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BIO CEO Rachel King joined Maryland Gov. Wes Moore at the University of Maryland BioPark yesterday, where Maryland’s innovative bioeconomy was on full display. Meanwhile, good news and bad news on bird flu highlights the need for biotech solutions to address human and animal health. (479 words, 2 minutes, 23 seconds) |
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BIO joins Maryland Governor Wes Moore for fireside chat, tour of UM BioPark |
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BIO CEO Rachel King met with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, who toured the University of Maryland BioPark, met biotech leaders, and discussed why Maryland is a model for states looking to grow their bioeconomies.
Why Maryland matters: Maryland is the #3 biopharma cluster in the nation and #2 in life sciences, said Gov. Moore. The state has 3,104 bioscience industry establishments employing 49,945 workers, according to a BIO report published in June.
Expanding the BioPark: Gov. Moore toured the University of Maryland BioPark, where he saw firsthand how funding from Maryland’s Innovation Economy Infrastructure Act of 2023 could support projects like BioPark's new building which has a wet lab, lab space for startups, and office and convention space.
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Image: Gov. Wes Moore at the University of Maryland BioPark
What they’re saying: “When it comes to biopharma, when it comes to biotech, when it comes to life sciences, these are elements and areas that we have a specific competitive advantage in—if we choose to invest deliberately,” said Gov. Moore.
What Maryland’s doing: King—who spent much of her biotech career in Maryland—noted the state’s innovative infrastructure bill, focus on STEM education, Rare Disease Advisory Council, and a recently passed bill requiring coverage for biomarker testing.
Maryland empowers innovators across many fields with the Build Our Future grant program, to support innovation infrastructure projects, and the Maryland Economic Council, to drive investments in new tech.
Watch highlights:
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As new bird flu outbreak hits, CRISPR solution shows promise |
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Yesterday brought good news and bad news about bird flu.
The good news: Scientists announced they used CRISPR gene editing to grow chickens resistant to bird flu, indicating the possibility of breeding birds with complete immunity to the virus.
The bad news: Bird flu was reported reappearing in U.S. commercial flocks for the first time since April, hitting one farm in South Dakota and another in Utah.
Why it matters: Last year’s global outbreak of bird flu, which requires culling of entire flocks, meant farmers lost 58.8 million birds across 47 states, said the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA). Scattered cases in humans raise concerns about a new pandemic.
Promising solution: U.K. scientists said altering a single gene prevented infection in 9 of 10 chickens exposed to a moderate dose of bird flu. At higher doses, more birds were infected, leading researchers to conclude breeding full immunity will involve editing multiple genes.
The scientists used CRISPR, which allows for more precise gene editing to achieve changes in plants and animals that once required generations of crossbreeding.
What they’re saying: “We’re going to get to a point where we can manipulate the host genome to make them less susceptible to flu,” bird flu expert Dr. Richard Webby told The New York Times. “That’ll be a win for public health.” |
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President Biden’s Wednesday: Announcing new actions to protect consumers from junk fees.
What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: The House of Representatives is working to elect a new Speaker. The Senate is in recess. |
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