The president of DSM Food Specialties, Ilona Haaijer, has told FoodBev that shes really excited to be able to offer laboratory and scale-up facilities as part of its new biotechnology centre in the Netherlands. The company unveiled the Rosalind Franklin Biotechnology Center on its Delft campus earlier, where more than 400 scientists will advance the companys research into food enzymes, cultures, bio-preservatives and taste ingredients for the global food industry. Alongside significant investments in robotics and automation, the centre includes space for start-ups to explore and scale up their concepts in partnership with DSM Food Specialties. At the opening: Alex Clere There was a general buzz, a sense of excitement at the unveiling of DSMs imposing glass biotechnology centre this morning. DSMs scientists had already moved in, keen to give visitors an impression of the new equipment some the result of millions of euros worth of investment and collaborative spaces in action. Ahead of the unveiling ceremony, DSM Food Specialties president Ilona Haaijer told me which of the companys products she thought were particularly pertinent, given the state of the food industry at the moment. Its MaxiLact product, which removes lactose from a product while delivering additional sugar reductions, was … Continue reading →

Breakthrough Therapy Designation is described on the FDA website as "a process designed to expedite the development and review of drugs that are intended to treat a serious condition and preliminary evidence indicates that the drug may demonstrate substantial improvement over available therapy on a clinically significant endpoint(s)." It was signed into law in 2012, with the first full approval of a breakthrough designation candidate being only one year later. As of March 30, 2017, FDA has granted breakthrough therapy designation to 170 of the 505 total requests, and eventually approved 55 breakthrough therapy designated products. The concept makes sense. If a new drug that aims to treat serious and life-threatening conditions shows unprecedented effect in early clinical trials, patients should not have to wait to receive treatment. A group called Friends of Cancer Research worked with partners in advocacy, regulation, drug development, and bipartisan congressional champions to take breakthrough therapy designation from concept to an expedited FDA development program. This ensures patient access to revolutionary drugs is as quick and effective as possible. A drug that receives breakthrough therapy designation is eligible for all FDA fast track features, intensive FDA guidance on an efficient development program (as early as … Continue reading →

ALACHUA, Fla., April 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Sid Martin Biotechnology Institute (SMBI), the leading biotechnology incubator at the University of Florida, has been awarded the Randall M. Whaley Incubator of the Year award for 2017, the highest award given by the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA). InBIA is the world's leading organization for advancing business incubation, acceleration and entrepreneurship. SMBI was named Incubator of the Year among more than 7,500 incubators worldwide. The annual award, sponsored by the Friends of the University Science Center in Philadelphia, recognizes the top global business incubation program and includes a cash prize. The award was presented on March 28th at the InBIA's 31st Annual International Conference on Business Incubation. Accepting the award for SMBI were Mark S. Long, Director, and Merrie Shaw, Assistant Director. SMBI also received another award, the 2017 Technology/Science Entrepreneurship Center Program. David L. Day, Assistant Vice President for Technology Transfer at the University of Florida, said, "We are honored for the Institute to be recognized as the best in the world incubator. It is a tribute to our staff and their outstanding efforts helping startups grow great innovations and new solutions into successful businesses that will make the world a better … Continue reading →

SDSU College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences BROOKINGS The South Dakota State University Swine Club, along with various campus organizations and industry partners, will host a presentation by Julie Borlaug on April 12 to address the controversy surrounding the use of biotechnology in food production. Her presentation takes place at 7:00 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center on the SDSU campus. There is no charge to attend the event, but a free-will donation of canned goods for the Brookings Food Pantry is appreciated. As society moves farther and farther away from modern production agriculture, it creates a potential disconnect between the people who raise the food and the ones that consume it, explains Madelyn Regier, SDSU Swine Club president and an agricultural education and animal science major. The SDSU Swine Club believes that it is essential for consumers and the general public to better understand modern agriculture so we can all work together in feeding the worlds growing population in a safe and sustainable manner. Julie Borlaug is the granddaughter of Norman E. Borlaug, known as the father of the Green Revolution. She serves as the assistant director of partnerships at the Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture at Texas A&M … Continue reading →