Charlene Cormier

Biosecurity is top of mind here at Twist Bioscience. Our head of biosecurity James Diggans is the chair of the International Gene Synthesis Consortium (IGSC) and is working to advance security frameworks for nucleic acid synthesis. Don’t miss this great 20 min podcast that discusses biosecurity risks in the age of #gene synthesis. Episode #11: Gene Synthesis Screening

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A great historical review of epigenetics and cancer. Always great to see some of the founders of the relatively new field of epigenetics (circa 2000's) and how they laid the groundwork. #biomodal, #epigenetics #epigenomics #cancer #oncology

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📢 Breaking News: Watchmaker Genomics and SPT Labtech Partner to Automate NGS Library Prep 📢 📅 May 28, 2024 New York – Watchmaker Genomics and SPT Labtech have announced a strategic partnership to automate library preparation for next-generation sequencing (NGS). Partnership Details: Integration: Watchmaker's sample prep assays will be integrated with SPT Labtech's automated instruments. Focus: The integration has already been achieved with Watchmaker's mRNA Library Prep Kit and DNA Library Prep Kit with Fragmentation using SPT Labtech's Firefly liquid handler. Key Quotes: Sandra Rowe, VP of Marketing at Watchmaker, stated that the mRNA library prep solution "lowers the energy barrier to accessing meaningful gene expression information while ensuring robust and reproducible performance." Background: SPT Labtech has recently entered into several deals to automate genomics workflows, partnering with Parse Biosciences, Roche, and Scale Biosciences. The firm was acquired by Battery Ventures' EQT IX Fund in 2022. Watchmaker Genomics has also collaborated with automation providers, including Beckman Coulter Life Sciences and Volta Labs, Inc.. Impact: This partnership aims to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of genomic sequencing, paving the way for advancements in genetic research and diagnostics. #WatchmakerGenomics #SPTLabtech #NGS #LibraryPrep #Genomics #Automation #BiotechNews #LifeSciences #ResearchInnovation

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Galvanize Therapeutics, Inc. 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜, 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐝-𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐃𝐀 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 ✅ Pulsed field ablation ⚡(#PFA) has been making waves in #cardiac 🫀 procedures in the past few months as a treatment for #atrialfibrillation (#AF) and irregular #heartrhythm with fewer side effects. Now, Galvanize Therapeutics, Inc. is jumping in with its system that broadens the use of the tech to patients with #cancer... The company has received #FDA #510k clearance for its #INUMI Flex #endoscopic needle #ablation system, a part of its #Aliya #pulsedfieldablation energy portfolio, for use against soft-tissue lesions including nodules that can harbor #lungcancer tumor cells. 🫁 Compared to traditional #surgicalablation approaches that deliver heat or cold energy to a broader area, #PFA aims to be more selective by using tuned electricity to break down the membranes of troublesome cells. The company received $100M in #SeriesB funding which including investment from Intuitive Ventures.💸 Aliya is also being explored for #livercancer, #kidneycancer and #breastcancer. Jonathan Waldstreicher, MD CEO said: 🗣 “As physicians increasingly shift from #percutaneous to #endoscopic access of target lesions, our team developed INUMI Flex to meet their needs. Having demonstrated the effects of Aliya beyond #focalablation in early studies, we continue to invest in understanding the full potential of biologic activation and its unique immune response in clinical trials.” Congratulations to the Galvanize Therapeutics, Inc. team! 👏👏 For more information on #PFA technology for treating #CardiacArrhythmias and the players in this critical market, check out my recent post in the link below: ⤵ https://shorturl.at/2TTSy #medtech #medicaldevice #oncology #lungcancer #pfa #pulsedfieldablation #endoscopy #minimallyinvasive #cancertreatment #executivesearch #recruitment #healthcare #innovation #cardiology

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If that hire in the Regulatory, Clinical, Quality Assurance or Program Management function is giving you trouble call Gabrielle Sacco on the HireMinds team for back-up. She's regularly engaging with top active and passive talents to find them relevant opportunities with the best biotechs across the U.S. #regulatoryaffiars #clinicaloperations #qualityassurance

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Come join Agilent for a monthly webinar starting next month and running thru October. Hear from our technical experts and get practical knowledge on improving your chromatography. Whether you are a seasoned veteran or a beginner, our GC, and GC/MS Webinar Series will help to make you a better chromatographer so you get the reproducible results you need to make your lab more productive. You will leave with actionable tips and tricks you can apply immediately in your lab. For attending you'll receive a coupon for a 25% discount on any Agilent GC and LC Columns, Sample Prep Products and your most often used Chromatography and Spectroscopy Supplies*. Topics: May 17 - Analysis of Permanent Gases: More Challenging Than You Might Think June 20 - Take the Trouble Out of Troubleshooting: Gas Chromatography July 18 - Agilent GC/MS Solutions for Cannabis and Hemp Testing August 30 - Overwhelmed with Too Many GC Column Options? Let Us Help September 28 - Tips and Tricks: Best Practices for Column Installation and Care of GC Columns October 18 - Techniques for Avoiding Unexpected Problems in LC and GC Analysis Each webinar will start at 8:00 a.m. PT and will be approximately one hour long with a Q&A portion at the end. * Some restrictions apply

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Happy Thursday all! Check out our innovative new Vγ9Vδ2 TCR Lentivirus designed to investigate Vγ9Vδ2 T cell-related cancer therapies! https://lnkd.in/grKaAVQw Background: γδ TCRs recognize antigens in a similar way to antibodies, recognizing full protein antigens and are independent of antigen binding to the MHC. γδ TCRs are cell type specific, with Vγ9Vδ2 present in T cells and ~ 5% of the T cell population in blood. Vγ9Vδ2 T cells are involved in immune responses to pathogens and long-term modulation of inflammation, and can recognize non-peptide phospho-antigens, alkylamines and synthetic amino bisphosphonates and are being studied treatment of solid tumors and hematological disorders. Vγ9Vδ2 T cells are being investigated as novel therapeutics for cancer and other pathologies, and this TCR is an excellent tool to support that drug discovery research. Reach out to me with any questions or for a quote to work with this and other T cell related tools in our CAR-T and TCR Therapy portfolios! https://lnkd.in/g-XkGyzT #drugdiscovery #cartcelltherapy #tcr #cancerresearch #immunooncology #immunotherapy #scientificresearch

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🌟 Exciting Partnership announcement! 🌟 Stilla Technologies, a pioneer in digital PCR systems, has forged a strategic distribution partnership with Avantor to bring their innovative dPCR products to the US market! 🇺🇸🔬 Under this new agreement, Avantor's life science specialists will make Stilla's advanced dPCR solutions available to researchers and clinicians across the country. 🧬💼 "With Avantor's backing, we are well positioned to achieve our biopharma, applied testing, and academia objectives while enhancing our applications to better serve our customers," shared Kerri McWeeny, Stilla's GM for North America. Highlights: 🔹 Stilla launched the seven-color Nio+ dPCR instrument last year. 🔹 Secured a $26.5M Series C financing round for scaling and commercialization. 🔹 Avantor's history of strategic acquisitions and partnerships, including Puritan Medical Products , VWR, part of Avantor, and Oxford Nanopore Technologies. This partnership is set to propel advancements in biopharma, applied testing, and academic research, driving innovation and excellence in the life sciences sector. 🌐🚀 #DigitalPCR #Biotech #LifeSciences #Research #Innovation #Partnership #StillaTechnologies #Avantor #Biopharma #ScientificResearch #HealthcareInnovation 🌟🔬💼

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#TechnoteTuesday - Advancements in Plasmid DNA Analysis for Biopharma Plasmid DNA plays a crucial role in the biopharma industry, serving as a gene-delivery vehicle for DNA vaccination and as a key intermediate in processes like viral particle production for gene therapy and ex-vivo protein synthesis. Given the importance of plasmid DNA purity, federal regulations mandate a release criterion of >80% supercoiled content for manufactured injectable plasmid products. Traditional agarose gel methods have limitations in detecting low levels of impurities. To address this, our latest technical note explores the development of a rapid, sensitive, and automated method for plasmid DNA isoform analysis using Capillary Electrophoresis with Laser-Induced Fluorescence detection (CE-LIF). Key Benefits of Our Method: 1. Sensitive and Robust Method: A CE-LIF method for plasmid analysis was developed, providing baseline resolution of supercoiled, open-circular, and linear plasmid isoforms within 20 minutes. 2. Optimized Injection: Electrokinetic injection outperformed pressure injection due to more efficient injection of charged DNA analytes. 3. Enhanced Sensitivity: Utilizing SYBR Gold dye, known for its high quantum yield, results in higher sensitivity and a better separation profile through effective interaction with DNA. 4. Extended Capillary Lifetime: Incorporating a methanol rinse in the conditioning step extended the capillary's lifespan to over 100 injections without affecting topoisoform percentages. 5. Monitoring Plasmid Degradation: Experiments with stressed plasmid samples demonstrated that CE-LIF can accurately quantify plasmid topoisoforms, making it an excellent tool for monitoring plasmid degradation. This innovative approach offers a significant improvement over traditional methods, providing the biopharma industry with a more reliable means of ensuring plasmid DNA purity and integrity. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further information. Let's advance biopharma together! I invite you to explore our Technote as Kenneth S. Cook, Yu-Ting Chen Sneha Chatterjee from team Pfizer, Jane Luo, Tingting Li, Marcia Santos Brandon Bates, Handy Yowanto Lawrence Thompson from Team @SCIEX examine "Optimization of a Robust and Sensitive Capillary Electrophoresis- Laser-induced Fluorescence Method for Monitoring Plasmid Stability and Purity." #TechnoteTuesday #Biotherapeutics #innovation #biophase8800 #drugdevelopment #biotechnology #qualitycontrol #biotech #Biopharma #ProteinCharacterization #Innovation #TherapeuticProteins #mabs #sciex #capillaryelectrophoresis #sciexforscience #genetherapy #rnatherapeutics #immunotherapy

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UC Irvine study reveals circadian clock can be leveraged to enhance cancer immunotherapy Optimizing individual time-of-day delivery offers new avenues for prevention and treatment Irvine, Calif., May 28, 2024 — A multidisciplinary research team at the University of California, Irvine has revealed that the circadian clock – the biological pacemaker that governs daily rhythms in physiological processes, including immune functions – can be leveraged to enhance the efficacy of checkpoint inhibitor cancer therapy. Checkpoint inhibitors block different proteins from binding to tumor cells, allowing the immune system’s T cells to kill the tumor. The study, published online today in the journal Nature Immunology, provides deeper insights into the intricate relationship among the circadian clock, immune regulation and tumor development and found that a therapeutic approach optimizing time-of-day delivery based on an individual’s unique circadian patterns offers new avenues for prevention and treatment. “Disruption of the internal biological pacemaker is an inherent aspect of modern society that may contribute to the rising incidence of many cancer types. We found that proper regulation of circadian rhythms is necessary to suppress inflammation and support peak immune function,” said corresponding author Selma Masri, UC Irvine associate professor of biological chemistry. “Understanding precisely how circadian disruption promotes disease progression could lead to behavior modification to reduce cancer risk.” Team members used an advanced single-cell RNA sequencing technique in a genetic model of colorectal cancer and identified clock-dependent changes controlling the number of myeloid-derived cells that suppress T cell activation. They discovered that disruption of the internal clock in the epithelial cells lining the intestine alters secretion of cytokine proteins, leading to heightened inflammation, increased numbers of immunosuppressive myeloid cells and cancer progression. These findings were leveraged to demonstrate that providing immunotherapy at the time of day when these immunosuppressive myeloid cells are most abundant significantly enhanced the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockades in solid tumors. https://lnkd.in/eJFkhSVi https://lnkd.in/ena2V39T

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Do you know when companion diagnostics (CDx) are needed for your cell and gene therapy programs? Or what kind of testing is required and how to choose the right lab partner for a CDx assay? In our blog, you’ll learn from Labcorp subject matter experts as they answer key questions you may have about developing CDx for your cell and gene therapy programs. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gyiU_CdZ #CellandGeneTherapy #CompanionDiagnostics

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I recently came across an incredibly interesting article highlighting a novel application for NK Cell Therapy to treat Alzheimer's using NKGen Biotech, Inc. SNK01 platform. Preliminary data indicate remediation of some of the most debilitating symptoms associated with this disease, likely driven by NK cells' ability to "remove protein aggregates in the brain, while at the same time, reducing neuroinflammation". This is also a testament to the unbound potential cell therapies as we continue to explore and shift the paradigm of what is possible. It will be exciting to see how these data evolve as they progress through clinical trials in the US and Canada. https://lnkd.in/esq7v7WZ #celltherapy #alzheimers #NKcell

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Happy Monday all! Check out this open access Nature Genetics article by Reed et al., "A single-cell atlas enables mapping of homeostatic cellular shifts in the adult human breast." Abstract: Here we use single-cell RNA sequencing to compile a human breast cell atlas assembled from 55 donors that had undergone reduction mammoplasties or risk reduction mastectomies. From more than 800,000 cells we identified 41 cell subclusters across the epithelial, immune and stromal compartments. The contribution of these different clusters varied according to the natural history of the tissue. Age, parity and germline mutations, known to modulate the risk of developing breast cancer, affected the homeostatic cellular state of the breast in different ways. We found that immune cells from BRCA1 or BRCA2 carriers had a distinct gene expression signature indicative of potential immune exhaustion, which was validated by immunohistochemistry. This suggests that immune-escape mechanisms could manifest in non-cancerous tissues very early during tumor initiation. This atlas is a rich resource that can be used to inform novel approaches for early detection and prevention of breast cancer. #drugdiscovery #immunooncology #cancerresearch #immunotherapy #breastcancer #oncology #scientificresearch

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If you gave the same molecule to two different companies before Phase 1, would they be equally successful? I'll explain why the answer is "No" during my talk next Thursday at the ISPE Greater Los Angeles Area Chapter Vendor Night Technical Session, and also covering the impact AI/ML is having on Drug Development. Register for the event here if you haven't already! Information can be found in the link below, and also credit to IDEA Pharma on the thought-provoking question.

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Exciting news as we just released a TSLP Responsive Luciferase Reporter Ba/F3 Cell Line #82500 to support preclinical autoimmune drug discovery research: https://lnkd.in/gvKjW7R5 Summary: Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a protein that functions as a type I cytokine, as an alarmin, and as a growth factor in the immune system. It is involved in type 2 immune responses, T helper type 2 responses, and in the maturation and recruitment of dendritic cells (DCs), T cells, B cells, neutrophils, mast cells, and other lymphoid cells. Its expression can be induced by infections, pro-inflammatory cytokines, proteases, and mechanical injury. TSLP is linked to allergic reactions such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, and food allergies, by inducing the expression of OX40L, CD80 and CD86, and stimulating CD4+ T cells. TSLP signals through a heterodimeric receptor of TSLP-R (CRLF2) and IL7Ra (CD127) to activate JAK2/STAT5 signaling. In 2021, the TLSP-neutralizing antibody tezepelumab was approved for the treatment of severe asthma. TSLP is an active target for investigation in ongoing clinical trials for the treatment of autoimmune disorders, and this TSLP Responsive Luciferase Reporter Ba/F3 Cell Line is a murine cell line engineered to express both TSLP-R and IL-7Ra that reports on TSLP activation via STAT5 Luciferase, making it an excellent tool for TSLP drug discovery research. Reach out to me here or by email (lmackenzie@bpsbioscience.com) with any questions or for a quote! #drugdiscovery #immunology #autoimmune #immunotherapy #scientificresearch

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Demonstrating the technical leadership of SK pharmteco! 🧬 Catch up with our team at ASGCT to discuss how SKPT can support your #cellandgene development!

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Come and see us and learn how Beacon transforms your research

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🚀 Exciting new product launches in Genomics! 🌟 Leading companies are unveiling groundbreaking products at the ASMS conference and beyond. Check out these innovations: 🔬 Thermo Fisher Scientific: Ardia software platform for mass spec workflows. 🔬 Bruker Optics: Scils Scope 1.0, GlycoScape, and OmniScape for mass spec imaging and protein analysis. 🔬 SCIEX: ZT Scan DIA method for Zeno trap. 🔬 Helix: Clinico-genomic datasets for precision medicine. 🔬 QIAGEN: FDA-cleared QiaStat-Dx Gastrointestinal Panel 2. 🔬 Illumina: XLeap-SBS chemistry for NextSeq 1000/2000. 🔬 Zymo Research Corp Research: PureRec DSN for DNA/RNA research. 🔬 Mission Bio: Tapestri Single-Cell Multiple Myeloma Multiomics Solution. These innovations are set to revolutionise research and healthcare! #Genomics #Biotech #Innovation #ASMS2024 #ThermoFisher #Bruker #Sciex #Helix #Qiagen #Illumina #ZymoResearch #MissionBio #LifeSciences #FutureOfHealth

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If you are in #immunology or #drugdiscovery and need to accelerate your discovery pipeline with specific targets we have a new product for you! #singledomainantibodies #vhh #library #phagedisplay

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