Daily Business Report: Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Research: Trained viruses prove more
effective at fighting antibiotic resistance
By Mario Aguilera | UC San Diego
The threat of antibiotic resistance rises as bacteria continue to evolve to foil even the most powerful modern drug treatments. By 2050, antibiotic resistant-bacteria threaten to claim more than 10 million lives as existing therapies prove ineffective.
Bacteriophage, or “phage,” have become a new source of hope against growing antibiotic resistance. Ignored for decades by western science, phages have become the subject of increasing research attention due to their capability to infect and kill bacterial threats.
A new project led by University of California San Diego Biological Sciences graduate student Joshua Borin, a member of Associate Professor Justin Meyer’s laboratory, has provided evidence that phages that undergo special evolutionary training increase their capacity to subdue bacteria. Like a boxer in training ahead of a title bout, pre-trained phages demonstrated they could delay the onset of bacterial resistance.
The study, which included contributions from researchers at the University of Haifa in Israel and the University of Texas at Austin, is published June 8 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
PHOTO: Trained and untrained phages are pitted against bacteria in battleground flasks to evaluate which is more effective at killing. (UC San Diego)
Vice Adm. Steve Koehler takes command
of U.S. 3rd Fleet at Naval Base Point Loma
Vice Adm. Steve Koehler relieved Vice Adm. Scott D. Conn as commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, during a change of command ceremony at Naval Base Point Loma, June 3. Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, presided over the ceremony, highlighting the critical strategic role U.S. 3rd Fleet plays in the Navy today.
Koehler, a native of San Diego, previously served as deputy commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
During Conn’s tenure, U.S. 3rd Fleet operationally paired manned and unmanned systems together in challenging maritime scenarios during the inaugural Unmanned Integrated Battle Problem. In August 2020, U.S. 3rd Fleet and nine other nations planned, coordinated, and executed the first at-sea-only Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise 2020 in a COVID-constrained environment.
Conn will report to his new assignment as deputy chief of naval operations for warfighting requirements and capabilities, N9, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.
Axalume signs license deal with Oracle
San Diego-based Axalume Inc. announced that it has signed an exclusive agreement with Oracle Corporation to license Oracle’s silicon photonics patent portfolio. Under this license agreement, Axalume will have exclusive rights to manufacture, market, distribute, sell and support its silicon photonics services and products in the worldwide marketplace and to develop new products for data center switching and computing applications.
“We are excited about this global opportunity. By combining Axalume’s technical know-how with Oracle’s extensive IP portfolio that encompasses low-power silicon photonics components, lasers, electronics circuits, integration, and packaging, we will be in a unique position to develop valuable and differentiated photonic interconnect solutions for our customers,” said Axalume CEO Ashok Krishnamoorthy.
Axalume designs energy-efficient electronic and photonic integrated circuit chips. The ompany has developed patented technologies that combine silicon photonic circuits with silicon electronics to create energy-efficient photonic circuits, tunable laser sources, and control electronics for data centers and high-performance computing and networking systems.
Portuguese-themed Monsaraz boutique
hotel opens in Point Loma
Peninsula residents received a sneak peek at the Portuguese-themed Monsaraz boutique hotel during small-group tours in the days preceding its May 28 official opening.
Leading one tour of the Monsaraz San Diego at 1451 Rosecrans St., part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton, was Greg LaMarca, president of the hotel project’s developer, Alliance Development Services Inc.
Guests’ attention is immediately captured by modernistic lighting fixtures suspended from the high ceiling and stylistic furniture upon entering the spacious ground-floor lobby. The hotel lobby leads through a hallway into the restaurant bar, Westerly Public House, in the rear.
“The idea is for you to be engaged with the bar as you walk in and see what’s going on,” said LaMarca, posing next to custom-made impressionistic artwork lining the lobby walls.
Westerly Public House’s menu will feature coastal cuisine fusing Australian flavors with Californian style. “It’s got a whole vibe to it,” said LaMarca of the new restaurant’s ambiance, which includes stylistic flourishes, like archway-shaped booths.
Jim Sullivan joins QDOBA as chief development officer
QDOBA announced the appointment of Jim Sullivan, a restaurant industry executive, to chief development officer. Sullivan hAS more than 25 years of experience in real estate, franchise development, and site acquisition management.
Sullivan’s accomplishments span 25 years and several prominent restaurant brands. Prior to joining QDOBA, Sullivan held leadership positions at CKE Restaurant Holdings, parent company to Carl’s Jr, Hardee’s, Green Burrito and Red Burrito Concepts, including executive vice president of domestic development and, most recently, chief development officer.
There, Sullivan was responsible for all domestic development, real estate and construction activities such as design, restaurant maintenance, real estate, market planning, asset management, franchise sales strategies, compliance and more. Previously, he served in multiple leadership positions, including chief development officer of Friendly’s Ice Cream Corporation and was the director of franchise sales, marketing and real estate at American Hospitality Concepts. Sullivan received his Bachelor of Science in Sports Management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a Mini M.B.A. from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, Minn.
Autodesk confirms proposal to acquire
electronic design software leader Altium Limited
Autodesk Inc. has confirmed that it has submitted a non-binding proposal to acquire all the outstanding shares of common stock of Altium Limited, a software company headquartered in San Diego and publicly traded on the Australian Securities Exchange. The company develops software used by printed circuit board designers and electrical engineers at organizations around the world to deliver connected, intelligent products.
The proposed combination would advance Autodesk’s strategy to converge design and make through a unified design, engineering and manufacturing cloud platform that enables greater productivity and sustainability for its customers.
Jill Howe joins DTx Pharma as chief financial officer
DTx Pharma Inc., a privately-held biotechnology company creating novel RNA-based therapeutics to treat the genetic drivers of disease, announced the appointment of Jill Howe as chief financial officer. Howe brings proven capabilities in private and public financial management, and will oversee all aspects of DTx’s finances.
Howe brings to the role more than 20 years of finance experience in the biotechnology sector, including a track record of success in operational and financial strategy, as well as treasury, global infrastructure, and compliance management. Prior to joining DTx, Howe served as treasurer and vice president of finance for Gossamer Bio, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, where she was the internal project lead for the company’s initial public offering, follow-on, and debt offerings.
Howe oversaw finance for 18 subsidiaries across the U.S. and Ireland. Previously, she held controller and director of finance roles at Amplyx Pharmaceuticals, Receptos, and Somaxon Pharmaceuticals.
Howe holds a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from San Diego State University and is a graduate of the Women in Bio Board Room Ready program.
Professor named Outstanding Educator
Moved by the murder of George Floyd and the summer of protests that followed, Kaye Sweetser began actively seeking ways to change the demographics of the public relations (PR) industry through her courses at San Diego State University and her work as the director of the Glen M. Broom Center for Professional Development and Public Relations at the university.
“One of the biggest problems in PR is that for decades the industry has been overwhelmingly white,” Sweetser said. “When it comes to being able to effectively communicate to our varied target publics that is a problem. We need more diversity. We have to understand other people’s points of view and be able to communicate to our public to build relationships with them. That takes a diverse team.”
Over the last year, Sweetser has worked to help make that change in her industry through webinars, guest speakers and assignments.
Her work at SDSU was recognized by PRNEWS, the premier trade publication for the public relations industry. PRNEWS has named Sweetser the Outstanding Educator of the Year. This award is centered on diversity equity and inclusion and is a part of the CSR and Diversity Awards PRNEWS awards annually.
