Daily Business Report-Feb. 22, 2016
The informatics tools will be used to interpret clinical genomic data ( Genomics England)
Illumina Partners with UK Genomics Giant
San Diego-based Illumina and Genomics England are teaming up to develop a set of tools that can be used to improve and automate the interpretation of genomic data.
The informatics tools will be used to interpret clinical genomic data, support medical decision making and curate data in the 100,000 Genomes Project.
The project will sequence 100,000 genomes from around 70,000 people. Participants are National Health Service (the UK’s publicly funded health care system) patients with a rare disease, plus their families, and patients with cancer.
The aim is to create a new genomic medicine service for the NHS –transforming the way people are cared for. Patients may be offered a diagnosis where there wasn’t one before. In time, there is the potential of new and more effective treatments.
The project will also enable new medical research. Combining genomic sequence data with medical records is a ground-breaking resource. Researchers will study how best to use genomics in health care and how best to interpret the data to help patients. The causes, diagnosis and treatment of disease will also be investigated.
The project also aims to kick-start a UK genomics industry. This is currently the largest national sequencing project of its kind in the world.
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Scripps Researchers use Hurricane
Hunters to Probe Atmospheric Rivers
Climate scientist Marty Ralph, director of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, is developing a new method for improving forecasts of atmospheric rivers — channels of moisture in the atmosphere that are crucial to California’s water supply — using U.S Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft. Reconnaissance flights have begun.
Click here for a Washington Post feature.
The Salk Institute to Open its Doors
For 4th Annual Explore Salk Open House
The Salk Institute will open its doors to the public on Saturday, April 16, for the fourth annual Explore Salk, the institute’s once-a-year community open house. In addition to guided lab tours and science booths, this year’s event features a talk by Salk’s new president, Nobel laureate Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn, titled “Don’t Cell Yourself Short.”
Family-friendly activities include a Kids’ Discovery Zone, a mobile science lab with hands-on experiments and a virtual lab tour with a Q&A session for preteens interested in pursuing a career in science. In addition to a general lab tour, there is a small group, hands-on lab tour. There is a $25 materials fee per person and preregistration is required. Participants for lab tours must be 16 years of age or older.
In addition to Blackburn’s talk, distinguished Salk researcher Dr. Satchidananda Panda will give a talk titled “Healthy Life Around the Clock: One Click at a Time.” In his research, Panda explores the genes, molecules and cells that keep the body on the same circadian clock. The day’s events also include two screenings of Robert Redford’s short film “Cathedrals of Culture,” which features the architecture of the Salk Institute. The film is one of six short films about the soul of buildings.
Explore Salk begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. Admission is free, but online preregistration is required for the lab tours. For complete details about the day’s schedule, visit www.salk.edu/exploresalk or call (858) 597-0657.
WEST Naval Conference
Draws 150,000-Plus to San Diego
By Ellen Hilkowski, Navy Public Affairs
More than 150,000 professionals in the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard gathered in the San Diego Convention Center last week for the West Coast’s premier naval conference and exposition — WEST.
For 26 years, WEST has brought together military and industry leaders to network and discuss the problem solving techniques of innovative technologies and how they can improve security.
WEST kicked off with an appearance from retired Adm. James Stavridis, former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, who spoke at length about the need to improve security in an ever-changing world.
“The 20th century was about building security through building walls and that will not work in the 21st century,” said Stavridis. “In this world we need to build connections and think about how to move around walls.”
Centered on the theme “How Do We Make the Strategy Work?”, this year’s exposition was co-sponsored by the Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association and the U.S. Naval Institute.
The conference featured a town-hall discussion between the Pacific Command and Pacific Fleet commanders, the Systems Command commanders and all three local three-star commanders and leaders from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
“One thing I am taking from this is the importance of cyber defense,” said Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Dasheon Pennington, Navy Information Operations Command, San Diego. “A couple of years ago people didn’t pay it any mind but now it’s one of the most important aspects of warfighting.”
WEST provides engagement theaters where military, government and industry professionals can have in-depth discussions about specific issues and topics. These engagements allow senior military leaders to hear honest feedback directly from sea service warfighters.
Information Systems Technician 1st Class Gregory Northam, assigned to Commander, Submarine Development Squadron 5, said that things in the information world are always changing and good communication is essential to completing the mission.
Cookies on Tap Pairs Girl Scout
Treats with San Diego Craft Brewers
Craft beer will be the beverage of choice for dunking during “Cookies on Tap,” a unique beer and cookie fest for adults.
Mike Hess Brewing and Stone Brewing will partner with Girl Scouts San Diego during National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend (Friday-Sunday, Feb. 26-28).
Held at Mike Hess Brewing tasting rooms in North Park, Miramar and Ocean Beach, and Stone Company Store, Oceanside, and Stone Company Store on Kettner, Cookies on Tap will raise funds and awareness for Girl Scout leadership programs and the financial assistance.
Girl Scouts San Diego will receive a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each cookie pairing flight, priced at $15 for five 5.5 oz. beers and five corresponding cookies.
Mike Hess Brewing will serve Thin Mints with Umbrix Rye Imperial Stout, shortbread Trefoils with Coffee Grazias Vienna Cream Ale, lemon Savannah Smiles with My Other Vice Berliner Weiss, coconut and chocolate Samoas with Grapefruit Solis IPA, and peanut butter Do-si-dos with Brunus Robust Porter. Craft beer aficionados can receive an embroidered Cookies on Tap patch by visiting all three Hess locations during National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend.
Stone Brewing’s pairings will include oatmeal Rah-Rah Raisins with Cali-Belgique IPA, peanut butter and chocolate Tagalongs with Smoked Porter, Savannah Smiles with Ruination Double IPA 2.0 with Orange Peel & Vanilla, Samoas with Pataskala Red X IPA and Thin Mints with Americano Stout.
Cookies on Tap proceeds will also support Operation Thin Mint, a local Girl Scout program that sends “a taste of home and a note to show we care” to deployed military troops.
San Diego in Midst of Hotel Building Boom
From Oceanside to Chula Vista, more than 2,000 hotel rooms are under construction, and at least 7,400 more are in the pipeline, awaiting development approvals and construction permits. San Diego Union-Tribune
Gonzalez Wants Training for Alcohol
Servers in Bars and Restaurants
City News Service
Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego), Friday called for passage of legislation to require “responsible-beverage-service training” for restaurant and bar workers who serve alcoholic drinks.
Gonzalez discussed Assembly Bill 2121 — which she authored — at a news conference at UC San Diego, nine months after two UCSD medical students died and three others were seriously injured in a crash allegedly caused by a drunken driver.
“This is a tragedy that hit close to home for us in San Diego, and I’m honored to work with this strong community to do what we can to prevent this from happening again,” said Gonzalez. “AB 2121 is a simple way for all of us to work better together to keep our streets and communities safe.”
According to Gonzalez, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has a free and voluntary program that focuses on prevention and education for retail licensees, their employees and applicants. AB 2121 would make ABC- administered responsible beverage training mandatory statewide for anyone serving alcoholic beverages.
SeaWorld Taps San Diego President
To Oversee All of its Theme Parks
Times of San Diego
SeaWorld San Diego President John Reilly is being promoted to oversee all Seaworld Entertainment theme parks, the company announced Friday.
Reilly will be succeeded in San Diego on April 1 by Marilyn Hannes, now the firm’s vice president of global sales.
“These leaders bring to their new roles an extraordinary depth of knowledge and talent and the right expertise to deliver on our strategic priorities,” said Joel Manby, president and CEO of SeaWorld Entertainment. “John is a strong and experienced operator who has proven his leadership, both at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and amidst a challenging operating environment at our California location.”
SeaWorld San Diego has been buffeted by near-constant protests by animal rights organizations over the use of orcas in its shows. Park attendance has been down since the release of the documentary “Blackfish,” which purports to show alleged mistreatment of killer whales. Allegations made in the “Blackfish” are inaccurate, according to park officials.
Additionally, the California Coastal Commission approved an expansion of the park’s orca tanks only with the condition that SeaWorld stop its captive breeding program. SeaWorld is suing to overturn the ruling, contending the commission overstepped its authority.
Reilly, who is currently serving as chairman of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, has led SeaWorld San Diego since 2010. Hannes has been with SeaWorld since 1997, serving in a variety of roles, including as vice president of marketing and sales for the company’s California parks.
— City News Service contributed to this article.
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If at First You Don’t Succeed, Fail, Fail Again
Dawn Wells, actress and author, will be talking about the importance of polished values and always doing the right thing. Dawn played Mary Ann in “Gilligan’s Island” and she has written a book on life and making the right choices.
Each chapter of her book is focused on one of the characters in Gilligan’s Island and how Mary Ann would manage the relationship with them. She talks about managing relationships, both personal and professional, managing your money, values, success and your own personal growth.
Join Wells on Monday, March 14, opening day of San Diego Women’s Week at the California Center for the Arts Escondido.
