News Archive

Johns Hopkins University has launched a new, annual award to support promising business ventures developed by student entrepreneurs—and to encourage the creators of those startups to put down roots and grow in Baltimore.

The President’s Venture Fellowship, by far the largest award for student entrepreneurship ever offered by the university, is open to any full-time Johns Hopkins student, undergraduate or graduate, who seeks to continue pursuing a business venture in Baltimore after graduation. Up to two winners will be selected annually to receive a $100,000 award, with the lead of each venture also receiving a $40,000 salary stipend.

April 20, 2023 / By Katie Maney

Musculoskeletal injury (MSKI) is the most common form of medical injury experienced by Service members. Clinical interventions for MSKIs lack objective measures to determine their effectiveness, putting affected military personnel at risk of further damage if they return to duty  before fully recovering.

George Mason University bioengineer Dr. Parag Chitnis, an associate professor in the Department of Bioengineering and a member of the Institute for Biohealth Innovation (IBI), and his team are developing quantitative assessments that can both prevent and monitor MSKIs in Service members.

In partnership with Cephasonics Ultrasound, an ultrasound systems and technology company in California, and Infinite Biomedical Technologies, a biotechnology company in Maryland, the team has been selected by the United States Army Medical Research and Development Command to receive nearly $3M from the United States Department of Defense, awarded through the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC). The award will support the team’s development of wearable, compact, and hands-free ultrasound systems to assess rehabilitation and recovery from MSKIs through measurements of muscle structure and function during physical activity, with a specific focus on knee injuries.

“MTEC aims to facilitate prototype advancement in support of the Warfighters’ MSKI needs, “ said Dr. Lauren Palestrini, MTEC’s chief science officer. “We are excited to issue this award to the team at George Mason University and believe it has the potential to make great strides in military health and ultrasound research.”

Prior to this award, Dr. Chitnis and Dr. Siddhartha Sikdar, a professor in the Department of Bioengineering and a member of the IBI, formed the Training and Recovery Augmented with Ultrasound Myography and Assessment (TRAUMA) program. With funding from the Department of Defense’s Military Operational Medicine Research Program, TRAUMA’s goal is to develop ultrasound systems that can be used to evaluate MSKIs in dynamic settings. The award from MTEC enables the team to further advance their ongoing research.

Discovering treatments for patients that currently have no available disease-modifying options is the priority of Gain Therapeutics. Specifically, there is a large unmet need for patients suffering from protein misfolding disorders that alter enzyme function.

What is Gain Therapeutics approach to drug discovery?

The pipeline begins with Gain’s agnostic discovery platform for Site-Directed Enzyme Enhancement Therapy (SEE-Tx). This is a computational platform, as opposed to an artificial intelligence (AI) system. This is preferable for multiple reasons. First, AI needs a large amount of data while SEE-Tx starts with a 3D protein structure to find novel binding sites within the protein. SEE-Tx can use the already published 3D protein structures solved by cryo-EM, or alternatively, the platform can utilize 3D structural predictions from the AlphaFold Database. After the platform identifies new binding sites on a previously undruggable protein, it can also compute the druggability of the identified allosteric binding site using quantitative predictions as opposed to discovery approaches using AI technology that cannot be interpreted. Importantly, any targeted sites will allow for protein function to be restored without interfering with the active sites of the enzyme and its substrate.

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) is proud to announce that US Pharmacopeia (USP) will be hosting the 9th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum for the second year in a row on September 19th and 20th, 2023. In addition to this flagship event, USP will also host the 8th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Crab Trap Competition on September 20th and the 6th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Investment Conference on September 21st.

“We are looking forward to once again hosting the BioHealth Capital Region Forum. As an integral part of this dynamic region, USP is deeply committed to fostering innovation and collaboration across the BioHealth space. USP eagerly anticipates bringing together leading minds and stakeholders to advance our shared vision for the future.” said Anthony Lakavage, J.D., SVP of Global External Affairs at USP.

The Greater Rockville Chamber of Commerce’s Chief Executive Officer, Marji Graf, serves on Rockville Economic Development, Inc’s (REDI) Board of Directors. REDI congratulates GRCC on their recognition, and is grateful for the continued involvement and guidance of Ms. Graf.

Annapolis, Md., Apr. 3, 2023 – The Maryland Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (MACCE) named Greater Rockville Chamber President and CEO Marji Graf its 2023 Maryland Chamber Executive of the Year.

“Marji is an exceptional leader and was selected as MACCE’s 2023 Chamber Executive of the Year because of her many notable accomplishments on behalf of the Greater Rockville Chamber of Commerce,” said Bill Chambers, MACCE President. “Marji helped the Greater Rockville Chamber, and its members deal with the many challenges of the pandemic, while still focusing on their program of work and making a difference for her members and her community.”

Among the numerous accomplishments noted in Marji’s nomination, standout achievements included diversifying and expanding her chamber’s programming, increasing its fiscal stability, and developing new, innovative responses to attracting and retaining members. “She is a dedicated
leader with a positive attitude and innovative spirit. Her commitment to the Chamber’s success was evidenced by adding new events, advocating for local businesses, and leading an effort to develop and implement values–based dues in 2022,” stated Laura Nash, Board Chair of the Greater Rockville Chamber and Relationship Manager and Vice President of West Financial Services.

An active member of MACCE, Marji is currently serving in her second year on MACCE’s Executive Board as Treasurer. Previous to moving to Maryland five years ago, Marji was a chamber leader in New England where she served as President of the Vermont Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and President of the New England Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.”