Compiled by Bill Beggs Jr.
For inclusion in tech talk: please e-mail your tech information as a press release to: meg@sggdesign.com
The monthly technology column featuring timely tech trends, tips and updates.
Science Center Unveils $1.1 Million
Life Science Lab
Saint Louis Science Center has launched a new experiential learning environment with its Life Science Lab, where visitors can explore, observe and discover life science concepts and skills. A federal grant substantially funded the lab, which is free to the public.
Visitors 5th grade and above may don lab coats, safety gear and work at their own pace with the tools of real scientists. Activities include isolating DNA from wheat germ and solving a “crime” using chromatography. In the lab’s classroom, all ages, families, school groups and educators will experience staff-led learning opportunities.
Wash U Scientists Sequence Genome of Cancer Patient
Researchers at the Genome Sequencing Center and the Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University School of Medicine have decoded the DNA of a cancer patient, tracing her disease to its genetic roots. Researchers sequenced the genome of the patient and of her leukemia cells to identify genetic changes unique to her cancer.
The work sets the stage for using a more comprehensive, genome-wide approach to unravel the genetic basis of cancer, say researchers, who discovered just 10 genetic mutations in the patient’s tumor DNA that appeared to be relevant. Eight of the mutations were rare and occurred in genes never before linked to this type of leukemia. Virtually every cell in the tumor sample had nine of the mutations, all of which researchers suspect were linked to the patient’s cancer.
InnovateVMS St. Louis Receives $102,000 Foundation Grant
InnovateVMS, the Venture Mentoring Service of Innovate St. Louis, has been awarded a $102,000 grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which promotes entrepreneurship. The grant will fund the development of program enhancements to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology mentoring model that InnovateVMS employs.
Collaborating with six area universities, InnovateVMS provides entrepreneurship education and support at no cost to start-up ventures through team-based mentoring by entrepreneurs, educators and businesspeople. Founded in 2007, InnovateVMS is now working with 45 start-ups. Meanwhile, the pool of mentors has grown from 18 to 65.
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