Michael Kinch

Excited to announce the 2025 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Protein Engineering, this second GRC on Protein Engineering will be held at Bryant University in Smithfield, RI from July 27th to August 1st 2025 https://lnkd.in/g-763SeF. please come join us if you would be interested in this exciting field. Different fields have experienced a transformative expansion in research distinction and capabilities. There now exists a strategic opportunity for protein engineering to take the lead and spearhead the integration of this joint effort, reflected by The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024. We believe that this GRC conference will create a gateway for the next generation of engineers and researchers, and will be a vehicle toward future development in the midst of an amazing convergence of multiple cutting-edge areas in protein engineering and its applications. Confirmed speakers include the Nobel Laureate Prof. Frances Arnold and distinctive scientists showing below: 1.            Fundamental Principles of Protein Engineering Possu Huang (Stanford University)/Frances Arnold (CalTech, Nobel Laureate)/Huimin Zhao (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) 2.    Biosensors and Imaging Jennifer Prescher (UC Irvine)/Jin zhang (UC San Diego)/Robert Campbell (Tokyo University)/Nathan Shaner (UC San Diego) 3.    Rational Design of New-to Nature Proteins Jiri Damborsky (FNUSA-ICRC & Masaryk University, Czech Republic)/Joelle Pelletier (University of Montreal)/Sílvia Osuna (University of Girona & ICREA, Spain)/Koga Nobuyasu (Osaka Univ, Japan) 4.    AI for Protein engineering Zhongyue John Yang (Vanderbilt University)/ Jennifer Listgarten (UC Berkeley)/Doug Barrick (Johns Hopkins University) 5.    Biocatalysis and Industrial applications Carlos Martinez (Pfzer)/ Stephanie Galanie (Merck)/Zhi Li (National University of Singapore, Singapore)/Brent Dorr (Ginkgo Bioworks) 6.    Protein Engineering for Synthetic Biology Pimchai Chaiyen (Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC), Thailand)/Weixin Tang (University of Chicago)/Jay Keasling (University of California, Berkeley) 7.    Directed Evolution for Enzyme Optimization Yang Yang (University of California Santa Barbara)/Leilei Zhu (Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China)/Miguel Alcalde (Institute of Catalysis, CSIC, Spain)/Chang Liu (University of California, Irvine) 8.    Protein engineering for Immunotherapy and other diseases Anna Wu (Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope)/Xue Gao (University of Pennsylvania)/Bingfei Yu (University of Southern California)/Wilson Wong (Boston University) 9.    Repurposing Protein for Novel Chemistry and Applications Stefan Lutz (Codexis Inc)/Xiongyi Huang (Johns Hopkins University)/Xiaojing Gao (Stanford University)

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ISBER 2024 Best Paper Award Webinar: Quality Measures of Stored Breast Cancer TMAs ISBER is pleased to feature the winner of the 2024 Best Paper Award in Biopreservation and Biobanking through this webinar. This award recognizes a most impactful paper that was published in Biopreservation and Biobanking each year. Selection of the Best Paper Award is based on qualities including both originality/novelty of the research and its potential applications in biopreservation and biobanking fields, ranging from biobanking governance, operation, management, cryobiology, cryopreservation, cold chain, ethical/legal/social issues, to biospecimen science and quality control. At the end of this presentation, the learner will be able to: 1. Understand the impact of poor storage of TMAs 2. Understand that water is a primary driver of TMA degradation 3. Failure to appreciate the risk of degradation can result in errors in evaluation of biomarkers 4. Some biomarkers are more subject to degradation than others When: Wednesday, August 7th       9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Pacific Discover the paper being featured in this webinar! Quality Assessment of Proteins and RNA Following Storage in Archival Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Human Breast Cancer Tissue Microarray Sections Kyungeun Kim, Kris Ylaya, Candice Perry, Mi-Yeon Lee, Jeong Won Kim, Joon-Yong Chung, and Stephen M. Hewitt https://lnkd.in/ea279MeZ

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PTC was excited to learn, share and collaborate with other leading RNA experts at the recent 7th Annual RNA-Targeted Drug Discovery & Development Summit in Boston, MA, and the RNA at the Bench and Bedside IV conference in La Jolla, CA. Anu Bhattacharyya, Kerstin Effenberger, and Marla Weetall from our research team presented on ways PTC is leveraging its leading splicing platform to identify promising therapies for rare diseases with high unmet need. Learn more about our splicing platform here: https://bit.ly/4fi4w6L

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In our latest review published on Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM) | Rockefeller University Press, we explore the evolution of preclinical tumor models focusing on gliomas — among the most challenging and complex tumors. We dive into the history of these models, evaluate their strengths and limitations, and outline an exciting vision for the next generation of models in the current Resolution Revolution era. My deepest gratitude for the visionary guidance of my mentor Howard Fine and the incredible journey we’ve undertaken together. https://lnkd.in/dg5sZUq3

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Excited to share a new publication in the Journal of Molecular Therapy which highlights the eShunt®️ Platform as a CNS gene therapy delivery method. Thanks to the teams at UMass Chan Medical School and Tufts Medical Center for your work on this study. "We're very excited about these promising preclinical results, which suggest that the eShunt System delivery approach could provide biopharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations with a minimally invasive method for delivering gene therapies directly to the cortex and brain." #bbb #CNS #drugdelivery #neurovascular #endovascular https://lnkd.in/eeKCGPm7

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Very excited to announce that in the upcoming ECI Single Use Technologies VII: Revolutionizing Manufacturing for Tomorrow’s Medicines conference, I will be chairing a session with Veronique Chotteau and Patrick Evrard. We will be chairing a session on Future Perspectives and Emerging Trends. The future perspectives and emerging trends of SUT in biologics manufacturing are poised to redefine efficiency, flexibility, and innovation in the industry. Looking ahead, advancements in materials will drive the development of novel SUT with enhanced performance, durability and biocompatibility including reduced leachable, as well as broader chemical resistance and better sustainability. - Advancements in SUT will support key challenges in the manufacturing of new modalities such as cell and gene therapy. - Novel concepts and designs as well as integration of monitoring, automation, robotics, data processing and digitalisation into SUT workflows will streamline manufacturing processes, optimize resources and enable process analytical technology (PAT) for greater process reliability and product quality.  - Integrated SUT platforms combining multiple operations will enhance productivity and reduce complexity. - Modular, customizable and scalable SUT platforms will facilitate agile development and manufacturing strategies, support seamless transition from small-scale to proof-of-concept and then commercial scale as well as ensure cost-effectiveness across different process sizes. The future of SUT in biologics manufacturing holds immense promise, driving industry-wide transformations towards more efficient, scalable, and adaptable manufacturing paradigms. We are inviting abstract submissions for the ECI Single Use Technologies VII: Revolutionizing Manufacturing for Tomorrow’s Medicines. Oral abstracts deadline: September 20th 2024 Poster abstracts deadline: December 17th 2024 Let us hear more about the advances in single-use technology that you are involved in. You can find out more about the conference here: https://lnkd.in/edHswRCU Don’t forget to sign up for the mailing list to receive the most up to date information. Andrea CME Rayat Nelly Montenay Alex DiBenedetto

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🎤 uBriGene Presents Exclusive Sessions at SAPA 2024 @Philly CGT Annual Conference 🎤 🚀 We're thrilled to announce our participation at 2024 @Philly Cell and Gene Therapy Annual Conference with two exclusive sessions aimed at revolutionizing the field: 1️⃣ An Innovative Technology for High Yield and More Stable #CRISPR Guide RNA: Discover how our innovative approach of using in vitro transcription (IVT) in producing guide RNA (#gRNA) that can simplify the process while being more cost-effective and free of organic chemicals. Join us to delve into the future of precision gene editing. 2️⃣ How Could CDMO and Technology Innovations Make CGT Affordable: Dive into the intersection #CDMO of and technological advancements with uBriGene. Learn about our strategies to drive down costs without compromising quality or efficacy. Let's explore how cutting-edge technology can make #CellandGeneTherapy more accessible to all. 2024 @Philly Cell and Gene Therapy Annual Conference brings together the innovators and business leaders to foster collaborations and advance cell and gene therapy in the #GreaterPhiladelphia area. 💡 Join #uBriGene to be at the forefront of innovation and collaboration in the dynamic world of cell and gene therapy and let's make cutting-edge cell and gene technology more accessible!

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Our upcoming "office hours" session on August 20th is a great, informal way to have your questions on DILIsym and RENAsym (liver and kidney safety prediction platforms) addressed! Please join us by registering and submitting insightful questions! #SimulationsPlus #DILIsym #QSP

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Tissue-resident #NKcells do their own (G)landscaping | Jake Myers & friends "slaver over" Major New Study from Sonia Tugues Solsona & Co. with Breaking Insights* at Rockefeller University Press #JExpMed | #TGFβ | #IL15 | #ILC1 | In the latest issue of JEM, Colin Sparano, Darío Solís-Sayago et al** present compelling evidence that salivary gland trNK cells originate from cNK cells and are developmentally distinct from ILC1 cells. Mechanistically, they demonstrate that continuous autocrine TGF-β signaling drives salivary gland tissue residency and works in synergy with IL-15 to enhance Hobit-dependent cytotoxicity. *https://lnkd.in/eXYTdwjs **https://lnkd.in/e4iXZ4UJ Celentyx Ltd Professor Nicholas Barnes PhD, FBPhS Omar Qureshi Catherine Brady FIGURE | Autocrine TGF-β signaling is required for the transition of conventional NK (cNK) cells to tissue-resident NK (trNK) cells in the salivary glands. IL-15 then synergizes with TGF-β to drive NK cells toward Hobit-dependent cytotoxicity | Courtesy of Jake Myers, Shanelle Reilly, PhD & Laurent Brossay |

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Capstan Therapeutics Preclinical Data on In Vivo CAR-T -engineering of CD8+ CAR T cells, profound B cell depletion in blood & tissues, repopulation w predominantly naïve B cells in NHP's -without need for lymphodepleting chemotherapy -plans to clinic mid 2025

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Add more quantifiable data revvvvvv your AI engine!!!! Not just binding and sequences… add color to your data to tremendously increase your algo’s prediction power! Only on the #Beacon #optofluidic platform

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"The 12-month results from the PARADIGM Phase IIb study are encouraging, showing slowing disease progression and improved survival outcomes. This new analysis highlights PrimeC's ability to regulate the iron panel in people living with ALS, underscoring the drug's target engagement. These findings strongly support the proceeding to phase 3 testing of PrimeC in ALS." #NeuroSenseTherapeutics #ALSTreatment #ClinicalTrial #BiomarkerData #HealthcareInnovation #ProudMoment NeuroSense Therapeutics https://lnkd.in/dzVT6QWJ

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Can Polaris become the guiding star in this drug development #rAIvolution? A recent correspondence in Nature Portfolio's Nature Machine Intelligence, led by Cas Wognum of Valence Labs and Recursion, calls for "an industry-led initiative to critically assess machine learning for real-world drug discovery." This collaborative effort is both timely and crucial for our industry's future. Here's a free copy of the paper: https://lnkd.in/eNkQGqUR The authors, representing a consortium of ten leading biotech and pharmaceutical companies, argue that despite exciting innovations, we lack standardized benchmarks and evaluation methods tailored to drug discovery's unique challenges. This gap is delaying ML adoption and potentially misleading us about real-world impact. The fact that competitors are joining forces underscores the importance of this initiative. These include: Johnson & Johnson, Bayer, Novartis, Blueprint Medicines, Merck, Nimbus Therapeutics, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Relay Therapeutics. Why does this matter? The challenges we face in implementing ML for drug discovery are multifaceted: • Inconsistent datasets hinder progress • High-stakes decisions require reliable methods • Current benchmarks may not reflect real-world conditions • Interdisciplinary expertise is crucial but often siloed The proposed solution is an open-science, cross-industry initiative focusing on curating representative benchmark datasets, developing rigorous evaluation guidelines, and creating open-source tools to implement best practices. We have a responsibility to bridge the gap between perceived progress and actual impact. This Polaris - Benchmarks for methods that matter effort could become our guiding star in the vast sea of data and methodologies. By pooling our expertise and resources, we can establish a fixed point of reference to guide ML innovation in our field. The question now is: how can we all contribute to this initiative? What unique insights could each of us bring to the table? Our collective expertise can chart a more accurate course for innovation, potentially revolutionizing how we approach drug development and ultimately benefiting patients worldwide. Let's start a conversation about shaping the future of ML in drug discovery. #MachineLearning #DrugDevelopment #Innovation #Biotech #Collaboration Illustration EMxMJ

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I am looking forward to serving on a panel at the BISNOW International Life Sciences & Biotech Conference. The panel will discuss: IDENTIFYING FUTURE BIOTECH INDUSTRY TRENDS: AI, TECH, SUSTAINABILITY Future-Proofing Life Sciences Assets Rutgers life sciences research portfolio is the fastest growing part of our research enterprise. Rutgers University Rutgers Research Rutgers Innovation

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New podcast episode 👇 Get your headphones ready for another great biotech conversation!

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Revolutionizing siRNA Therapeutics: The Power of Extended Nucleic Acid Backbones Recently, the team of Dr. Ken Yamada and Dr. Anastasia Khvorova from the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School has made breakthrough progress in the field of oligonucleotide therapy. Their research, which significantly improved the stability and efficacy of oligonucleotide therapy in mice, which was published in Nature Biotechnology. Importantly, their study could expand the use of oligonucleotide drugs, including small interfering RNA (siRNA), beyond the liver. Oligonucleotide drugs modulate disease-causing genes, and six siRNAs are currently FDA-approved for liver-targeted therapies, including patisiran (Onpattro) for the treatment of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis. Traditionally, modifications to improve the stability of oligonucleotide therapeutics have focused on phosphorothioate or sugar molecules. But Yamada and Khvorova's team introduced an extra carbon atom into the nucleoside backbone to form an extended nucleic acid (exNA), which effectively avoids nuclease degradation and lasts 32 times longer than previous modifications. This breakthrough advancement is expected to enable broader therapeutic applications of oligonucleotides. The team's next steps include clinical trials to test exNA's safety and longevity. This breakthrough could revolutionize oligonucleotide therapy and improve the effectiveness of treatments for a variety of diseases. References [1] Ken Yamada et al., Nature Biotechnology 2024 (https://lnkd.in/eeHziinB) #OligonucleotideTherapeutics #siRNA #GeneTherapy #Biotechnology #MedicalInnovation #NatureBiotechnology #TherapeuticStability #exNA

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At PROTEINA, our recent publication on bioRxiv demonstrates the groundbreaking capabilities of the Single molecule Protein Interaction Detection (SPID) platform in advancing antibody development with finely-tuned affinities. I’d like to highlight two groundbreaking aspects from this study that are particularly significant: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐃𝐑𝐬: Our targeted edits within the Complementarity Determining Regions (CDRs) of antibodies have led to the discovery of affinity-enhancing mutations. These modifications have successfully produced sub-nanomolar affinity candidates, setting a new benchmark for antibody affinity maturation. 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: The ability of PROTEINA’s SPID platform to rapidly characterize over 3,000 antibodies weekly is revolutionizing our understanding of antibody-antigen interactions. This capability is crucial for accelerating the development of tailored therapeutic interventions.   Almost forgot to mention this! Keep an eye on the future contributions of PROTEINA’s Jihye Jo well!

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The breakthrough research by Penn Medicine, the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, and Precision Neuroscience, showcased at the 2024 Congress of Neurological Surgeons, reveals unprecedented insights into brain signal mapping using their Layer 7 Cortical Interface. With remarkable accuracy in decoding movement and speech, this technology offers new hope for brain-computer interface applications, potentially restoring function for individuals with paralysis or speech impairments. These advancements bring us closer to personalized neurotherapeutic solutions in precision psychiatry and neurological care. This milestone is just the beginning—one that gives hope for a future where conditions such as paralysis and neuropsychiatric disorders can be addressed with unprecedented precision, ultimately restoring autonomy and quality of life for so many. This is so exciting and can't wait to see the impact this breakthrough will have on the world of neuroscience and beyond.

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