Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Why NanoMedica is in Winston-Salem

This morning, Roger Cubiciotti, Ph.D., President of NanoMedica, spoke at the Piedmont Triad Research Park’s Seminar Series about his company and how it is using nanotechnology to develop better medicine for the treatment of diseases, including cancer. NanoMedica’s philosophy centers around “discovering more with less,” so it can dramatically accelerate the drug-discovery process.

NanoMedica recently relocated to Winston-Salem from New Jersey and Dr. Cubiciotti said that the assets here provide the ideal location for his company. Those assets include the accessible talent of NanoMedica’s partners, such as Wake Forest University’s Physics Department, the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, and the Office of Technology Asset Management at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center; the support received from organizations such as the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and the Piedmont Triad Research Park; and the affordable cost of laboratory space and doing business in Winston-Salem.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

3D Imaging and Modeling in Winston Salem, North Carolina

Be careful if you enter Winston Tower in downtown Winston-Salem, NC, because you might find body part print generation, ranging virtual seas and private dreams animated.

Nickolay Hristov, of the Center for Design Innovation, hosted an assembly of local 3D imaging, animation artists and topography mapping professionals to a packed house this evening. Presentations included Dennis Nikolaidis (formerly of Out of Our Minds Animation) with Animusing Productions, Josh Tan, MS of Research Medical Imaging & 3D Modeling CBI, Thomas Tucker of Winston Salem State University's Animation Department, and David Norman and DeEtta Famiano of Famiano Design Group. Each company and presenter is worth exploring further if you have an interest in 3D animation or modeling in Winston-Salem or the Triad.

Of particular note tonight:

Dennis Nikolaidis demonstrated the process he used to generate a 3D animation of an open sea. The complex and trial and error process resulted in an expansive, realistic 3D animation of a seascape complete with clouds and shoreline that drew gasps and applause from the group. Dennis is an unassuming and highly gifted specialist.

Josh Tan presented examples of how 2D medical digital imaging can be converted into a precise and dynamic 3D medically exact model. This process enables physicians to take virtual, but factual, tours of the patients body, locating tumors, aneurysms, and hidden fractures. Mr. Tan also share the fun (if still incomplete) programming of a Kinect controller adapted to allow motion navigation through a 3D model program. Josh also share a video of 3D model printing as well as a sample of a printed human skull. He had to tell us it wasn't real.

Thomas Tucker showed some clever examples of taking existing 3D modeling research to full animation. The man made a dog skeleton walk in "Night at the Museum" style. Best of all, Mr. Tucker showed several 3D animation projects that were inspired by the images taken from his meditations. Yes, Thomas Tucker has dare to animate dreams!

DeEtta Famiano and David Norman concluded our evening with a presentation of the expansive capabilities of laser scanner data collection - which sounds clever enough, but when applied to topographical and terrain mapping is just downright amazing. Their current project for the restoration of Moody's Furnace has interesting implications for construction site research and large project commercial development. Future applications include our very own I-40 Business corridor here in Winston-Salem, NC.

3D modeling and animation is very much alive in the Triad and it appears may be responsible for bringing a great deal "to life" in our community. Special thanks to Nickolay Hristov and the Center for Design Innovation for an educational and inspirational evening.



Friday, March 11, 2011

Tech Council Innovation Series Begins with "How to" on Innovation



Welcome to Winston TECH Salem - A blog by the Technology Council of the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce. Please click here to visit our home page.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

World's First Tissued Engineered Urethras Deemed A Success


First bladders, now urethras. A research team form the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine built engineered urethras (urinary tubes) for five boys using their own cells. After six years , all five boys are doing well and functioning normally. The alternative would have been an artificial graft with a 50% chance of failure or a lifetime of urinary tract infections and incontinence issues.
Dr. Anthony Atala remarked " This is an example of how the strategies of tissue engineering can be applied to multiple tissues and organs."

TED Touts Printing a Human Kidney

In the last ten years, the number of patients needing organ donations has more than doubled, yet the number of organ transplants has not proportionately increased. Every day patients die waiting for an organ donation. Dr. Anthony Atala asks the question,"Can we grow the organs instead of transplanting them?"

See a 3D printer output a human kidney. Meet Luke, a patient with an engineered bladder, healthy and well, ten years later. http://www.ted.com/talks/anthony_atala_printing_a_human_kidney.html

Friday, March 4, 2011

Ocular Systems' Cornea Breakthrough


Ocular Systems, Inc. has received FDA clearance to market EndoSerter, a device for inserting replacement cells into the eye during a corneal transplant. The device, invented in Winston-Salem and manufactured in the Piedmont Triad Research Park, is used for a type of corneal transplant known as endothelial keratoplasty. The device inserts cells into the eye, protecting corneal tissue from damage. It is among other developments that will help OSI move closer to commercializing an endothelial cell product for cornea transplantation using technology developed by the Wake Forest University Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Read more.

Cook Endoscopy: Needle will ease GI cancer tests


A new kind of needle that can take tissue samples large enough to biopsy from hard-to-reach spots in the gastrointestinal tract could reduce the need for high-cost invasive surgeries, according to officials with Cook Medical.

Cook’s EchoTip ProCore needle was designed and is being manufactured at the Indiana-based company’s Endoscopy business unit headquartered in Winston-Salem. Cook’s campus on Bethania Station Road has about 550 employees in manufacturing, research and development and other roles. Read more.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

2011 Technology and Innovation Series


Maximize Innovation in Your Organization. How do you create a culture of innovation? How do you instill creativity at all levels? Whether your business is large or small, traditional or technology-based, you can learn to rethink your business model and develop new products and processes through innovation. Hear from a panel of experts who are transforming Winston-Salem’s economy and have improved their company’s bottom line through innovation and creativity. Find out what you can do to implement change in your own organization.

March 10; program: 8:30-9:30am; networking and refreshments: 9:30-10:30am; Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, 251 N. Spruce St., Winston-Salem. Free. Learn more and register.

Moderated by Dr. Michael Lord, co-author of Innovation That Fits: Choosing the Right Innovation Strategy for Your Business; regular columnist and commentator on innovation; Associate Professor, Strategy & Entrepreneurship, Wake Forest University.

Panelists:
Dr. Greg Gatto -- Sr. Director of Preclinical Pharmacology, Targacept
Matthew Gymer -- Director of Innovation, Novant Health
Micah Ray – Innovation Champion, Liberty Hardware
Kurt Weber -- Vice President, Ocular Systems, Inc.

Sponsored by: Cook Medical, BioNetwork, DataChambers, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

Targacept Announces Termination of Strategic Alliance Agreement with GSK


Targacept announced the termination of its strategic alliance agreement with GlaxoSmithKline, effective in May 2011. Following termination of the agreement, Targacept will have full rights to its programs subject to the alliance, including compounds discovered or advanced as part of the alliance. The two companies entered into an agreement in 2007 with the goal to discover, develop and market novel therapeutics that selectively target specified neuronal nicotinic receptors in five therapeutic focus areas--pain, smoking cessation, addiction, obesity and Parkinson's disease. Read more.

Targacept CEO & President to speak at SciTech Lecture, March 17th, 2011.

Forsyth Tech Community College and the National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce present in celebration of Forsyth Tech's 50th Anniversary, the SciTech Lecture Series.

Dr. Don deBethizy CEO & President of Targacept will speak on "The Targacept Story: From the Bench to the Clinic". 4PM March 17th, 2011 in the Ardmore Auditorium, Forsyth Tech Main Campus - 2100 Silas Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem, NC.
This lecture is FREE and open to the public.

Hear scientists, researchers and industry thought leaders explore how science and technology are combining to change our world.

For further information please contact Mona Cofer or call her at 336.734.7205.