| KansasBio Undergoes Strategic Planning |
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Anglea Kreps,
President & CEO of KansasBio
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Michael Beckloff,
Chairman of KansasBio |
Following the 2008 KansasBio Annual Meeting, Board Chairman Michael Beckloff initiated a strategic planning process for the organization and emphasized the importance of each board member’s participation to create a dynamic, workable plan that would focus KansasBio’s efforts, priorities and resources.
Since last November, the organization has conducted an initial planning phase and completed each of the tasks identified with forming committees. The committees are now engaged in strategic operations planning and developing formal recommendations for adoption at the KansasBio Annual Meeting, November 19, 2009.
During the initial strategic planning process, it was determined that the basic functioning areas for the organization fall into four major areas.
Click here for full story and list of new committees  |
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animal health
America Needs a CDC for Animal Health
by W. Ron DeHaven, DVM, MBA
CEO and Executive Vice President, American Veterinary Medical Association: Former Administrator, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (2004-2007)
Today, there is an urgent need to take the highly successful CDC model for human disease diagnostics and research and apply it to animal disease diagnostics and research that will preserve a safe, healthy food supply and a sustainable, successful agriculture infrastructure. It also will provide for critically important protection against zoonotic diseases, which are those traded between humans and animals. |
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plant science
Biofuel's New Crop
There has been a resurgence of investment interest in the U.S. biofuel industry focused on technologies that use algae to make fuel.
The appeal of algae is that it can potentially produce fuel without diverting food crops or large swathes of land. Ethanol derived from corn has been blamed by some for driving up food prices, while large-scale production of cellulosic ethanol would require cultivation of plants such as switchgrass that are grown only in small amounts now. |
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life science
ViraCor-IBT Develops Swine Flu Test
Vaccine hits market right before flu season begins
A local laboratory said Monday that it has developed a test to diagnose the H1N1, or swine, flu in patients.
In addition to the swine flu test, ViraCor-IBT Laboratories also has developed a separate assay to determine whether a patient has a drug-resistant strain of swine flu, said Steve Kleiboeker, chief scientific officer for the lab.
ViraCor-IBT, created by a June merger of two labs, has offices in Lee’s Summit and Lenexa. |
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government relations ____________________
Legislative Update and 2010 Preview
Since its inception in 2004, KansasBio has made great strides at the Kansas statehouse in educating legislators on the importance of the bioscience industry and the significance of keeping Kansas law a model for attracting new bioscience related industries and keeping a prosperous environment to retain them. It is often said that the best offense is a good defense, and in the world of regulatory certainty, nothing could be truer under the statehouse dome. Over the last six years, we have seen that what began as a steady stream of “hostile to our industry” bills diminish from several dozen being introduced back in 2004 to zero being introduced this last legislative session. This remarkable level of achievement can be attributed to the outstanding advocacy efforts of the KansasBio membership and the association’s lobbying team. |
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Senate President Steve Morris |
Senator Marci Francisco |
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Rep. Terrie Huntington |
Rep. Cindy Neighbor |
| The Kansas Bioscience and Information Technology Caucus now has over 90 members. The Caucus is led by four co-chairs: Senate President Steve Morris, Senator Marci Francisco, Rep. Terrie Huntington and Rep. Cindy Neighbor. Elections for the 2010 caucus co-chairs will be held on January 26th during a meeting of the caucus. |
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member spotlight: SAFC Biosciences
Supply Chain Risk Mitigation
SAFC institutes an evolving approach
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Whether applied to business security, product specification, financial exposure or personnel safety, quality is a key element underpinning any biopharmaceutical risk mitigation strategy. A quality system should not be inherently dependent upon personnel, nor should it rely solely on people to ensure the quality of the products manufactured. Irrespective of human resources, the system itself should provide consistency, addressing risk from design inception through to product delivery, ensuring that robust processes are in place that minimize risk to the product and ultimately the end user.
read more
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Other Bio News ____________________________
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Economic Game Is Changing___________________
The economic development efforts of Shawnee County Economic Development Council, the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce and GO Topeka are lauded in potential game changing industries, including the biosciences and energy. read more
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Grant of $1.1M to Continue K-State's Efforts to Get Students in the Biosciences_______________
Kansas State University has been awarded $1.1 million to renew its successful Kansas Bridges to the Bachelor's program.
Because of the program's success, the National Institutes of Health has extended funding for five years. For the past six years, K-State has partnered with Kansas City Kansas Community College, Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kan., Dodge City Community College, Garden City Community College and Seward County Community College in Liberal to build "bridges" for students to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in the bio-behavioral or biomedical sciences.
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KU Sets a Record in Gifts and Pledges ____________________
The University of Kansas Endowment announced Tuesday a record-setting fundraising year despite the recession.
KU is one of several Kansas colleges that have reported private fundraising as on par or above average compared with years of a better economy.
The $106.4 million in gifts and pledges to the KU endowment was boosted by fundraising that targeted life sciences research and KU's goal to be designated a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute, according to a release from the endowment organization. read more
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State bioscience plans right on track, says CEO ______________
Tom Thornton, CEO of the Kansas Bioscience Authority, states: "Our goal is to position the state to be the undisputed leader in the biosciences."
The state is well on its way because two of the five recent biofuel grants from the U.S. Department of Energy included "significant" Kansas partners, he said.
One was for $5 million that went to Georgia-based Agco and the other was for $4.9 million that went to FDC Enterprises, which has its headquarters in Columbus, Ohio.
While Agco has operations in Hesston, both Agco and FDC Enterprises will use part of their grant money at the Abengoa Bioenergy cellulosic biorefinery in Hugoton.
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Ceva Santé Animale will build second Lenexa plant
French animal health company Ceva Santé Animale will build a second Lenexa production plant for its U.S. subsidiary, Ceva Biomune, which will create 80 jobs.
Ceva Biomune has a plant at 8906 Rosehill Road in Lenexa, which has been in operation since 1988 and which Ceva bought in 2005.
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Children's Mercy Hospital and LifeNet Health Announce First Implant with MatrACELL (TM) Technology_____________________________________
LifeNet Health, a leading allograft bio-implant company, announces the first implant of a CardioGrant (TM) allograft cardio patch product with MatrACELL (TM) decellularization technology. The surgery was performed at Children's Mercy Hospital, one of KansasBio's newest members, in Kansas City, MO. read more |
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Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science Launched in Ceremony at FHSU_____________________
Twenty-six high school students and the operators and founders of the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science (KAMS) kicked off the institution's inaugural year in a ceremony this afternoon at Fort Hays State University, the academy's host institution. read more |
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Kansas officials praise hiring of firm to oversee construction of National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility_________________________________________________
Kansas officials on Friday praised the hiring of a firm to oversee construction of a bio-security lab in Manhattan and said the decision shows a commitment to the project that has been questioned by some in Congress.
The Department of Homeland Security announced the selection of McCarthy/Mortenson Joint Venture of St. Louis for a $3.2 million contract as construction manager on the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. read more |
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SEPTEMBER
KansasBio Public Policy Committee Meeting
9/24/09, 2 - 4 p.m.
ECJC or Phone
Conference
8527 Bluejacket St.
Lenexa, KS 66214
Lawrence Rotary Club
Angela Kreps makes
presentation on KansasBio
& NDDA
9/28/09, 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Holiday Inn Holidome
200 McDonald Dr.
Lawrence, KS 66044
OCTOBER
KansasBio Talent
Development & Education Committee Meeting
10/1/09, 1 - 2:30 p.m.
Nicklaus Golf Club
at Lionsgate
14225 Dearborn Ave.
Overland Park, KS 66223
KansasBio Programs
& Events Committee
Meeting
10/2/09, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
SAFC Biosciences
11296 Renner Blvd.
Lenexa, KS 66219
KansasBio Membership
& Benefits Committee
Meeting
10/6/09, 9 - 10 a.m.
ECJC or Phone
Conference
8527 Bluejacket St.
Lenexa, KS 66214
KansasBio Industry
Advisory Panel Meeting
10/9/09, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Nicklaus Golf Club
at Lionsgate
14225 Dearborn Ave.
Overland Park, KS 66223
Bioscience Industry
Tour for Legislators
10/12/09 - 10/13/09
Manhattan, Lawrence
and Kansas City
For details, contact: kthornton@kansasbio.org
AdvaMed, The MedTech
Conference
10/12/09 - 10/14/09
Washington, D.C.
BIO & IT on Tap
10/14/09, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Johnny's Tavern
10384 S. Ridgeview
Olathe, KS 66219
KansasBio Executive
Committee Meeting
10/15/09, 1 - 3 p.m.
Beckloff Associates
7400 W. 110th St.
Overland Park, KS 66210
KansasBio Public Policy Committee Meeting
10/22/09, 2 - 4 p.m.
ECJC or Phone Conference
8527 Bluejacket St.
Lenexa, KS 66214
State Science & Technology Institute (SSTI) Conference
10/21/09 - 10/23/09,
Sheraton Overland Park Hotel
Overland Park, KS
NOVEMBER
KansasBio Membership
& Benefits Committee
Meeting
11/3/09, 9 - 10 a.m.
ECJC or Phone Conference
8527 Bluejacket St.
Lenexa, KS 66214
KansasBio Talent
Development & Education Committee Meeting
11/6/09, 1 - 2:30 p.m.
Nicklaus Golf Club
at Lionsgate
14225 Dearborn Ave.
Overland Park, KS 66223
BIO & IT on Tap
11/11/09, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
TBD
Wichita, KS
KansasBio Public Policy Committee Meeting
11/12/09, 2 - 4 p.m.
ECJC or Phone Conference
8527 Bluejacket St.
Lenexa, KS 66214
KansasBio Annual
Board Meeting,
BIG Thinkers Reception
will follow
11/19/09, 1 - 4 p.m.
Hallbrook Country Club
11200 Overbrook Rd.
Leawood, KS 66211 |
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Volume 4, Issue 8 
