Daily Business Report-April 10, 2020
Abbott’s ID NOW infectious disease testing platform. (Credit: Scripps Health)
Scripps Health launches rapid COVID-19
testing at its five hospitals in San Diego County
Scripps Health on Thursday announced the launch of the fastest available molecular point-of-care test for detecting the novel coronavirus at its five hospital campuses in San Diego County.
The test, which will be used to screen for COVID-19 in hospitalized patients requiring quick diagnostic turnaround, can deliver a positive result in as little as five minutes and a negative result in 13 minutes. The diagnostic tool received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration on March 27.
“Testing is a critical part of the overall response to the coronavirus pandemic,” said Chris Van Gorder, president and CEO of Scripps Health. “Today, Scripps moves that important tool to the front line of our fight against this devastating disease. The ability to deliver results in minutes at our hospitals for patients exhibiting possible symptoms of COVID-19 will allow our physicians to make faster and better decisions about delivering the best care needed.”
The assay runs on Abbott’s ID NOW infectious disease testing platform, a 6.6-pound, small toaster-sized portable device that uses molecular technology to deliver reliable and accurate results.
For COVID-19, the platform looks for the novel coronavirus RdRp gene in throat, nasal, nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs taken from patients who might be infected.
The ID NOW system joins several other platforms already in use at Scripps laboratories for in-house testing for COVID-19, as well as outside testing capacity provided through Quest Diagnostics.
The five hospital campuses: Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla, Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas, Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, Scripps Mercy Hospital and Prebys Cardiovascular Institute in La Jolla.
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UC San Diego to advance stem cell
therapies in new Space Station lab
UC San Diego and Space Tango receive NASA award to develop first dedicated stem cell research laboratory within the International Space Station
A three-year, nearly $5 million award from NASA will allow researchers at the Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center at UC San Diego Health, Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine and their partners at Space Tango to develop a new integrated space stem cell orbital research laboratory within the International Space Station (ISS) and launch three collaborative research projects within it.
Stem cells self-renew, generating more stem cells, and specialize into tissue-specific cells, such as blood, brain and liver cells, making them ideal for biological studies far from Earth’s resources. The goal of the new effort is to leverage microgravity and these unique properties of stem cells to better understand how space flight affects the human body.
The studies will also inform how aging, degenerative diseases, cancers and other conditions develop in a setting with increased exposure to ionizing radiation and pro-inflammatory factors. The findings from these studies may speed the development of new therapeutics for a broad array of degenerative diseases on Earth.
“We envision that the next thriving ecosystem of commercial stem cell companies, the next nexus for biotechnology, could be created 250 miles overhead by the establishment of these capabilities on the ISS,” said Catriona Jamieson, co-principal investigator of the award and Koman Family Presidential Endowed Chair in Cancer Research, deputy director of Moores Cancer Center, director of the Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center and director of the CIRM Alpha Stem Cell Clinic at UC San Diego Health.
The project’s first flight to the ISS is planned for mid-2021. The ISS stem cell lab is expected to be fully operational and self-sustaining by 2025.
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San Diego native appointed Acting Secretary of the Navy
San Diego native and University of San Diego School of Law alumnus James McPherson, ’81 (JD), has been appointed acting Secretary of the U.S. Navy, replacing Thomas Modly, who resigned Tuesday.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper described McPherson as “a capable, and professional leader who will restore confidence and stability in the Navy during these challenging times.”
According to his military biography, McPherson was raised in San Diego. In 1972, he enlisted in the United States Army, and served as a military police officer, before leaving for college. McPherson came back to San Diego, getting his undergraduate degree from San Diego State University in 1977. He earned a law degree from the University of San Diego in 1981.
McPherson then began his 26-year naval career, mainly in the military law field. In 2006, he retired as the Judge Advocate General of the Navy.
McPherson continued to work for the government. Most recently, he was sworn in as the 34th Undersecretary of the US Army on March 25, 2020. Just two weeks later, he was appointed as the acting Secretary of the Navy.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said McPherson would serve as the Acting Navy Secretary until the position is filled permanently.
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Civic closes $6.7 million tax credit for YMCA
for apartment complex acquisition
Civic announced the closing of a New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) investment of $6.7 million for YMCA of San Diego County’s Youth & Family Services (YFS) with Chase Bank as the tax credit investor.
The New Markets Tax Credits investment finances the acquisition and rehabilitation of a 25-unit apartment complex in Escondido. The property will expand the YMCA’s existing Transitional Housing & Youth Development program and streamline the YMCA’s efforts to end youth homelessness. The complex includes 25 units, each with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and approximately 930 square feet of living space. In total, the project will serve 44 vulnerable, low-income youth aged 16-26 at any given point in time during the year, along with two staff member units.
YMCA YFS plans to renovate the building to ensure a safe, clean, modern and aesthetically pleasing environment. Renovations include a new roof, window replacement, HVAC upgrades and extensive repair to the outdoor community spaces.
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General Atomics ferries new MQ-9 drone
to Holloman Air Force Base in N.M.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA‑ASI) for the first time flew a new MQ-9 Remotely Piloted Aircraft to a customer location at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. Typically a new MQ-9 is packed and shipped by GA-ASI for reassembly after delivery. Ferrying the MQ-9 to Holloman saves costs and time in shipping, reducing time for airmen to reassemble the aircraft, making it available for training immediately upon arrival.
A key aspect of delivery was flying the RPA through the National Airspace System (NAS) after originating from GA-ASI’s Flight Operations Center in Palmdale, Calif. GA-ASI and Holloman air crews worked together to ensure the successful ferry of the aircraft.
The USAF estimates that ferrying the MQ-9 saved 142 man hours.
“This is the first time that team Holloman has taken delivery of a new MQ-9 by ferry flight,” said Col. Casey Tidgewell, 49th Operations Group commander. “It’s critically important because flying outside of our training area helps normalize RPA flight inside the NAS and provides broader aviation experience for our instructors. I could not be more proud of our operations and maintenance professionals that made this happen.”
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Renovation completed for Building 500 at
MiraCosta College’s San Elijo campus
MiraCosta College has completed construction and close-out activities for the renovation of Building 500 at the San Elijo campus in Cardiff. The general classroom building was reconfigured to provide new computer labs, active-learning classrooms, and building-wide upgrades.
Building 500 originally housed six classrooms, faculty offices, and the Language Resource Center. The renovation project provided for the reconfiguration of the spaces to provide two new computer labs, a technology-rich active learning classroom with movable seating and tables, and the modernization of all classrooms.
The $4 million project also provided for a complete re-roofing, updated landscaping, and new hardscape.
The project architect is Little Diversified, which also provided landscape architecture and civil engineering services. Conan Construction served as the general contractor. Other project team members included Alliance Engineering as the inspector of record; PS2 Engineering for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering services; KNA Structural Engineers for structural engineering services; and Kitchell for overall program and construction management.
The San Elijo Campus Building 500 project was funded under Measure MM, the $455 million general obligation bond that was approved by voters in 2016.
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Liberty Call Distilling to give free
sanitzer to the public this weekend
San Diego’s Liberty Call Distilling will give away free sanitizer to the public this Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12 from 10 to 2 p.m. each day at the craft distillery’s Barrio Logan location inside the Mercado del Barrio at 1985 National Avenue #1131, San Diego, California 92113.
Social distancing will be practiced as each visitor receives a free 4-ounce spray bottle of sanitizer produced by Liberty Call Distilling in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Sanitizer will be available on a first come-first serve basis.
Liberty Call Distilling has pivoted 100 percent of its operations during the current coronavirus outbreak to create sanitizer for the public as well as those on the frontline, including first responders and health care centers. This upcoming sanitizer giveaway is the second weekend that Liberty Call Distilling has held such an event for the public, who are encouraged to stay up to date on future sanitizer giveaways by following@LibertyCallDistilling on Instagram.
Despite shifting its efforts to create sanitizer instead of its usual wide range of artisanal spirits, Liberty Call Distilling continues to sell its signature Constitution Bourbon to those 21+ at www.libertycall.com with free shipping or free pickup during this weekend’s giveaway.
