Daily Business Report: Wednesday, May 24, 2023
UC San Diego first to test cancer drugs
in space using private astronaut mission
By Nicole Mlynaryk | UC San Diego
On May 21, 2023, scientists at University of California San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute launched several new nanobioreactor experiments onto the International Space Station (ISS) via the second Axiom Space Private Astronaut Mission, Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2). The latest experiments expand their research on human stem cell aging, inflammation and cancer in low Earth orbit.
Increasing evidence shows that microgravity conditions can accelerate aging, inflammation and immune dysfunction in human stem cells. Understanding this process is not only helpful for keeping astronauts healthy — it could also teach us how to better treat cancer on Earth.
During Axiom Space’s first Private Astronaut Mission, Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1), the researchers discovered that in low Earth orbit, cancer stem cells appeared to regenerate more easily and become more resistant to standard therapies. The Ax-2 mission will now determine if two inhibitory drugs can reverse the regeneration in an organoid model of breast cancer. Another line of experiments will track the health of astronauts’ blood stem cells before, during and after spaceflight to evaluate the effects of the space environment on stem cell aging, immune function and cancer stem cell generation.
Top Photo: Researchers at the UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute evaluate cell samples after they have returned from low Earth orbit. (Photo by UC San Diego Health Sciences)
Jamul Indian Village tribe building
16-story hotel for Jamul Casino
The Jamul Indian Village Development Corporation, a subsidiary of the Jamul Indian Village Tribe, has begun the expansion of the Jamul Casino with a boutique luxury hotel.
The 16-story hotel will offer 200 rooms, including 52 suites, and be accompanied by a six-story parking structure with 350 parking spaces. Casino guests will directly access the hotel through a climate-controlled, enclosed pedestrian sky bridge.
The hotel lobby will be home to an approximately 4,800-square-foot restaurant with sweeping views of the surrounding area. The hotel will also offer retail space, meeting and banquet facilities, a full-service spa and salon with an outdoor deck, a fitness center, luxury guest rooms and suites for VIP guests, and an 11,000-square-foot rooftop pool deck including a jetted hot tub, cabanas, and a rooftop bar. The hotel is being built to achieve AAA’s Four Diamond designation.
North San Diego Business Chamber
elects new board members for 2023-2024
David Shields, president of Component Surfaces, will become chair of the North San Diego Business Chamber for 2023 -2024 effective July 1, 2023. Stacey Hrountas, current board chair will stay on the Executive Committee as immediate past chair.
The Board of Director elected seven new officers that will begin their term July 1, 2023.
New board members for the 2023-2024 term:
• Al McLaughlin, Littler Mendelson
• Dan Denham, San Diego County Water Authority
• Joey Jerome, Armed Services YMCA
• Pat McTigue, San Diego Zoo Safari Park
• Sheri Nasim, Center for Executive Excellence
• Ted Anasis, San Diego County Regional Airport Authority
• Virginia Morrison, Second Chance Beer Company
Holiday Bowl seeks title sponsor
San Diego County Credit Union (SDCCU) is opting out as title sponsor of the 2023 Holiday Bowl after a six-year run, leaving an opening for a new title sponsor to come forward. Sports San Diego put out the official announcement earlier this week.
Before assuming entitlement of the Holiday Bowl in 2017, SDCCU was the title sponsor of the Poinsettia Bowl from 2005 through 2016 and has supported the nonprofit bowl association each year since 1994.
San Diego’s Holiday Bowl first kicked off in 1978. The game is widely known for its high-scoring contests, down-to-the-wire finishes, big crowds and large television audiences. Of the 43 bowl games last year, the Holiday Bowl was the 10th most watched game. Of the 37 non-College Football Playoff bowl games, it was the fourth most watched.
LEAD San Diego announces 2023
Visionary Award recipients
LEAD San Diego announced the recipients of the 21st annual Visionary Awards, which honors individuals and organizations who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to bettering the San Diego region and made a lasting impact on the community.
Six awards will be presented Sept. 14 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego:
• Neil Morgan Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement — Alan Ziter, executive director, NTC Foundation
• LEAD Graduate of the Year — Dr. Steven Jones, CEO, JONES Consulting
• Ronald Kendrick Memorial Award for Regional Collaboration — USS Midway Museum
• Charles Nathanson Memorial Award for Cross-Border Region Building — Dr. Nicholas Holmes, senior vice president and COO, Rady Children’s Hospital
• Innovation & Economic Opportunity Award — San Diego Wave FC
• The Community Spotlight Award, which honors grassroots community heroes, will be announced at the Sept. 14 event.
Palihotel San Diego opens on Sixth Avenue
Avi Brosh’s Palisociety has opened the Palihotel San Diego at the site of the former St. James Hotel on Sixth Avenue in downtown San Diego. The Sixth Avenue property originally opened as the St. James Hotel and is easily recognized for its iconic rooftop sign featuring the Hotel St. James moniker. It has been transformed into a Palisociety signature, featuring a new restaurant, Saint James French Diner, private event space and a guest-exclusive roof deck featuring city and harbor wide views. Its historical provenance as the city’s tallest building at its inception comes to life across 11 stories with 122 guest rooms, many with city skyline and harbor views.
Eleven stories above the city sidewalks, Palihotel San Diego’s rooftop deck features skyline views from every angle coupled with al fresco lounge seating and a daily social hour for hotel guests.
County Fire giving pool alarms to protect families
SAN DIEGO — The San Diego County Fire Protection District is giving out more than 400 pool alarms to help prevent drownings as part of Health and Safe Swimming Week (May 22 through 28). The alarms can offer notification when a child or pet falls into a pool. The alarms will be available to households in the San Diego County or Deer Springs Fire Protection Districts. To apply for a pool alarm, visit the San Diego County Fire website.
Dr. Holly Urban joins CliniComp
as VP, clinical product design
SAN DIEGO — CliniComp, a pioneer in high-performing, reliable electronic health record solutions, announced the appointment of Holly Urban, M.D., as vice president, clinical product design. Urban will be responsible for further advancing CliniComp’s industry-leading EHR solutions in ways that elevate the health care experience for patients, providers and hospital systems. Prior to joining CliniComp, Urban was chief medical informatics officer at Oracle Cerner.
Hillhurst Biopharmaceuticals
announces completion of clinical trial
SAN DIEGO — Hillhurst Biopharmaceuticals Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing liquid drug products containing therapeutic gases, announced that the last participant has completed the study protocol of its U.S. Phase 1 clinical trial of HBI-002, an oral low dose carbon monoxide therapeutic candidate. HBI-002 is targeted for the treatment of sickle cell disease.
Lytx Inc. releases ‘State of the Data’
report for trucks and vehicle fleets
SAN DIEGO — Lytx Inc., a global leader in video safety and video telematics released its fifth annual “State of the Data” report for trucks and vehicle fleets. Leveraging the Lytx Driver Safety Program and over 36 billion miles of new driving data (over 221 billion miles total) captured through Lytx’s DriveCam Event Recorders, 2022 showed a decrease in overall risky driving even as miles driven increased. Report findings also highlight the significant influence that time of day, day of week, road conditions, and specific road segments played in risky driving behavior and collisions.
Linewize parent company Family Zone
announces rebranding to Qoria
SAN DIEGO — Linewize, an education technology company, announced today that its parent company, Family Zone, has changed its name to Qoria, effective immediately, as part of a larger rebranding initiative. Accompanied by a new website, this strategic move represents the first step in unifying all Qoria brands under a single name to operate as one company. The rebrand aims to elevate Qoria’s voice on a global stage and further solidify its position as a champion for student safety and wellbeing and a driver of positive change in the education technology industry.
Drata broadens leadership team
SAN DIEGO — Drata, a security and compliance automation platform, announced Matt Hillary as VP, security and chief information security officer, and Conor Nolen as Drata’s first chief customer officer. Hillary brings more than 15 years of security experience with a track record of building security programs, most recently serving as SVP, systems and security and CISO at Lumio. Nolen adds nearly 20 years of experience in customer-oriented roles from his time as Global VP at Teradata.
Clear Audio unveils new Arc II Sport, Smart
Open-Ear True Wireless Earbuds
SAN DIEGO — Cleer Audio, an industry-leading headphone and smart speaker manufacturer, announced its new Arc II Sport Smart Open-Ear True Wireless Earbuds with a flexible earhook hinge design. Arc II Sport open-ear earbuds fit passively, without blocking out the sounds around you. They feature a unique earhook and hinge design with an improved shape and added flexibility to improve its fit and comfort. Available in black and red finishes.MSRP: $189.99 U.S.
eSUB Construction Software
announces equity funding round
eSUB Construction Software, a leading provider of cloud-based construction project management software, announced the closing of a growth equity funding round driven by strong momentum surrounding the recent launch of its new version of eSUB Cloud. Investment firms Catalyst Investors and Revolution Ventures, which are existing investors in eSUB, led the round. This new injection of capital will enable eSUB to expand its outreach and promote its user-friendly software to a wider audience of subcontractors.
Gafcon Inc. congratulates Anser Advisory
on acquisition of Gafcon Digital
SAN DIEGO — Gafcon Inc., a leading provider of comprehensive construction project management services, extends congratulations to Anser Advisory LLC on its recent acquisition of Gafcon Digital Inc. (GDI), formerly a Gafcon affiliate specializing in software agnostic systems integration for the digital building lifecycle. Prior to the acquisition, Gafcon transitioned GDI to operate as an independent entity in April 2022.
La Jolla Vein & Vascular announce novel
treatment for chronic knee pain
LA JOLLA — La Jolla Vein & Vascular offers novel treatment for chronic knee pain due to osteoarthritis (OA). The treatment, called geniculate artery embolization (GAE), is a minimally-invasive procedure for patients with knee pain who have failed conservative therapy, such as medications, knee injections and are either not eligible or do not wish to undergo knee replacement surgery. GAE works by targeting vascular causes of inflammation in the knee joint.
