Rockefeller University Alumnus & Biotech Inventor Dr. Kambiz Shekdar, PhD.
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POSTCARDS FOR POST-DOCS featuring Chromovert Technology.
— Rockefeller Alumnus & Biotech Inventor Dr. Kambiz Shekdar, PhD.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, August 17, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — After a kick-off this summer at CalTech and UCSF, the Technology Roadshow is kicking-off its Back-to-School season with stops at UC Berkeley, Rutgers University, University of Chicago, University of Oklahoma, Hunter College and Kent State along with a virtual presentations NYU Abu Dhabi, UAE and at the Noguchi Medical Research Institute in Accra, Ghana. The Roadshow is a unique initiative to connect with academic researchers, post-docs and graduate students at leading universities worldwide to share a recently published cellular biotechnology originating from The Rockefeller University.
The goal of the Technology Roadshow is to provide an innovative way to share an enabling biotechnology with academic researchers globally. The multi-use cellular biotechnology is in the same category as CRISPR. Unlike CRISPR, which is especially well-suited to deleting or disrupting target genes in treated cells, Chromovert permits the creation, detection and isolation of even exceedingly rare cells treated to comprise one or more added genes. Whereas CRISPR excels at engineering genes for cell therapy directly inside the body, the biotechnology at the center of the Roadshow permits the superior engineering of cells inside the laboratory petri dish. Applications include improved laboratory-based methods such as drug discovery and cell therapies that require engineering cells outside of the body followed by their introduction back into patients.
The Roadshow was launched during the summer of 2022 and highlights include stops at UCSF and Caltech in July and a virtual international destination at Kharazmi University in Tehran, Iran. The format includes a traditional seminar presentation of biotechnology data and results. In addition, partnerships with Post-Doctoral and Graduate Student Associations are being used to host “Happy Hour” segments following the formal scientific presentation for casual discussions with budding academic researchers contemplating forming their own biotech start-up companies. Future collaborations with career services departments at universities are currently being planned as well.
“As a researcher myself, it means a lot to me to share our work so anyone interested can use it to make their own breakthroughs. Our approach is not common, we have no marketing team, no customer support line or tech support – my feeling is that this will be exciting for tinkerers who want to push the limits who happen to be in a field of research where the tech may be a relevant tool to chart your own discoveries,” says Rockefeller University Alumnus & Biotech Inventor Dr. Kambiz Shekdar, PhD, creator of the Roadshow together with Fabienne Duchini, VP of Technology Outreach at Secondcell Bio.
Dr. Shekdar invented a technology known as Chromovert® Technology when he was a graduate student in the laboratory of his mentor, the late Nobel Laureate Dr. Gunter Blobel, MD, PhD at The Rockefeller University. In addition to the Roadshow, Dr. Shekdar has established Secondcell Bio as his own solo company to ramp-up the technology as part of a broad Public-Private Partnership in the UAE. Previously, Drs. Shekdar and Blobel were co-founders of Chromocell Corporation where Dr. Shekdar pioneered the technology as Chief Scientific Officer and Research Foundation to Cure AIDS (RFTCA) which is developing a charitable use. The Technology Roadshow was jointly created by RFTCA and Secondcell Bio.
According to Dr. Blobel, “You can really test in a much more comprehensive way than you could previously, and therefore Chromovert will probably be important to eliminate side effects or to predict side effects and we can get better, more highly targeted drugs.”
Notably, the technology was previously used in collaborations with The Coca-Cola Company, Kraft Foods and Nestle to mimic the biology of human taste in the petri dish. Direct comparisons of results from the laboratory cells to human taste testing results demonstrated that the method allowed a more accurate mimicry of human biology in the laboratory dish, with broad implications for improving drug discovery across numerous diseases.
The failure rate in the drug discovery industry is a staggering 98% with a dire need for improvements at every stage of the lengthy and expensive process. By providing researchers with a tool that permits the creation of laboratory cells that more accurately mimic human biology, the Technology Roadshow stands to mint new drug discovery pioneers.
ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY ROADSHOW
The Technology Roadshow is an in-person roadshow designed to connect and engage with academic researchers, post-doctoral and graduate students based on the personal and professional experiences of Rockefeller University alumnus and biotech inventor, Dr. Kambiz Shekdar, Ph.D. The goal of the roadshow is to share a newly published and enabling multi-use cellular engineering technology with research universities globally. The Roadshow is looking for sponsors to support our outreach efforts. We have various levels of sponsorship available. Please reach out to fabienne.duchini@secondcellbio.com for more info on sponsoring The Technology Roadshow.
ABOUT CHROMOVERT® TECHNOLOGY
Chromovert® is an addition to the cell and genetic engineer’s toolkit. Chromovert® is a broadly applicable platform technology for basic research, drug discovery, biologics production and cell therapy. Use it to create cell lines for any cell type, any gene, any application. Chromovert® uses Molecular Beacons, or Molecular Lightbulbs™, to detect and purify even exceedingly rare, optimally engineered cells expressing any one or more genes. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10529-021-03101-5.
ABOUT SECONDCELL BIO
Secondcell Bio is building greater public-private partnerships worldwide to realize the full potential of Chromovert® Technology. Originating from The Rockefeller University, the multi-use technology decreases the cost of investment and increases the likelihood of success in the pharmaceutical drug discovery process. Secondcell is making its technology available to researchers in universities around the world via a partnership with Gene Link. https://www.linkedin.com/company/secondcellbio/.
ABOUT RESEARCH FOUNDATION TO CURE AIDS (RFTCA)
RFTCA is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that was founded to develop a cure for AIDS that is accessible and affordable for all. The law firm Morrison & Foerster LLP and advertising agency Havas Health Plus represent RFTCA on a pro bono basis, RFTCA’s Board of Directors includes scientists affiliated with The Rockefeller University. https://rftca.org/.
CONTACT INFORMATION
To schedule a stop as part of the Roadshow, contact Fabienne Duchini, Technology Outreach, Secondcell Bio at fabienne.duchini@secondcellbio.com.
Dianne Dotson
Secondcell Bio
dianne.dotson@secondcellbio.com
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