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THE IPHONE MICROSCOPE? This brilliant invention cobbled together readily available items to make a cheap field microscope for work in developing countries for diagnostics of intestinal parasites. Talk about unintended consequences! Beautiful. Simple. Applied. http://lnkd.in/D5esYp View in LinkedIn

A LOVELY POSTING about the value of leading an interaction with a gift, an offer to help, rather than leading with a request or a need. Enter with generosity and leave with a smile. This is a truly insightful piece of advice to all of us. http://lnkd.in/6dBK-x View in LinkedIn

BIOSPRING BARCELONA highlighted the fast-emerging role of Voluntary Health Organizations playing a very significant part in bridging the 'Valley Of Death' (dearth of seed funding) to the annual tune of 500 M USD. These patient and passion-driven nonprofit organizations are fast becoming sophisticated investors (philanthropy investors) and playing a strategic role in getting science turned into medicines. Even the oldest and stodgiest of them are now turning to these types of investments, bringing patients and deep disease expertise to the table. New VCs with a mission and compassion. View in LinkedIn

BIOSPRING BARCELONA has a remarkable energy. Despite The Crisis, there is optimism and a definite buzz. Figures (more to report later) all trend upwards for biopharma financing, after the last five years of misery. The old VC dominated financing landscape is facing radical changes with new models and vehicles. The number of new Bioclusters is increasing from Finland to Wales. Governments are responding under pain to develop new initiatives. Very exciting landscape. A big change from even two years ago. View in LinkedIn

SPIDER SILK HAS BEEN A BIOMATERIAL HOLY GRAIL for decades, with DuPont and the US Army leading the charge and at least one major con artist being involved. If this report is correct, it might be an important milestone in getting this extraordinary material scalable. That said, it is a giant gene, and may have other factors involved in its production. Vamos a ver. http://www.b3cnewswire.com/20130311860/amsilk-develops-worlds-first-man-made-scalable-spider-silk-fiber.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=linkedin View in LinkedIn

AN IMMENSELY WELL DESERVED AWARD FOR BERNARD SIEGEL. Congratulations! http://www.worldstemcellsummit.com/print/1266 View in LinkedIn

NICE READ ON ESTIMATING IND COSTS. http://www.pharmadirections.com/_blog/PDI_Blog/post/How_Much_is_Your_IND_Going_to_Cost/ View in LinkedIn

HeLa CELLS ARE QUITE ABERRANT, yet have been an industry Gold Standard for decades. The recent sequencing study has shown numerous genetic abnormalities for this reference cell line. What is the answer to Life, The Universe, and Everything? Eventual answer after giant computer considers the question: 42. Oops, wrong question (Hitchhiker's Guide). Reminiscent? http://lnkd.in/7e85mq View in LinkedIn

GENE THERAPY'S FIRST EVER REGULATORY APPROVAL may be a door-opener for investment in this sector. For about 20+ years, proponents have hammered out solutions to delivery problems (accidentally creating DNA vaccines) and making slow but solid progress. Now it appears they are preparing for prime-time. http://lnkd.in/FCHZgc View in LinkedIn

ALZHEIMER'S TRIALS HAVE BEEN A GRAVEYARD OF FAILURES, because the patient pool is either too heterogeneous, or too far gone to rescue, or both, in later stage disease. It appeared self-evident that moving earlier into Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) could at least deal with the far-gone issue. At last FDA has acknowledged the seriousness of the trial problem, and devised more realistic goals for trials. Shame it has taken so long. http://lnkd.in/WEnYkf View in LinkedIn