusetts start up company called Medicinal Genomics announced late last week that it had sequenced the cannabis genome. Kevin McKernan the head of Medicinal Genomics and former leader of Life Technologies Corp Ion Torrent DNA-sequence program decided to undertake the project after he read a paper in Nature describing the possible tumor shrinking effects of marijuana. 

The project, which cost about $200,000, may lead to the development of treatments for cancer, pain and inflammatory diseases said McKernan. He is making the making the data public using Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN)’s EC2 cloud- computing system. McKernan called the work a “draft assembly” and has yet to publish the data in a peer reviewed journal.

 While sequencing the cannabis genome is not a novel feat, McKernan said his company’s goal is to allow researchers to find ways to maximize the cannabis plant’s therapeutic benefits and minimize its psychoactive effects. Cannabinoids, a class of chemicals that includes tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, are the main psychoactive substance in marijuana. Another compound called cannabidiol, or CBD, has shown promise in shrinking tumors in rats without the psychoactive effects, McKernan said. 

Companies including England-based GW Pharmaceuticals have used THC and CBD to create cannabis-based medicines like Sativex; indicated for muscle spasms related to multiple sclerosis. McKernan contends that the sequence data may help to modify the cannabinoid pathways in the plant or introduce the pathways into other hosts to optimize biological production. “It may be possible through genome directed breeding to attenuate the psychoactive effects of cannabis, while enhancing the medicinal aspects” he said. 

Like it or not, marijuana has a variety of outstanding medicinal properties that can help patients suffering from chronic or terminal illnesses. The politicization of the drug and the impact of its legalization on the US law enforcement and prison systems have prevented the use of marijuana as a bonafide therapeutic agent.  It is troubling to think that highly addictive pain medications like oxycodone and hydrocodone/paracetamol are legal but marijuana is not.

 Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!

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There is no question that DNA, genome sequencing and personalized medicine are on their way to becoming part of the American lexicon. While most Americans haven’t a clue as to what these words mean, many have jumped on the “DNA bandwagon” because of television shows like CSI and its derivatives and high profile genetic information companies like 23 and Me, which was co-founded by Anne Wojcicki a Yale undergraduate biology major and wife of Google founder Sergey Brin.

Countless numbers of Americans have sent DNA samples to be analyzed by 23 and Me and other genetic information companies to learn about their ancestry and possible health implications contained in their genetic codes. Although the technologies used by these companies may not be ready for prime time-use for personalized medicine purposes, they are scientifically sound and relevant. Imagine my surprise when I read about a company called DNA11 that promises to create customized art from a person’s DNA. Yup, you heard me correctly—a customized DNA portrait! 

Here is how it works. Customers send a cheek swab (DNA sample) to the company and they sequence it. Then, a personalized DNA portrait is constructed from the code. Clients get to choose the color and size of the portrait and can also elect to have up to four person’s DNA added to it! And the best part is that it only costs $199 (starting price)! Of course, DNA samples are marked with anonymous codes and are supposedly destroyed after portraits are rendered.

DNA 11 is the brain child of Nazim Ahmed a former DNA imaging salesperson and Adrian Salamunovic a web designer. I have to admit that I thought the idea was a cool one! But, then again, I am a geeky scientist and the transformation of science into art is an intriguing proposition! Also, if positioned correctly, DNA11 could help to promote scientific literacy in the US.

The company has been featured in the New York Times, Wired Magazine and others on “The View” CNBC and the Discovery Channel. Moreover, both Nazim and Adrian have reportedly made millions and their products were recently featured on a recent CSI episode. Recently, the company announced that a portion of its revenue will be donated to charity. Nevertheless, I can’t imagine that, these days, most lay people have enough disposable income on hand to spend it on a less-than-useful DNA portrait. That said, I have been known to be wrong in the past. And, I have learned over the years that anything is possible in America--not that there is anything wrong with that!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Genetic Profiling!!!!!!!

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Previously, BioJobBlog reported on the race between two groups led by the Mars and Hersey companies to sequence and decode the cacao (chocolate) tree genome. It should come as no surprise that the world’s two largest chocolate companies have pitted themselves against one another to decode the wonders of the cacao bean. After all, chocolate is big business and learning how to maximize yields, improve flavors and optimize the levels of cacao bean chemical components would be a boon to the company that was able to obtain the genetic information first!

Currently, most cacao farmers earn about $2 per day, but producers of fine cacao earn more. Increasing the productivity and ease of growing cacao can help to develop a sustainable cacao economy. The trees are now also seen as an environmentally beneficial crop because they grow best under forest shade, allowing for land rehabilitation and enriched biodiversity. Today, many growers prefer to grow hybrid cacao trees—rather than the original variety Theobroma cacao, Criollo)—that produce chocolate of lower quality but are more resistant to disease. Roughly five percent of the world’s current cocoa production is derived from Criollo cacao beans because of increased susceptibility to fungal diseases which results in higher costs and lower yields.

At the last installment of this ongoing saga, the Mars group, September 2010, released a statement that that they had beat the Hershey group and unraveled DNA sequence of the most common cacao bean variety that is used to manufacture most commercial chocolate.

The Mars researchers constructed a preliminary genomic map that covered over 70 per cent of the total cacao bean DNA sequence which is distributed over 10 chromosomes. These data were uploaded to The Cacao Genome Database which is publicly available as long as persons who access the data sign an agreement that stipulates that they “will not seek any intellectual property protection over the data, including gene sequences contained in the database. The Information Access Agreement allows any cacao breeders and other researchers to freely use the genome information to develop new cacao varieties.”

While the Mars group may have beat the Hersey group to the popular press, their research has not yet appeared in an academic journal for scientific scrutiny. Interestingly, the Hersey group yesterday announced that their version of the cacao genome was published in the most recent edition of Nature Genetics. According to the authors,

We sequenced and assembled the draft genome of Theobroma cacao (Criollo), an economically important tropical-fruit tree crop that is the source of chocolate. This assembly corresponds to 76% of the estimated genome size and contains almost all previously described genes, with 82% of these genes anchored on the 10 T. cacao chromosomes.

Analysis of this sequence information highlighted specific expansion of some gene families during evolution, for example, flavonoid-related genes. It also provides a major source of candidate genes for T. cacao improvement.

While Theobroma is often used to manufacture gourmet chocolates that particular variety of cacao tree often remains vulnerable to disease. Information gleaned from this study could be used to breed bioresistant varieties of Theobroma.

Further the authors noted:

Our analysis of the Criollo genome has uncovered the genetic basis of pathways leading to the most important quality traits of chocolate--oil, flavonoids and terpene biosynthesis […] It has also led to the discovery of hundreds of genes potentially involved in pathogen resistance, all of which can be used to accelerate the development of elite varieties of cacao in the future.”

Other genes that were identified include those for the production of cocoa butter, natural antioxidants, hormones, pigments, and aromas. BTW, for those of you who may be interested, cocoa was thought to be domesticated about 3,000 years ago in Central America; making it one of the world’s oldest domesticated tree crops.

It isn’t clear yet how the cacao genomes deciphered by the Mars and Hersey groups match up against one another. Regardless, the big winners here are chocolate lovers. What to you think the world stance will be on genetically engineered chocolate? 

Oy!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Eating!!!!!

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A collaborative research team led by scientists at the candy maker (M&Ms, Snickers, Milky Way) Mars, the U.S. Department of Agriculture—Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) and IBM—announced this morning that they have successfully completed a preliminary cacao genome sequence, a map of the crop that supplies the majority of the world's cocoa for the manufacture of chocolate and other food products. The Mars group announcement upstaged a second research group—a consortium composed of Hershey, Pennsylvania State University and the French government—that was working furiously to complete its version of the cocoa sequence. BioJobBlog covered the initial announcement about the sequencing project made by the Mars group back in 2008.

While the race to sequence the cocoa genome was not as intense and bitter as the one between Celera and the Human Genome Project to sequence the human genome, the competition between the Mars and Hershey to be the first to announce the completed genome had similar trappings. Initially, there had been discussions between the two groups to work collaboratively on the cocoa genome. But after some deliberation the Mars team decided to “go it alone.”

At present, about 70 percent of the world crop is grown in West Africa by millions of small growers. With the cocoa sequence in hand, scientists believe that they can use molecular biology to improve yields and create cocoa varieties that are more resistant to diseases. For example, a fungal disease known as witches’ broom almost decimated the entire Brazilian cocoa group several years ago. Improving yields and making cocoa more resistant to infection may help to bring the cost of cocoa-based products like chocolate in the future. Another benefit may be improving the taste or increasing the amount of anti-aging flavonoids found in chocolate.

The cocoa genome contains about 420 million base pairs as compared with the human genome which contains roughly 3 billion base pairs. The Mars group edged out the Hershey-led group because it started earlier and mainly relied on fast, second generation DNA sequencers made by Illumina and 454. While Mars can claim victory because it finished first, the Hershey-derived sequence will be valuable to corroborate Mars’ preliminary sequence. Like everything else in science, research results must be independently confirmed before they are accepted by the wider scientific community.

Hat tip to Mars and Hershey for insuring future of the world’s chocolate supply!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Eating (Neuhaus chocolate rocks)

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National DNA Day is a unique day when students, teachers and the public can learn more about genetics and genomics! The day commemorates the completion of the Human Genome Project in April 2003, and the discovery of DNA's double helix.

The annual event started seven years ago is sponsored by the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health. To learn more about the activities that are planned for this year's celebration, please click here.  And this year, you can become a fan of the day on Facebook!

Have a great day celebrating, but please remember to clone responsibly!!!!!!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Sequencing!!!!!!!!!!

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Cellectics, SA, a French genomic engineering and genetic surgery company is a great example of a biotechnology company that “gets” social media. 

The person, who manages the company’s Twitter account, posted a video on YouTube called a “ A Day at Cellectics. While not quite Avatar, it is short, fun to watch and if nothing else, it shows prospective employees that Cellectics may be a cool place to work! 

While I can’t vouch for Cellectics’ science, it is a company that knows how to leverage social media for better business outcomes! 

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Tweeting!!!!

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GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Britain’s largest pharmaceutical company today announced it plans on slashing 4,000 jobs over the coming months. The bulk of the cuts will be in America and Europe, and are part of the company’s efforts to shift resources away from low-growth territories into parts of the world with greater scope to expand sales, most notably Asia. GSK’s currently employs 99,000 workers worldwide. The reduction in headcount will be combined with a drive to make the company’s research and development more cost-efficient. 

While the job losses will not be as severe as those announced last week by its rival Astra Zeneca, they will provide further depressing news for a sector that is fighting to contain costs as it reduces its reliance on big-selling blockbuster drugs, many of whose patents will expire in the next two to three years.

The pipeline of new drugs at GSK is much deeper than at many of its rivals, say industry analysts. The company’s roster of planned launches includes Menhibrix, a vaccine to combat meningitis, and Benlysta (belimumab), a novel, monoclonal antibody treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus that it is co-developing with Maryland-based, Human Genome Sciences. In total, the group has more than 30 products in the advanced stages of development and testing.

While GSK continues to develop new drugs, it has increasingly been turning to emerging markets to find and sustain corporate growth. This has meant that thousands of jobs have already been sacrificed in the West, although the company is adding staff elsewhere. For example, it recently cut 2,000 sales jobs in America but added 1,500 staff in China. Also, GSK’s vaccine division has suffered a few regulatory setbacks with its pneumococcal vaccine Synflorix and its cervical cancer vaccine Cervarix. The loss of market share in these areas has put additional financial pressure on the company.

Like many of its competitors, GSK is looking to other divisions of the company to cover projected losses in the pharmaceutical sector. Recently, GSK has shifted a lot of its attention to its consumer products division, which owns brands such as Lucozade and Ribena soft drinks, Aquafresh and Sensodyne toothpaste, and over-the-counter medicines such as Panadol painkillers and Alli, a weight-loss pill. Analysts predict the division will have raised its annual sales 18% to £4.7 billion. A deal signed last year to increase sales of Lucozade in China has provided the blueprint for how the company would like to develop the consumer healthcare side of its business.

Similarly, last week, Sanofi-Aventis, a French rival, announced a joint venture with Minsheng Pharmaceutical Group, a Chinese company, to sell vitamin pills and nutritional supplements. Also, Pfizer recently announced it would bid for the possibility of purchasing the financially-troubled German generics manufacturer Ratiopharm; signaling the possibility that the world's largest branded pharmaceutical manager may be toying with the idea of getting into the generics business.

Late last year I predicted that more pharmaceutical company employees would loss their jobs. Sadly, this prediction has come true. That said, I am surprised at the scope and size of the layoffs that have already taken place in 2010. I suspect that more layoffs are likely in the near future if the economy doesn’t turn around anytime soon.

Hat tip to Ed at the Pharmalot blog!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting (try medical devices or biotech)!!!!!!!!

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Over the past two years, I have been blogging about the progress of sequencing the giant panda genome. Well, for those of you who have been following the unfolding story, I want to let you know that the giant panda genome was published in the December 13, 2009 edition of the journal Nature. The sequence is now immortalized in the scientific literature (see the story below)

An international consortium, headed by the Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI), published its first report on the sequencing and analysis of the giant panda genome. Researchers at BGI sequenced a draft of the Ailuropoda melanoleura genome in Oct. 2008, but the new report is the first publication of their sequencing efforts and initial analyses. The panda is the first bear to have been sequenced.

Using the Illumina Genome Analyzer and a whole genome shotgun approach, the team examined the 2.4 billion kb of a three-year-old female panda, Jingjing, from the Chengdu breeding center. To verify sequence assembly, the researchers used Sanger sequencing of nine artificial bacterial chromosomes. To date, the team has analyzed 2.25 billion base pairs, representing 94% of the bear’s entire genome. The observed sequence gaps are likely a result of the tandem repeats and transposable elements.

The panda genome had more than 2500 species-specific genes, and according to the report, 36% of the genome is composed of transposable elements similar to the dog genome. The researchers said that the giant panda genome consists of 21,001 genes, including 18,643 orthologous to those in dogs, mice, and humans.
The team discovered 26 of the 27 giant panda genes catalogued in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) GenBank. The gene they did not detect is present only on the Y chromosome and was expectedly absent in the female panda.

The team’s initial analysis of the giant panda genome has provided insights in the giant panda’s diet preferences and genetic diversity. The researchers hope their study may aid in conservation efforts of the giant panda.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

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China's Beijing Genomics Institute in Shenzhen announced that it has mapped the entire genetic code for the giant panda using DNA sequencing and analysis equipment from San Diego-based Illumina. The project began in mid 2008 and was completed by Jan.2009.

The panda at the center of this discovery is Jingjing, who lives in China's Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Center and was the mascot for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The genetic information from Jingjing is expected to be complemented in the future with genetic information from other pandas.

Scientists hope to use the data from the sequencing project to better understand panda biology and reproduction. Giant pandas are difficult to breed in captivity and are currently on the endangered species list.

In China, the panda's genome sequencing was ranked by the Chinese government as one of the top 10 technology achievements of the year, right up there with the nation's space shuttle and the completion of the Tibetan railway.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!

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In his book, “Free: The Future of a Radical Price” Chris Anderson, editor of Wired Magazine, asserts that the cost of DNA sequencing falls 50% each year. To that end, in February, a company called Complete Genomics based in Mountain View, California, announced it will read entire human genomes at $5000 a shot, starting in June this year. This will cost less than one-tenth of what companies charge today for genome sequencing. 

If you believe Anderson, in five years sequencing a human genome will be under $100. Based on these calculations, the window of opportunity for companies that sequence genomic DNA to make a profit is closing rapidly. So, if you were considering getting into the DNA sequencing biz, the right time may be now—before it is no longer a profitable biz model.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Sequencing!!!!!!!!!!!
 

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The long sought after cow genome has been sequenced. Heralded as a milestone in animal genetics, unraveling the cow genome will provide scientists with “tantalizing clues to explain the essence of bovinity.” Two papers describing the results of the project will appear in today's issue of the journal Science. 

The cow who donated its DNA for sequencing was a Hereford named LI Dominette 01449 and is one of the estimated 94 million bovines in the US. The project, led by researchers at National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was a gargantuan effort that spanned six years and involved more than 300 scientists from 25 countries and cost only $53 million. Based on sequence analyses, cows haver 22,000 genes as compared with 20,000 to 25,000 for humans. Some of the other findings include: 

• Cattle and humans have about 80 percent of their genes in common

• The organization of human chromosomes is closer to that of domestic cattle than to those of rats or mice, which are often used in lab tests of drugs intended for people.

• Cattle chromosomes, like those of humans and other mammals, contain segmental duplications, which are large, almost identical copies of DNA present in at least two locations in a genome.

• In domestic cattle, there are duplications related to immunity, metabolism, digestion, reproduction and lactation. Such duplications in humans have been related to a variety of disorders.

Researchers hope that elucidating the bovine genome will help them find ways to improve milk and meat production, develop new strategies to treat and prevent diseases and to reduce the carbon foot print of cows that release large amounts of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.

Great news to receive on National DNA Day! 

Science rocks.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!

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National DNA Day is a unique day when students, teachers and the public can learn more about genetics and genomics! The day commemorates the completion of the Human Genome Project in April 2003, and the discovery of DNA's double helix by Watson, Crick and Rosalind Franklin.

National DNA Day is usually observed on April 25 (it was created by the US Congress seven years ago), but this year the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) will hold most of its activities on Friday, April 24 to accommodate classroom schedules. Building upon the popularity of the online chatroom and ambassador programs, NHGRI and its DNA Day partners this year have expanded their outreach efforts even further by creating National DNA Day social networking pages on Facebook and Twitter.

National DNA Day is much more than a time to honor historical achievements. It's a day filled with opportunities for students, teachers and the public to learn how the exciting field of genome research affects our lives. NHGRI researchers, called DNA Day Ambassadors, are visiting dozens of high schools throughout the nation during April to give presentations and field questions from students. This year, NHGRI is particularly focusing on the southwest region of the United States, sending DNA Day ambassadors to high schools in Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

No matter where they live, students and teachers can participate in National DNA Day through a live, moderated online chat with NHGRI researchers, which will be open for questions Friday, April 24, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern. NHGRI experts will be available to answer questions on a wide range of topics, including basic science, clinical research, genomics careers and the ethical, legal and social implications of genome research. For those unable to participate in the live event, a transcript of the chat will be available on the DNA Day Web site at National DNA Day Online Chatroom.

You can also participate online on Facebook and @dnaday on Twitter

Happy Birthday DNA!

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A panel of eight judges at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania was asked to identify the top 20 life-altering technologies that were developed over the last 30 years. The survey was sponsored by Knowledge@ Wharton, U Penn’s business publication and the PBS’s “Nightly Business Report.” 

Not surprisingly, the Internet was voted the top innovation followed by computers, mobile phones and e-mail. Interestingly, DNA sequencing and testing was listed as number 5—one of five technologies from the life sciences and medical sectors—the others being MRI, laparoscopy, genetically-modified plants, biofuels and anti-retroviral (HIV) drugs. Finally, Internet social networking, a recent innovation, made a surprise appearance on the list at number 20!. The entire list is as follows:

1. Internet, broadband, WWW (browser and html)
2. PC/laptop computers
3. Mobile phones
4. E-mail
5. DNA testing and sequencing/Human genome mapping
6. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
7. Microprocessors
8. Fiber optics
9. Office software (spreadsheets, word processors)
10. Non-invasive laser/robotic surgery (laparoscopy)
11. Open source software and services (e.g., Linux, Wikipedia)
12. Light emitting diodes
13. Liquid crystal display (LCD)
14. GPS systems
15. Online shopping/ecommerce/auctions (e.g., eBay)
16. Media file compression (jpeg, mpeg, mp3)
17. Microfinance
18. Photovoltaic Solar Energy
19. Large scale wind turbines
20. Social networking via the Internet
21. Graphic user interface (GUI)
22. Digital photography/videography
23. RFID and applications (e.g., EZ Pass)
24. Genetically modified plants
25. Bio fuels
26. Bar codes and scanners
27. ATMs
28. Stents
29. SRAM flash memory
30. Anti retroviral treatment for AIDS

If your favorite technology wasn’t listed in the Top 30, please let me know and we can add it to the list!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting (try social networks)!!!!!!!

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Researchers at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Kangaroo Genomics (KanGO), including University of Melbourne, ANU, WEHI, University of Sydney, University of UNSW and the Australian Genome Research Foundation (AGRF) announced today (yesterday in Oz) that they have built a framework to assemble the genome of a model kangaroo, the tammar wallaby.  DNA sequence data obtained by the Australian Genome Research Facility (AGRF) with funding from the Victorian government will be arranged using the genome map.

KanGO Director Prof. Jenny Graves said “Australia’s weird and wonderful animals are making crucial contributions. The kangaroo has helped to consolidate Australia’s reputation in this important genomics era,” More importantly the map and DNA sequence may open up new areas of research into how genes are turned on and off during development of all mammals.

Those Aussies…you gotta love ‘em!

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In case you didn’t know, chocolate is big business. Do you know of anybody who doesn’t like to snack on a piece of chocolate from time to time? Because of the growing incidence of tropical diseases, pests and global climate change, Mars, the giant candy maker (M&Ms, Snickers), announced that it will sequence and analyze the cocoa genome (cocoa is the key ingredient in chocolate) to “to discover genetic building blocks of traits like disease and pest resistance, drought tolerance and perhaps flavor.” The likely long term goals of the project are to identify ways reduce cultivation costs and increase crop yields.

Another reason why Mars is keen on the project (at least according to the corporate press release) is to protect the livelihood of more than 6.5 million cocoa growers, mostly family-run farms,70% of which are in Africa. 

Mars is working with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA, sequencing) and IBM (data analysis) on the project. The results of the research will be free through the Public Intellectual Property Resource for Agriculture.

I hope that the cocoa genome project is successful. What would the world be like without a copious supply of chocolate?????

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!

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The consolidation trend in the US life sciences industry continues. Carlsbad, CA-based Invitrogen, a provider of cells, molecular and biochemical probes and reagents used in life sciences research,announced on Thursday that it will acquire (merge) with automated DNA sequencer manufacturer Applied Biosystems (ABS).  Invitrogen will pay $6.7 billion in cash and stock to buy ABS which is an independent unit of Applera Corporation.

As most of you know, ABS supplied hundreds of automated DNA sequencing machines ($300,000 per machine) that were used to sequence the human genome. The advent of automated DNA sequencers in the mid to late 1990s helped (along with Craig Venter) to speed up efforts to complete the Human Genome project which officially began in 1990. The first draft of the human genome was published in 2001. Unfortunately for ABS, it was unable to refocus and adjust to changing business conditions after the government-sponsored human genome project ended in the early 2000s.  Attempts to reinvent the company included moving into commercial businesses like selling equipment to test food for pathogens or DNA from crime scenes.

The deal, if approved by regulators, would create a giant supplier of machines and materials used by academic and pharmaceutical industry research laboratories, with about $3.5 billion in annual sales. Although the deal makes sense from a business perspective, it is likely that there will be a “reallocation of corporate resources” once the merger is approved by European and US regulators.

Until next time….

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting (try Carlsbad, it is a great place)!!!!!!!!

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Who can resist those adorable black and white Giant Pandas? Late last week, the International Giant Panda Genome Project was launched by Beijing Genomic Institute-Shenzhen, China. The goal of this project is to finish the sequencing and assembling of the draft sequence within six months. 

According to the news release:” The giant panda is a much loved animal all over the world and is considered a symbol of China, as illustrated by its being one of the mascots for the upcoming Olympics in Beijing. The excitement surrounding the launch of this ambitious project, however, has been built around how this new genomic information will have extensive impact in numerous scientific areas -- from ecology to evolution to sequencing technology. Such data will aid in understanding the genetic and biological underpinnings of this unique species, especially with regard to its very specific niche in the environment and the molecular mechanisms of its evolution.”

“Of special interest is that these data will be extremely useful for protecting and monitoring this endangered species and will provide information on the impact of captive breeding. In addition, it will have considerable use in controlling diseases that could devastate these fragile populations.” For those of you who don’t know, breeding pandas is not an easy thing. In fact, according to a guy I used to work with, who is a panda breeding expert, it is more art than science. However, it may not be as arcane as he makes it out to be considering that he had a sweet consulting gig for panda breeding with the Chinese government.

The giant panda project (GPP) will be conducted by Chinese scientists as well as scientist from other countries including, Canada, Wales, Denmark and the United States! It is truly an international collaboration!

Long live the pandas!

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting (try GPP- China)!!!!!!

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