At the beginning of November I wrote about the state of the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergence of the highly transmissible Delta SARS-CoV-2 variant, and the potential for the pandemic to ease and SARS-CoV-2 to become endemic. The article noted the potential for new, more dangerous variants to emerge but ended on a slightly hopeful note, [...]
The Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance recently received a $1 million grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation to expand computer science education in the state. The alliance is an Augusta nonprofit dedicated to increasing science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, education, by offering targeted professional learning opportunities. Each year, the alliance works with about 1,000 [...]
The coming year could be a watershed for Maine’s bioscience industry and research organizations like the Jackson Laboratory, says its new president and CEO. Lon Cardon, an industry veteran and longtime genetics researcher, took leadership of Bar Harbor-based JAX in November. He succeeded Dr. Edison Liu, the 2021 Mainebiz Nonprofit Business Leader of the Year, who [...]
Five startups in high-growth technology fields will soon take up residency at Northeastern University's Roux Institute in Portland or elsewhere in the state to build their ventures from scratch. Out of 57 applications submitted, five companies from four states have been selected to participate in the 2022 Founder Residency run by the Portland institute, according to an announcement on Monday. The [...]
The first annual Statewide Research Symposium on Biomedical Science and Engineering is planned for Oct. 13–14, sponsored by the University of Maine, University of New England, Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, Jackson Laboratory, Roux Institute, Northern Light Health, and MaineHealth. Read more
A South Portland-based animal-health startup specializing in cannabis-based products for pets recently launched a medicinal paste for stressed cats as it gets ready to expand internationally. The privately held company, ElleVet Sciences, was founded in 2017 by Christian Kjaer, a former senior executive at IDEXX Laboratories Inc. (Nasdaq: IDXX), and Amanda Howland, who has a background in public health. Kjaer serves as [...]
Jackson Laboratory, headquartered in Bar Harbor, was awarded over $140 million in grant funds during 2021, a 30% increase over the biomedical research institute's previous annual record of $108 million in 2020. The grants came from federal programs, foundations and other external sources to support research and education programs, according to a news release. More than 115 awards were made [...]
The Jackson Laboratory, a Maine-based nonprofit biomedical research institution with a major hub in Farmington, said that it was awarded more than $140 million in funding in 2021 that covered about 115 awards. That’s up from $115 million in research awards in 2020 and $105 million in 2019, Jackson Lab said. The awards cover a [...]
Aging is inevitable, and goes along with many changes in cells, tissues, and organs—including DNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and telomere loss. But why we age in the first place and what drives these changes is still unknown. A study published December 15 in Science Advances suggests a possible answer, linking the increased activity of genes lacking long stretches of C and [...]
Covetrus Inc. (Nasdaq: CVET), the Portland-based animal health technology and services company, is making organizational changes overseas, including moves to bolster the company's business in the U.K. and Germany. Earlier this year, Covetrus announced the hiring of András Bolcskei as the first president of the company's International business unit. Bolcskei was charged with bringing all commercial [...]
