Buzz On Biz

AUGUSTA, Ga. – A new biotech company has grown out of laboratory and clinical studies at the Medical College of Georgia with the goal of improving the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and cancer.

Dr. Jin-Xiong She, director of the MCG Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, is president and CEO of the new Jinfiniti Biosciences LLC, housed in the MCG’s Life Sciences Business Development Center, a turnkey incubator for these type of startup companies. Dr. Richard A. McIndoe, the center’s associate director, is Jinfiniti’s vice president for operations and information technology.

Jinfiniti provides a variety of high-throughput scientific services including nucleic acid isolation, genomic analysis, antibody production, immunoassays, medicinal chemistry and toxicity evaluation for academic and pharmaceutical institutions. The company also is developing biomarkers that will enable simple urine or blood tests for early disease detection and monitoring of treatment outcomes.  Additionally, the company is developing new drugs and companion biomarkers for personalized medicine.

Dr. Charles Nawrot, MCG associate vice president for technology transfer and economic development, called She’s company a logical outgrowth of his science which has focused on translational studies such as identifying high-risk genes for type 1 diabetes then studying in humans how they interact with the environment to cause disease.

“Dr. She’s research is at the forefront of diagnosing and treating diabetes and cancer,” Nawrot said. “Jinfiniti Biosciences will be the vehicle by which his biomarker discoveries will be made available to the public. Soon we will have patient-specific therapies that result from his research into the molecular basis of these diseases.”

Moving laboratory findings into clinical practice is a major thrust of groups like the National Institutes of Health but the transition is a tough one, said She, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Genomic Medicine.

“There are many wonderful scientific discoveries but the vast majority never translate into medical practice.” She wants to help scientists close that gap. “Very few people are going to knock on your door to further develop the technology. That is what startup companies are trying to do: take discoveries to the next step so that big companies become interested.”

She’s new company has financial support from the Georgia Research Alliance Venture Lab Fund and two extramural research contracts. Jinfiniti also is pursuing angel investors and venture capital. The Office of Technology Transfer and Economic Development, MCG Research Institute and administration also have been exceedingly supportive, She said.

He is a little nervous about the opportunity but happy to take on the challenge.

“What impresses me the most about Dr. She is his drive and dedication to research and building this new company,” Nawrot said. “Nothing will stop him short of success.  I’m so glad that the MCG incubator can be a part of Jinfiniti’s growth.”

For more information about Jinfiniti, visit www.jinfiniti.com, email info@jinfiniti.com or call the company at 706-721-9461.

Please note that we offer a searchable photo archive ( https://my.mcg.edu/portal/page/portal/1811F1D8E3CE6EA1E0440003BAD149FF ).

The Medical College of Georgia is the state’s health sciences university. The university includes the Schools of Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Studies, Medicine and Nursing as well as the MCG Health System, which manages MCGHealth Medical Center, the Children’s Medical Center, related outpatient facilities and the Physicians Practice Group. MCG is a unit of the University System of Georgia and an equal opportunity institution.  http://www.mcg.edu

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12:20pm - - Jeremy Mace from www.newfiresocialmedia.com joins us for a look at social media in the workplace etc.

12:45pm - - Regent Security Vault, Eddie Writer and Butch Holley

1:20pm - - You are calling Dr. Jin-Xiong She (director of the MCG Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine)- at 706-721-3410.  See presser below.

130pm DAVID JONES…VOLKSWAGON

1:45pm - - Business leaders often have more responsibilities than to just their company or employees, sometimes it involves taking care of elderly loved ones. Our experts from RESCARE can help explain what’s involved in providing assistance. For more information, log on to www.rescarehomecare.com

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Click here to hear the podcast about the Marshall Family Y

Rusty Hall, the Branch Director of the Marshall Family Y in Martinez stops by the radio BUZZ to talk about the branch’s new and larger location.

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Click here to hear the podcast about ECO LATINO

The Director Of Sales, Enrique Romero stops by the radio BUZZ to give Bill and John the latest on the new MORRIS Spanish publication, ECO LATINO.

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About 70 folks in attendance at the ribbon cut. Danny McConnell, President and CEO of the Family Y, handled the Welcome and Introductions. Invocation by Mike Feaster, of Wesley United Methodist Church. Remarks by the following folks: Danny McConnell, Kline Petty, Chairman of Metro Board of Directors, Ron Cross, Vic Mill, President of Blanchard and Calhoun Commercial, and Yvonne Meeks.

The new facility is 19,000 sq ft, nearly 8,000 sq ft larger than the previous location. The new facility features an all-new fitness center including 44 pieces of cardio equipment with personal viewing screens. New locker rooms offer saunas. Members will enjoy more than 100 group exercise classes weekly. Kids will love the new facility too, with its four unique, age-specific child adventures areas for ages 8 weeks to 12 years.

The New location brought 200 New Members on the first day they opened. They are looking to open 3-4 more locations in Columbia County. The Y has almost 7,000 members. This location is the first in the Country to have the New Logo for the Y.

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source: Augusta Tech

Augusta Technical College President Terry Elam gets Kia ‘key to the future’ in ceremony in West Point, Ga.

Augusta, Ga. — Terry Elam, Augusta Technical College President, received a Kia “key to the future” during a special event held today at the Kia Georgia Training Center in West Point, Ga., when Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia Inc. (KMMG) donated 20 of the all-new Kia Sorentos to the Technical College System of Georgia. The colleges receiving the cars were chosen based on the size of enrollment in their automotive programs.

“KMMG deeply appreciates the support we continue to receive from the State of Georgia, Governor Sonny Perdue, Commissioner Ron Jackson and the entire Technical College System Board of Directors,” said KMMG President and CEO Byung Mo Ahn. “The donation of these vehicles is just one expression of our deep appreciation for all that Georgia’s technical college system has done to support our success.”

“The Technical College System of Georgia has been an important partner for Kia Motors Manufacturing from the very beginning,” said Mr. K.S. Kim, senior vice president of KMMG, during the presentation ceremony. “Many of the technical colleges have provided support for our endeavor, and most especially Georgia Quick Start has been critical to our success, as they have developed and delivered workforce training that is the new global benchmark in our industry of advanced automotive manufacturing.

“The donation of these vehicles is just one expression of our deep appreciation for all that Georgia’s technical college system has done to support our success,” Mr. Kim added. “We consider the keys to these Kia Sorentos to also be the keys to the future for technical college students across the great state of Georgia.”

“Augusta Tech’s success has been built on partnerships,” says Mr. Terry Elam, president of the college. “We are happy to receive a car from Kia to be used for training technicians in our automotive program. It will allow us to have first- hand training on a first class vehicle.”

Kia first announced it was going to build an automotive manufacturing facility in Georgia in 2006. The Kia Georgia Training Center, operated jointly by Kia and Georgia Quick Start, opened its doors in 2008, and since then, KMMG has hired more than 1,700 team members who began producing the best-selling, award-winning Sorento last November.

Commissioner Ron Jackson received the donation on behalf of the TCSG. “Students across the state will have the opportunity to experience some of the most sophisticated automotive technology on the market today,” Jackson said. “KMMG’s generous donation will help prepare our graduates with the knowledge and experience to compete in the world of advanced automotive manufacturing.”

“A donation of this sort will enhance an already outstanding automotive department and give our students more state of the art equipment,” said Tim Lewis, department head, Augusta Tech’s Automotive Technology program.

Augusta Tech’s automotive program is a nationally NATEF (National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation) certified and over 90% of graduates are employed in their field. Augusta Tech has a state of the art facility with ten work bays, two classrooms and over $500,000 in tools, equipment and diagnostic platforms. For more information visit us online at www.augustatech.edu.

CUTLINE FOR PHOTO:

Pictured with Kia’s “key to the future” from left to right is: K.S. Kim, senior vice president of KMMG; Terry Elam, president of Augusta Technical College; Tim Lewis, department head, Augusta Technical College’s Automotive Technology program; and Ron Jackson, Commissioner of The Technical College System of Georgia.

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The Augusta Leading Economic Index (Augusta LEI) is a monthly composite index that combines several national, regional and local indicators into a single variable. Leading indexes combine variables that change before business cycle variables such as employment changes. Leading indexes may, therefore, indicate changes that could occur in the economy. Leading indexes are not forecasts or predictions about the future, but may signify future economic activity.

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The “buzz boyz” are back for the Thursday edition and John welcomes a former co-worker who is growing in the ranks of Morris Communications.

12:20pm – ENRIQUE ROMERO is managing Eco Latino, an Hispanic Newspaper for Morris Newspaper that is launching Sept 6th.

12:45pm – Kevin Wade of Intellisystems stops by each Tuesday to discuss your office and your office needs. Intellisystems is a Microsoft provider, and does Networking, Monitoring, and Voice and Data services for clients. For more information, log on to www.intellisystems.com

1:20pm - -   RUSTY HALL (director of the MARSHALL BRANCH OF THE FAMILY Y) will be coming to the studio. They moved into their new facility on 7/19. Address is 1202 Town Park Lane (Evans Towne Park off Belair) http://www.thefamilyy.org/FamilyHome.asp?ID=2

1:45pm - -  Hospitality experts from The Partridge Inn join us to discuss the exciting events planned for the hotel’s 100th Anniversary in 2010. They will also discuss some hospitality “do’s” and “don’t’s” to help you plan your upcoming event. Find out more by logging on to www.partridgeinn.com

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Click here to hear the podcast with Sam Adams

The Head Professional at Savannah Lakes joins Bill and John for his weekly visit to talk golf.  This week, Bill talks about how most players have no idea how far they can hit each club, and what that is doing to undermine their game.

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Click here to hear the podcast with Michael McCauley

The owner of the FLEET FEET store in North Augusta stops by the radio BUZZ to talk to Bill and John about his first year in business.

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