Beech leaf disease is running wild

Beech leaf disease is ravaging East Coast beech trees—we explain what’s happening and why biotech offers a glimmer of hope. Plus, a look at how we can grow the biotech workforce with education initiatives. (518 words, 2 minutes, 35 seconds)

What to know about beech leaf disease

The relatively new beech leaf disease is ravaging beech trees up and down the East Coast. There’s no solution yet—but biotech could offer clues to stopping it.

The problem: American beech trees—the most abundant tree in the D.C. area—are under attack by beech leaf disease, reports DCist. The disease is running rampant from Pennsylvania and New Jersey to Cape Cod and Rhode Island.

Why it matters: “There’s a growing list of native trees that have been virtually eradicated from the landscape by invasive pests—the American elm, the American chestnut. Most recently, ash groves are collapsing, under attack by a beetle called the emerald ash borer. So, is the American beech next?” asks DCist.

There’s no solution yet, but “some beeches appear to be resistant—so it’s possible beeches could evade the pest,” explains DCist.

Meanwhile,researchers are using PCR tests to detect the wormlike nematode associated with infection, which could help identify the disease faster, and studying the microbiome of the disease and nematode.

Why we have hope: Biotech has developed solutions for other tree-killing diseases like gene editing the American chestnut to make it immune to blight, which could help bring back the iconic American tree from near extinction.

How do we grow the bioscience workforce?

A recent report explains how—and why it matters.

In the news: A National Science Foundation and InnovATEBIO National Biotechnology Education Center event in D.C. yesterday brought together education leaders, industry, state teams, and government experts to discuss the biotech workforce.

What is InnovATEBIO? In partnership with community colleges and institutions in 39 states, InnovATEBIO is growing the technically skilled biotech workforce through dozens of biotech-related degree and certificate programs.

Why it matters to a state: “Attracting and retaining a continuing flow of educated (Ph.D., MS, BS, AA) and technically-proficient workers is essential to a state aspiring to enhance a biosciences industry presence,” said BIO’s recent state best practices report, developed in partnership with the Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA).

Why it matters to a state’s residents: Since 2018, biotech employers grew payrolls by 11% while the private sector experienced a net job decline of 1.5%—and biotech wages are 85% higher than overall private sector wages, says the report.

What one state is doing: The Boston Life Sciences Workforce Initiative, launched by Mayor Michelle Wu at the BIO International Convention, aims to employ 1,000 Boston residents in the life sciences with funding for internships, hiring commitments, and training, including opportunities for residents without four-year degrees.

Read: The U.S. Biosciences Industry in the States: Best Practices in Innovation, Partnerships, and Job Creation

More News:

STAT News: Two type 1 diabetes patients now freed from insulin shots with cell therapy, Vertex reports
“Vertex Pharmaceuticals said Friday that, over a year after receiving the company’s stem-cell therapy, two type 1 diabetes patients no longer need to take insulin injections and saw stark reductions in a biological marker of disease.”  

President Biden’s Tuesday: Participating in campaign receptions in Chevy Chase, Maryland, today. Meanwhile, yesterday, the U.S. State Department launched a global coalition to address illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: The House and Senate are in recess through July 7.