January, 2023 | Monthly Newsletter
Good morning everyone.?January, from the Latin?Ianuarius—written fully as?Mensis Ianuarius?(or?Januarius), is the month of Janus, an ancient, two-faced god of beginnings, time, duality, and—to be a little on the nose (those cheeky romans)—doorways, gates, passages, and other things you can walk your caligae-clad feet through.
Unlike the immortal Janus, January is coming to an end. And in the 31 days of 2023 we’ve had so far, we've seen a mixture of progression and regression—steps made both forwards and backward through the doorway, gate, and passage.
?There has been significant progress in cancer treatment lately: a?gel loaded with CAR-T cells?was able to kill off residual cancer cells left over from surgery, researchers found?a way to halt liver cancer growth, and a?three drug combination?led to an extraordinary response in pancreatic cancer models.
?Furthermore, ChatGPT took the?healthcare?and?the life sciences?by storm, jobs across numerous industries (including biotech)?continued to be slashed, and the beginning of the end for COVID-19's designation as a public health emergency was signaled by the WHO in a?recent announcement.
?Enough said. This edition of our newsletter covers several topics, ranging from small business grants to restriction enzymes to BARDA funding. Here's the table of contents:
We'll be back in your inbox at the end of next month with February's lot of science- and business-related content. Thanks for tuning in.
Blog Posts & Resources
Grants for small businesses can often be a better option than a loan, as grants do not require repayment of any kind. The caveat? Your goals need to align with the goals of the organization or awarding agency you’re seeking a grant from.
Many grants are dedicated to supporting non-profit work or specific research initiatives. However, small business grants are dedicated to helping owners and founders achieve specific business goals or projects that align with a funding agency’s mission or a particular initiative.?Continue reading.
ELISA?is a plate-based biochemical assay used in labs to detect and quantify substances in a complex mixture, such as serum or blood samples.
It involves enzyme-linked antibodies that?help in the detection of soluble molecules, such as hormones, proteins, peptides, and other antibodies. The assay is also known as enzyme immunoassay (EIA).?Continue reading.
In order to start writing a grant research proposal, you need to know exactly what type of research will be conducted and why that research is important. This will help narrow down funding opportunities and help you identify which programs you should be applying to. You do not want to waste time writing a proposal for a grant that ultimately does not align with the research highlighted.
Once you’ve narrowed down the solicitations your research applies to, and your writing is complete, there should be ample time remaining to review the proposal multiple times.?Continue reading.
Many grants are designated to government agencies and nonprofits, and are not meant to help start or expand a business. However, there are a number of grants available to for-profit small businesses and startups engaged in or looking to engage in scientific research that helps meet federal research and development objectives, including Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants.
While they are not meant to help start or expand a business, they can help businesses complete specific goals and projects.?Continue reading.
When we think of grant funding, many of us think of opportunities for nonprofits. However, there are a number of grant programs for-profit small businesses and startups can apply to.
These include the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, referred to collectively as the Small Business Programs, or America’s Seed Fund. The programs are used to support early-stage business throughout the US conducting various scientific research with the potential for commercialization.?Continue reading.
Restriction enzymes?are a type of nuclease enzyme that recognizes a specific DNA sequence/recognition site and cleaves at or near that specific site. The site recognized by the enzyme is generally 4-8 base pairs long.
The?enzymes were first discovered?by a scientist named Werner Arber when he was studying host-controlled restriction of bacteriophages. He proposed that Escherichia coli or E. coli (and other bacterial cells) could defend themselves against foreign DNA using a genetic defense mechanism catalyzed by enzymes.?Continue reading.
DNA markers, also known as genetic markers or molecular markers, are short DNA sequences with a known location on chromosomes —?a structure made of DNA and proteins. The marker is extensively used in labs as an identification tool for experiments like genetic mapping, DNA fingerprinting, genotyping, and genetic analysis.
In the genomes of organisms,?DNA markers are most commonly found in regions that do not encode proteins. That’s why they are considered neutral elements of the genome.?Continue reading.
Western blotting is a technique?used in labs to separate and identify specific proteins in tissue, blood samples, or other cell lysates. It’s also known as immunoblotting.
It involves transferring proteins, separated on a gel through SDS-PAGE (sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis), to the surface of immunoblots (PVDF membranes or nitrocellulose membranes).?Continue reading.
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Its mission is to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies, protecting the public against pandemic influenza (the flu), emerging infectious diseases (EID), and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear accidents and threats.
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In addition to preparation and response, it?provides direct funding in the form of non-dilutive funding, technical support, FDA approval support, and more to support the advancement of MCMs and next-generation technology. To date, the agency has established over 500 public-private partnerships.?Continue reading.