The Lehigh Valley

Good afternoon. I truly hope that this transmission finds you all well. I have made my way back to Pennsylvania, to an area called “Lehigh Valley." Apparently, this area is an emerging bioscience cluster, and the amazing things that the companies and universities are doing really prove that. My first stop was Azevan Pharmaceuticals, which is a venture-backed company, run by experienced chemists and neurobiologists, developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of disorders of stress, mood, and behavior. Azevan’s first series of clinical candidates selectively block the effects of arginine vasopressin (AVP), which is involved in the pathophysiology of various conditions including anxiety, depression, and menstrual-related disorders. Personally, one of my favorite ways of raising my overall positive disposition levels is by telling a joke, so that’s exactly what I did… I am the, self proclaimed, official comedian of Beakeris after all. So I prepared my favorite joke for the good people at Azevan…a neutron walks into a bar, orders a drink, and then another…he asks the bartender how much he owes…to which the bartender replied…for you…no charge. Get it? Neutron? No charge? It gets me every time.

I left Azevan and plotted my course to Lehigh University. When I arrived I spoke with a student, who is acquiring a minor in biotechnology, who told me that if I wanted to find out more about Lehigh University and the biosciences I should check out their Bioscience in the 21st Century Virtual Classroom. This website is a publically accessible, introductory survey course with the goal in mind of communicating the importance of a systems-driven, multidisciplinary approach in bioscience. There are video lectures presented by faculty from different disciplines in order to highlight cross-disciplinary perspectives on fundamental problems and potential solutions in bioscience. Topics include infectious diseases, cancer, genome-based medicine, engineered, biomedical systems, stem cells, bioinformatics, and more! And tomorrow, Dr. Stefan Maas will discuss genome organization…one of my favorite subjects. Wow! I cannot believe that this is a program that is openly available to everyone…the bioscience industry really must be a very important aspect of the Lehigh Valley community.

My final stop was at InfraRed Imaging Systems, Inc. (IRIS). IRIS is a medical device designer and manufacturer that offers products that improve vascular access accuracy and patient care. A visit to the doctor’s office, a clinic or a hospital may necessitate the insertion of a needle or catheter into a patient’s vein or artery. The inadequacies of current vascular access practices significantly compromise patient care and contribute to rising healthcare costs. But with the IRIS Vascular Viewer, doctors and nurses will be able to view direct, real-time visualization of vascular structures. It’s amazing that their products allow nurses and doctors to see veins and arteries, as well as related vascular events such as rolled veins, bifurcations, vasospasm and extravasation. This is truly cutting-edge technology!
The Lehigh Valley has not disappointed me...I have learned and discovered so much that I needed to change the memory unit in my Bio Exploration Recorder…and it is capable of holding 1.3 billion B.S.Us.

Biotech 2009 is only 6 days away. I’ve logged onto the Biotech 2009 partnering site and have already scheduled meetings and discussions with other like-minded individuals. I don’t know what I’m more excited about…the keynote discussions with David Holveck and Fred Hassan…or the company presentations…or maybe it’s the Hot Topics in Science Track…or no it’s the Exhibit Hall…I don’t know, I must focus my HelixBrain...I know! I'm excited for it all!

I’m setting my navigation system towards the Great Valley, which will be my last stop before I finally end my journey where it all began…Philadelphia.
I truly hope that you’re as excited for these two days as I am!

Until then.

Helixman