Daily Business Report-March 25, 2016
The research was conducted at The Scripps Research Institute.
Human Cell Could Lead to HIV
Vaccine, Scripps Scientists Say
By City News Service
The Scripps Research Institute reported Thursday that its scientists have found a common type of cell in humans that can be used to provoke an immune response against HIV
The discovery could help in the development of a vaccine capable of inducing the types of antibodies needed to prevent HIV infection, according to TSRI.
The study, which included work from the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, is set to be published today in the journal Science.
TSRI said an emerging vaccine strategy involves immunizing people with a series of different engineered HIV proteins to teach the immune system to produce broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV.
Success depends on the ability of the proteins to bind and activate special cells, known as broadly neutralizing antibody “precursor” B cells, which have the potential to develop into broadly neutralizing antibody “producing” B cells.”
“We found that almost everybody has these broadly neutralizing antibody precursors, and that a precisely engineered protein can bind to these cells that have potential to develop into HIV broadly neutralizing antibody-producing cells, even in the presence of competition from other immune cells,” said William Schief, a TSRI professor and director of Vaccine Design of the IAVI Neutralizing Antibody Center.
The scientists said the immune system contains a large pool of various precursor B cells so it can respond to a wide variety of diseases. But that also means that precursor B cells able to recognize a specific feature on a virus surface are exceedingly rare, they said.
The finding is expected to provide insights into an upcoming clinical trial of a nanoparticle version of an engineered HIV vaccine protein that produced antibody responses in mice that showed some of the traits necessary to recognize and inhibit HIV, according to TSRI.
Chamber Announces Support
For Chargers Downtown Stadium
Times of San Diego
The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce threw its support Thursday behind the Chargers’ plan for a combination stadium and convention center near Petco Park.
“The San Diego Regional Chamber supports the pursuit of a viable alternative for the development of a multi-use sports complex and convention center that would continue the revitalization of Downtown,” said chamber President Jerry Sanders, a former mayor.
The chamber’s board voted in support of evaluating a plan for a non-contiguous expansion of the San Diego Convention Center and a multi-use sports complex while also maintaining support for a contiguous expansion.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported Tuesday the Chargers want San Diego voters to raise taxes on hotel stays to pay for a $1.8 billion combination stadium and convention center.
Quoting sources, the newspaper said the team will propose an increase in the tax paid by visitors from 12.5 percent to 16.5 percent to finance the project.
The plan would be presented to voters during the presidential general election in November.
The city has proposed renovating Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley with financing from a bond issue, but the Chargers have been adamant that they prefer a downtown location.
The San Diego chamber is the largest local business organization on the West Coast, representing more than 2,500 businesses.
Bridge to Success
By the SDSU News Team
Hundreds of thousands of students have crossed the Pedestrian Bridge at San Diego State University since it opened in 2003.
If you’ve experienced College Avenue on a school day, you know it’s a bustling street. The bridge was constructed to ensure a safe commute to campus for pedestrians.
This structure over College Avenue connects the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union to the East Campus Residential Community, the Office of Housing Administration and parking structures.
The bridge is approximately 230-feet long and 45-feet tall.
“My favorite thing about the Pedestrian Bridge is that it gives me such a short walk to campus and serves as an awesome place to watch the sunset when I’m walking home from class,” said Bailey Johnson, a freshman studying child and family development.
Qualcomm Inc. President to Speak
At USD Law School Commencement
Derek Aberle, president of Qualcomm Inc., will deliver the commencement address at the University of San Diego School of Law on Saturday, May 14, 9 a.m., Dean Stephen C. Ferruolo announced
Aberle was a member of the USD School of Law Class of 1996. He
joined Qualcomm in 2000 after representing the company as outside counsel for several years at the law firms of Pillsbury Madison and Sutro and Heller Ehrman.
Time Warner Rolls Out Faster
Internet Service in San Diego
Times of San Diego
Time Warner Cable began the rollout of faster Internet service — up to 300 megabits — throughout the San Diego area this week.
The cable company said customers on all of its service plans will see “significant speed increases” as part of the “TWC Maxx” launch. Most customers will experience the increase this month.
“Our customers have asked for faster Internet speeds and we’re now able to deliver them at no additional cost to all of our customers in the San Diego area,” said Deborah Picciolo, senior vice president of operations for Time Warner Cable.
She said the upgrade also enhances video service and network reliability. Some customers will need new modems, and will be contacted.
Along with the speed increase, Time Warner Cable has rolled out more than 1,100 WiFi hotspots at restaurants, cafes, salons and shopping malls in San Diego, with more hotspots to be added throughout the year.
Personnel Announcements
Nuffer, Smith Tucker Hires 3 New Staff Members
The Nuffer, Smith, Tucker agency has hired three new staffers — Amanda Whitlock as a senior account executive, Sarah Czarnecki as an account executive and Ventura Olvera as an account coordinator.
Whitlock has more than seven years of experience in public relations and marketing to her work with NST’s clients, including WD-40 Company. A graduate of the University of San Diego with a bachelor’s degree in communications, she has worked with clients in the financial services, health care, food and beverage, and technology industries. She has secured media coverage in major national outlets, conducted workshops and trainings on social media, and served as an integral strategist and consultant for large, international businesses.
Czarnecki worked in the district office of Congressman Scott Peters before joining Nuffer, Smith, Tucker, building issue-based networks and working directly with stakeholders in San Diego. She is contributing her experience in public service at the federal, state and local levels to NST’s work with the Port of San Diego, Civic San Diego and San Diego Community College District, among others. Czarnecki graduated magna cum laude from the University of California, San Diego with a degree in political science with an emphasis in public policy.
Olvera, born and raised in the Tijuana region, has a passion for bilingual communication methods. She has secured media coverage in both English and Spanish for several NST clients during her time as an intern and now as an account coordinator working with both McDonald’s of San Diego County and WD-40 Company. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism with an emphasis in public relations from San Diego State University while simultaneously attaining a degree in Spanish with an emphasis in literature.
