From the Lab Bench

• UCI Study Shows How Lithium Chloride Slows Onset of Skeletal Muscle Disorder
  Results of the study appear online this month in the journal Annals of Neurology. The research by Frank LaFarla and Masashi Kitazawa (photos right) resulted in findings that lithium chloride, a drug used to treat bipolar disorder, can slow the development of inclusion body myositis (IBM), a skeletal muscle disease that affects the elderly. IBM is the most common skeletal muscle disorder among people older than 50. People with IBM experience weakness, inflammation and atrophy of muscles in their fingers, wrists, forearms and quadriceps. There is no cure for IBM, nor is there an effective treatment, according to the National Institutes of Health.... read more
• Designer Enzymes Created by Chemists at UCLA and U. of Washington
  Research by a UCLA chemistry group led by professor Kendall Houk (photo right) and a Washington group headed by biochemist David Baker, reports success creating "designer enzymes," a major milestone in computational chemistry and protein engineering. Research findings are reported in March 19 online publication of the journal Nature. Study was supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) ... read more

Industry & Company Headlines

• Weakened Amgen Loses Status as No. 2 Biotech
• Allergan CEO's Pay Was $11M for 2007
• BIOLASE Announces FDA 510(k) Clearance of Its Waterlase(R) and Waterlase(R) MD Laser Systems for Root Canal Disinfection
• Bosley and HairDX Team up with Breakthrough Genetic Testing for Male Baldness
• IDM Pharma Announces Availability of Mifamurtide (L-MTP-PE) Through Compassionate Access Study
• FDA OKs Mentor Wrinkle Injection
• Migami, Inc. Profits $1.5 Million from Peptide Sublicense
• SurgiCount Medical Appoints Steven H. Kane to Chairman of the Board
• Universal Detection Technology Receives First Purchase Order for Bioterrorism Detection Devices from China
• Marshall C. Phelps, Richard T. Gerstner and Anthony Freda, Jr. Join Viral Genetics, Inc. Business Advisory Board and Invest in Private Placement

Jobs Available

• Acro Biotech (Rancho Cucamonga):
  • Marketing Manager
  • Office Manager
• Adex Medical (Riverside):
  • ADEX Medical -- a manufacturer of protective infection control disposable products -- is now having openings for individuals with sales experience in Medical, Dental, Food, Electronic and Industrial Markets. Adex prefers electronic resumes.  E-mail resume to:  hr@adexmed.com.
• Amphastar Pharmaceuticals  (Rancho Cucamonga and El Monte):
  • Company is filling the following positions: Accounting Professionals, Clinical Research Professionals, Computer (Software & Hardware) Expert/Technician, Human Resource Professionals, In vivo Laboratory Technician, Marketing/Sales Representative, Mechanical/Electrical/Chemical Engineer, Microbiologist/Microbiology Technician, Maintenance Technician, Process Engineer, Quality Assurance Specialist, Quality Control Chemist/Technician, Regulatory Affairs Specialist, Research and Development Scientist, Technical Writer, Validation Engineer/Technician .. more info
• Asylum Research (Santa Barbara)
  • AFM Technical Sales Representatives
  • GUI Software Programmer
• Caldera Medical (Agoura Hills):
  • Sales Manager
  • Product Manager
• Dako USA (Carpinteria):
  • System Administrator
  • Software Engineer - Imaging
  • Electromechanical Engineer
• Hardy Diagnostics (Santa Maria):
  • Microbiologist
  • Quality Control Technician/Technical Support Specialist
  • Human Resources Assistant
  • Documentation Technician
  • Production Technician
• HepaHope (Irvine):
  • Chief Technology Officer
  • Director, Biotester Drug Development
• Nobbe Orthopedics (Santa Barbara):
  • Orthotic/Prosthetic Technician
  • Bilingual Office Position
• PrimeGen Biotech (Irvine):
  • Research Scientist I
• Southern California Biomedical Council (Los Angeles and Irvine):
  • Director of Corporate Membership 

Coming September 19, 2008

Apply for a Presentation Slot
Sponsorship Opportunities Available

Register Now

SoCalBio Networking Forum
March 27, 2008
4 to 7 pm
UCLA Faculty Club (Westwood, CA)

RSVP: https://www.123signup.com/register?id=ttrmq

Personalized Medicine
Are We There Yet?

Join us to learn from local companies about the prospects of personalized medicine and consumer genomics ... more info

Speakers 

• Andy Goren, CEO, HairDX (Irvine)
• Walter Narajowski, President & CEO, Pathway Diagnostics (Malibu)
• Peggy Pence, Ph.D., President & CEO, Symbion Research International (Agoura Hills)
• Robert Terbrueggen, Ph.D., President & CEO, DxTerity Diagnostics (Rancho Dominguez)

Recommended Events

March 29, 2008
3^rd Annual Biomedical Forum

Organized by SABPA, at the Hyatt Regency in Huntington Beach. Speakers will include Allergan, Boston Scientific, Thorlabs, Synergy Life Science Partners and others. Discounted registration rate for SoCalBio members. For more information, see: http://www.sabpa.org/web/ocla_biomedical_forum_2008_discount.html

Resources

• Download directory of life-science educational programs and degrees offered by colleges and universities in the six counties of the Greater Los Angeles region

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• March 18, 2008
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