Daily Business Report: Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022
Researchers link bladder cancer to tobacco smoking
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have for the first time discovered a pattern of DNA mutations that links bladder cancer to tobacco smoking. The discovery was made possible thanks to a powerful new machine learning tool that the team developed to find patterns of mutations caused by carcinogens and other DNA-altering processes.
The work, published Sept. 23 in Cell Genomics, could help researchers identify what environmental factors, such as exposure to tobacco smoke and UV radiation, cause cancer in certain patients.
Each of these environmental exposures alters DNA in a unique way, generating a specific pattern of mutations, called a mutational signature. If a signature is found in the DNA of a patient’s cancer cells, the cancer can be traced back to the exposure that created that signature. Knowing which mutational signatures are present could also lead to more customized treatments for a patient’s specific cancer.
In this study, researchers found a mutational signature in the DNA of bladder cancer that is linked to tobacco smoking. The finding is significant because a mutational signature from tobacco smoking has been detected in lung cancer, but not yet in bladder cancer.
Photo by iStock_Zhang Rong via UC San Diego
Future center at UC San Diego Health
to be named in honor of Barbara Parker, MD
In 2025, the UC San Diego Health – Hillcrest Medical Campus will be home to a new center named in honor of beloved physician and breast cancer expert, Barbara Parker, MD, thanks to a $10 million gift from Price Philanthropies and the Price family.
The Barbara Parker, MD, Breast Center will be located within the future Hillcrest Outpatient Pavilion, which will be a 250,000-square-foot outpatient pavilion that is part of a comprehensive revitalization of the UC San Diego Health – Hillcrest Medical Campus. In addition, the planned courtyard adjacent to the Barbara Parker, MD, Breast Center will be named Price Philanthropies Courtyard.
The new outpatient pavilion will house specialty clinical programs, including oncology, neurosurgery, urology, otolaryngology and orthopedics, as well as ambulatory surgery operating rooms, gastroenterology procedure rooms, advanced imaging, infusion and radiation oncology.
City of Escondido and Fresh Brewed Tech
team up for AgTech Hackathon
The City of Escondido and online tech community Fresh Brewed Tech have announced the details for San Diego’s first-ever AgTech Hackathon, which will take place Oct. 21-23, 2022. The event will bring together entrepreneurs, farmers, investors, students and community leaders for three days of brainstorming and problem-solving at Escondido-based coworking center Synergy Center. Entrants will have the opportunity to learn from some of San Diego’s top AgTech industry leaders while working with them to develop solutions for some of the pressing issues facing California’s agricultural industry and food supply.
During the three days, participants will pose, recruit, and build a team to advance an AgTech idea while receiving guidance from a group of hand-picked facilitators and mentors. Each team will prepare a pitch for a panel of judges and winners will receive cash prizes and more.
The hackathon kicks off an ongoing campaign by the City of Escondido, one of San Diego County’s key farming hubs, to support agricultural innovation and attract early and late-stage AgTech startups to the region. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://freshbrewedtech.com/san-dieg-agtech-startup-hackathon/
Physic professor receives grant
to join pioneering NASA mission
By Brian Hiro
Cal State San Marcos physics professor Gerardo Dominguez has received a three-year, $1.2 million grant from NASA through which he has joined a nationwide team of scientists that will analyze samples from a mission to a near-Earth asteroid and try to answer some of the biggest questions about the origins of planetary bodies and life in the solar system.
The grant establishes Dominguez as a member of the science team for the NASA mission OSIRIS-REx, which stands for the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer. OSIRIS-REx is the first U.S. spacecraft to collect a sample from an asteroid. It is on its way back to Earth to deliver samples it gathered from the asteroid Bennu in 2020; the samples will arrive on Earth in about a year.
Dominguez’s role on the science team will be to analyze samples from Bennu by employing a cutting-edge technique that he has pioneered called nano infrared spectroscopy (or nanoIR) in which he uses the tip of an atomic force microscope, in combination with infrared light, to identify and characterize nanoparticles – those that are smaller than a micron.
Dominguez honed this technique as a postdoctoral researcher at UC San Diego before he joined the CSUSM faculty in 2011.
San Diego County Annual Report released
The County of San Diego released its Annual Report Tuesday calling on San Diegans to “Connect With Us” to build “a just, sustainable and resilient future.” The report also listed accomplishments and cited goals ranging from ending homelessness to enhancing communities and correcting climate change. The County’s Annual Report provides a snapshot of what it has achieved in the past year and outlines goals it looks to accomplish.
County Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer opened the Annual Report by calling on residents to connect with the County to help build a future that would make all San Diegans proud.
Robbins-Meyer said the county was moving community engagement to the center of its general management system to make it easier than ever for people to be a part of their local government. “This year we’ll ramp up community engagement more than ever,” Robbins-Meyer said, “from adding a Community Engagement Manager and Community Engagement web hub, to expanding our translation services to eight languages.”
The report included a long list of achievements. Some included strengthening regional firefighting by adding three firefighting helicopters, enacting new gun-safety laws, and spending $20 million on five housing projects to help low-income homeless San Diegans, seniors and veterans.
Suzanne Stone joins Cue Health as chief commercial officer
Cue Health Inc., a San Diego health care technology company, has appointed Suzanne Stone as its new chief commercial officer. Stone brings over 25 years of experience building high- performing sales and marketing organizations in rapidly growing biotech and medical device companies, most recently at DexCom Inc.
As chief commercial officer, Stone will lead the execution and acceleration of Cue’s global commercial strategy while building international sales and customer success teams.
She will also be responsible for the success of the company’s global marketing initiatives, including branding, advertising, and e-commerce.
Prior to joining Cue, Stone served as senior vice president of U.S. revenue at DexCom Inc., a medical device company focused on glucose monitoring systems, where she grew and oversaw nearly $2 billion in revenue across sales, customer service, enterprise, payor, and trade relations across the U.S. market.
Media Reports (via Voice of San Diego)
• A proposed mileage fee for San Diego drivers was officially taken out of SANDAG’s $160 billion regional transportation plan after it was voted out at Friday’s SANDAG board meeting. The controversial road user charge would have charged drivers four cents for every mile driven. (CBS 8)
• County leaders will introduce a policy at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting declaring homelessness a public health crisis in San Diego County. Supervisors Nora Vargas and Nathan Fletcher are introducing the policy in hopes of gaining more access to resources and to providing new incentives for cities and communities to further collaborate on solving homelessness. (CBS 8)
• San Diego County has settled a lawsuit over an in-custody death for $1.35 million. The county was sued by the family of a Mexican citizen who died after Sheriff’s deputies arrested him in 2018. The family alleged that authorities used excessive force during the arrest, which led to his death the following day. (Union-Tribune)
• Encinitas is exploring an ordinance that would ban smoking anywhere except on private property. The proposal would expand the city’s current ban on smoking in public places to include sidewalks and roadways. (Union-Tribune)
Health care event Oct. 6 focuses on clinical trials
San Diegans are invited to learn more about why clinical trials matter and the benefits of participation at the upcoming Journey to Better Health | AWARE for All – San Diego, a free community event. The event is hosted by The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP), an independent nonprofit advocating for clinical trial education and participation, on Thursday, Oct. 6 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the San Diego Scottish Rite Event Center (1985 Camino Del Rio S, San Diego, CA 92108) in Mission Valley.
Local clinical trial participants and healthcare professionals will take part in a panel discussion and exhibiting organizations will provide information and resources on clinical trials and research.
Civita honored as ‘Best Urban Master-Planned
Community of the Year’
Civita, the 230-acre, urban-infill village in Mission Valley, was acclaimed the “Best Urban Master-Planned Community of the Year” at the San Diego Building Industry Association (BIA) Spotlight Honors on Saturday. Civita, which welcomed its first residents in 2013, is transforming a 70-year-old sand and gravel quarry into a vibrant community where residences, village retailers and businesses are interspersed with parklands, open space, pedestrian-friendly streets and walkways.
Developed by Sudberry Properties in partnership with the Grant family, which mined the property since the early 20th century, Civita has become a national example of sustainability, walkability and sophisticated architectural design. Civita and its neighborhoods have won more than 60 local, regional and national honors.
General Atomics works with Conflux on MQ-9B
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) is working with long-time collaborator Conflux Technology on the design and manufacture of a new Fuel Oil Heat Exchanger for the MQ-9B. GA-ASI is developing this enhanced thermal solution for its MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft.
General Atomics is a leading developer of unmanned aircraft, and Conflux is a thermal management system solution company headquartered in Australia. Conflux is a pioneer in mastering Additive Manufacturing (AM) for heat exchanger applications. The two companies have worked together since 2018 to develop heat exchangers for aerospace.
Pathfinder Partners promotes two executives
Pathfinder Partners, a San Diego-based private equity firm specializing in multifamily real estate investments, announced the promotions of two executives. Matt Quinn, who joined Pathfinder in 2009 and has been leading the company’s asset management department for the past decade, has been promoted to managing director. In his new role, Quinn will continue to oversee Pathfinder’s portfolio of 36 apartment properties comprising about 3,000 units, while spearheading a series of initiatives designed to boost revenues, reduce costs and improve the resident experience at the properties. Jeff Wurtz, who joined Pathfinder in 2012 and has most recently been vice president of finance, has been promoted to chief financial officer (CFO). As CFO, Wurtz will also assume primary responsibility for all of Pathfinder’s accounting, finance and tax operations.
New law puts vote by mail drop boxes on campuses
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill that requires all California State University campuses and requests University of California campuses to have a vote by mail ballot drop box location on campus. The author is Assemblyman Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park).
“Young people will live the longest with the decisions made by their elected officials, so it is imperative that we make it easier for them to exercise their right to vote,” said Berman. “Voters between the ages of 18 to 24 are the most underrepresented among California’s voting electorate. Placing ballot drop boxes on college campuses is a simple but meaningful change that will elevate student voices and strengthen our democracy.”
