Suzanne Somers, a breast cancer survivor who’s become known for her controversial advice against chemotherapy, has done something that other women can truly find hope in. She turned to stem-cell techniques to successfully reconstruct her breasts.

The actress, 65, underwent a lumpectomy and radiation 12 years ago, and since then, she says, she wasn’t happy with the appearance of her breasts.  The radiation, she told “People” magazine, “left what breast I had flatter and flatter. I had a Double D on one side and on the other side I could hardly fill a B.”

Dissatisfied with conventional breast-reconstruction procedures,  the “Three’s Company” veteran researched further and discovered that  Dr. Kotaro Yoshimura, a Japanese surgeon, had  developed stem-cell breast reconstruction in 2004. After talking with Yoshimura, Somers was convinced and decided to go with an American doctor for the operation.

So she began a clinical trial that has been ongoing at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center.  The first patient to participate, Somers had fat removed from her stomach via liposuction. Then her surgeon, Dr. Joel Aronowitz, harvested stem cells from half the fat and combined it with the remaining amount.

After that, Aronowitz injected the mixture back into Somers’ breast until it matched her left one in size.  (Somers had reduced her DD left breast to a C.)

Somers said she’s thrilled with the result and the implications for other breast-cancer survivors. I am so ensconced in what's cutting edge,” she told “People.” “I get my thrill out of passing on information to women so they can have a better quality of life.”

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Suzanne Somers Uses Stem Cell Therapy for Breast Reconstruction

McMaster University is on its way to moving stem cell research “from the bench to the bedside” thanks to a $30 million boost from a local family.

The Marta and Owen Boris Foundation made the large donation to establish a human stem cell therapy centre and a unique clinic for patients with complex health conditions.

Owen, the founder of Mountain Cablevision, was in talks with McMaster about investing in their work before he died last April. His children and wife contacted the university a month later and carried out his vision, firming up their commitment last November.

The Boris Family Centre in Human Stem Cell Therapies will be developed as part of the McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute using $24 million of the funds.

“It’s getting over that chasm from the bench to the bedside that this (donation) is going to allow us to do,” the institute’s scientific director Dr. Mick Bhatia said.

The centre will give scientists the resources to focus on converting McMaster’s breakthroughs — such as the ability to make blood or types of neural cells with stem cells — into clinical applications through investigative trials, Bhatia said.

“In the absence of this donation, I think we would not be in the position to move our discoveries forward,” he said. “This is a huge leg-up. I’m hoping what it’s really going to do is have a ripple effect to change the way McMaster views translating basic science.”

They plan on developing human stem cell therapies targeting leukemia and possibly neural diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, said Dr. John Kelton, dean and vice-president of the faculty of health sciences.

The remaining $6 million will go toward building a clinic in partnership with Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) where patients with complex health issues can see specialists and undergo tests in one visit.

This was a result of his parents’ frustrating experiences in recent years with co-ordinating specialists and getting diagnostic testing done in Canada, said Owen’s son, Les Boris.

They ended up going to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., where they had a case manager who co-ordinated their appointments with specialists and made sure testing was done in-house, he said. “They like the idea of a one-stop shop … (My father) said: ‘This is the kind of model we need here in this country.’”

Kelton said the medical clinic, which will be built in the university’s medical centre, will look for rapid turnaround times and avoid duplications of lab tests. McMaster and HHS will also evaluate the clinic’s success and keep an electronic medical record that patients could access, he said.

Kelton and Owen met three years ago and had their last meeting about the projects three days before the philanthropist died.

Owen had worked on the Avro Arrow and was frustrated with Canada’s lost opportunity of making jet planes for the world, Kelton said.

“He said, ‘Tell me about some opportunities (that) – if we invested in it – could make Hamilton and McMaster world-class. What are some of the areas like an Avro Arrow?’”

The funds for the human stem cell therapy centre will go toward hiring a research chair in blood stem cells and a research chair in neural stems cells, setting up several fellowships and technician positions, and building the facility.

Bhatia says they hope to bring in new scientists and fellows by the early summer.

The Boris family previously donated $6 million to addiction research at St. Joseph’s Healthcare for its new mental health hospital being built on the Mountain and another $5 million for the da Vinci SI Surgical Robotic System.

“We’re very appreciative that we’re in a position to be doing something for the community,” Les said. “And it was the community that put us in the position to do this.

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$30 million donation from Boris family will help McMaster turn stem cell research into therapy

Scrapping the nascent all-Canadian Avro Arrow jet fighter program in 1959 is still mourned as a national blunder but, 53 years later, the law of unintended consequences is drawing from it unexpected bounty.

Owen Boris, as a young engineer, was a technically savvy worker who lost his job when the Avro program ended; he returned to Hamilton where he started installing television antennae for neighbours. From there he built a modern high-speed Internet, telephone and cable company that he sold in 2009 for an estimated $300 million.

The businessman did not forget his disappointment with the demise of Avro and never again wanted Canadian innovation to be squandered.

Mr. Boris died suddenly in April at the age of 79 but, on Monday, at a ceremony in Hamilton, his family is announcing a $30-million donation in his name to McMaster University to spur medical research and innovation, primarily in human stem-cell therapies.

“Owen Boris was very frustrated with a couple of things,” said Dr. John Kelton, vice-president of McMaster’s faculty of health sciences and dean of its Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine.

“He had been involved with the Avro Arrow and many times he said how frustrated he was that Canada was on the edge of having one of the finest aviation machines and it was squandered. He saw it as a failed opportunity for Canada. That bothered him.”

Mr. Boris was also frustrated by Canada’s often cumbersome health-care system. “He went to the Mayo Clinic and wondered why we can’t have something like a Mayo Clinic in Canada,” Dr. Kelton said.

The donation aims to posthumously address both of those frustrations.

Of the donation, $24-million will establish the Boris Family Centre in Human Stem Cell Therapies, designed to speed the commercial development of discoveries, and $6-million will create a special hospital clinic where patients with complex health problems can see several specialists and have related tests during one visit.

“Owen compared stems cells to the Avro Arrow program — he asked why, with all the basic research that’s happening here at McMaster, can we not get it into patients more quickly? If children are dying of leukemia and stem cells might save them, why aren’t we doing it yet?” said Dr. Kelton of his discussions with Mr. Boris shortly before his death.

“And he asked why is it so hard to get health care in Canada that is fast and efficient?”

McMaster University

Owen Boris liked speed in jets, boats and medicine.

Mr. Boris was all about fast and efficient. It was what sparked his love of the Arrow, pushed him to set speed-boat racing records and to build and fly his own plane. It was also a mantra for his business.

Dissatisfied with both the quality and quantity of television reception in the 1950s, he built a television tower in the backyard of his Hamilton home to pull in a better signal and additional channels from Toronto, Buffalo and Cleveland.

When neighbours asked him about it, he dug trenches to bury cables from his tower to their homes to share the signal.

It wasn’t long before providing cable television became his main focus and, under the name Mountain Cable and with the help of his wife, Marta, business roared. Renamed Mountain Cablevision it became one of the largest and most technically advanced independent cable TV providers in Canada.

McMaster University hopes to match Mr. Boris’ passion for speed and success in the medical field through the cash infusion.

“My dad had been to the Mayo Clinic a couple of times and raved about it,” said Les Boris, Mr. Boris’s son. “We’re looking to see that type of model and infrastructure created here, so that people can have access to the best doctors, efficient diagnosis and immediate treatment.”

“Without any wait times,” added his sister, Jackie Work.

In response, the university visited the Mayo Clinic to look for ways to apply its philosophy to Canada’s universal health-care system.

The bulk of the Boris money, however, will boost efforts at the McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, with an eye on moving research out of the lab and into the hospital.

“The Boris family want us to fast track the basic research to get it into patients. They are a family intent on moving things forward and here is a chance to operationalize that,” Dr. Kelton said.

The money will allow the school to recruit top researchers to the six-year-old institute that has already had several breakthroughs, including the ability to turn human skin into blood.

The Boris funds will establish two senior research chairs, one in blood stem cells and the other in neuro stem cells, with $5-million in funding each, the largest at the university.

“That is so large it will let us bring in the top dogs,” Dr. Kelton said. “It gives us a hunting licence to go out and get them and fund the lab and their research.”

The money will also fund several fellowships, technician positions and infrastructure building.

The Boris family has already given away millions.

Last year, the family donated $11-million to Hamilton’s St. Joseph’s Healthcare: $6-million to fund alcohol addiction research in memory of Mr. Boris’s son, Peter, who suffered from alcohol addiction before his death at age 44, and $5-million to buy an advanced robotic surgical system.

Before his death, Mr. Boris gave $3-million to fund a stem-cell vision research position at the Toronto General and Western Hospital Foundation.

“This is a continuation of the gifts that our family has already started giving back to the Hamilton community,” said Ms. Work. Added Les Boris: “We want to give back to the people in this city who supported our business for years.”

National Post
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From the Avro disappointment to the gift of stem-cell research

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PET techniques provide more accurate diagnosis, prognosis in challenging breast cancer cases

Newswise — BETHESDA, MD, February 6, 2012 – The members of the Association for Molecular Pathology voted in favor of adopting significant changes to the structure of its governing body. The changes resulted in two primary refinements; 1) a shift from management by a Council to management by a Board of Directors and an Executive Committee, and 2) the transition of Subdivision Chairs from the role of Annual Meeting programming to one that focuses directly on the interests and needs of the subdivision discipline.

The shift from the Council model to a Board and Executive Committee structure allows the Board to continually appraise the Association at a high level and to develop long-range goals, plans, and policies, thus allowing the Executive Committee to focus on operational issues including the implementation of the strategy, direction, and policies established by the Board. The overall strategy of management by a Board and Executive Committee, adopted by an increasing number of nonprofit organizations, allows for greater flexibility, adaptability, and nimbleness on the part of AMP to establish and easily modify its direction moving forward.

AMP’s membership includes four distinct subdivisions; Genetics, Hematopathology, Infectious Diseases, and Solid Tumors. Each subdivision represents a vital segment of AMP membership, reflecting the diversity, vitality, and wide range of specialties encompassed by AMP members.

“AMP has now matured as an organization and is ready to be governed differently than when it was founded,” said Iris Schrijver, MD, AMP President. “Over the course of several months, we studied many aspects of nonprofit governance, examined other organizations, and discussed how to create a model that best suits AMP. Our new governance structure will facilitate decision-making that is informed and strategic.”

The overarching catalyst for the changes to the AMP governance structure is the newly implemented strategic plan. The plan centers on five essential areas: advocacy, education, innovation and improved patient care, governance, and management. AMP’s policies, programs, resources and structure will all serve to support these elements of the strategic plan. For more information about the AMP Strategic Plan, visit www.amp.org.

ABOUT AMP:
The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) is an international medical professional association dedicated to the advancement, practice, and science of clinical molecular laboratory medicine and translational research based on the applications of molecular biology, genetics, and genomics. For more information, please visit http://www.amp.org/about/strategic_plan.cfm.

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Emergent Financial Group, Inc. (www.emergentfinancial.com) today announced the completion of a $11.8 million private placement transaction for Tenex Health Inc.(www.tenexhealth.com), a California-based medical technology company developing the FAST™ Procedure (Focused Aspiration of Scar Tissue) for the treatment of tendon injuries (www.fastprocedure.com). The private investment in a public equity (PIPE) financing was part of a reverse merger with U.S.-listed Direct Pet Health Holdings, Inc. (OTC:DPHG). Emergent Financial Group acted as the sole placement agent of common stock on behalf of Tenex Health.

“Through the efforts and guidance from Emergent Financial, we were able to quickly and effectively raise the funds to galvanize the growth of our company”

Emergent Financial Group is proud to be associated with Tenex Health and their revolutionary product that was developed in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic. Due to the overwhelming response from potential investors, Tenex Health increased the size of the offering from the original amount of $8.0 million to $11.8 million. Commenting on the successful equity offering, Emergent Financial CEO Peter Voldness stated: “The Tenex Health offering was a success by every measure. The offering was quickly oversubscribed by investors, including prominent orthopedic surgeons across the country that recognized the first mover advantage of the new therapy platform.” Additionally, Tenex was recently named by Forbes magazine as the top rated medical device company in their 2011 list of America's 100 Most Promising Companies.

“Through the efforts and guidance from Emergent Financial, we were able to quickly and effectively raise the funds to galvanize the growth of our company,” said Jagi Gill, CEO and Founder of Tenex Health Inc. Jagi Gill also added: “The financing has allowed us to fully integrate manufacturing and production capabilities with operations and sales as well as expand our physician and consumer marketing campaigns surrounding the FAST procedure. With such a comprehensive talent and resource pool, we can more effectively deliver our compelling therapy to the marketplace and build a robust product pipeline.”

Source Emergent Financial Group, Inc.

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Emergent Financial Group raises $11.8M for Tenex Health

BLOOMINGTON, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Emergent Financial Group, Inc. (www.emergentfinancial.com) today announced the completion of a $11.8 million private placement transaction for Tenex Health Inc.(www.tenexhealth.com), a California-based medical technology company developing the FAST™ Procedure (Focused Aspiration of Scar Tissue) for the treatment of tendon injuries (www.fastprocedure.com). The private investment in a public equity (PIPE) financing was part of a reverse merger with U.S.-listed Direct Pet Health Holdings, Inc. (OTC:DPHG.PK – News). Emergent Financial Group acted as the sole placement agent of common stock on behalf of Tenex Health.

Emergent Financial Group is proud to be associated with Tenex Health and their revolutionary product that was developed in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic. Due to the overwhelming response from potential investors, Tenex Health increased the size of the offering from the original amount of $8.0 million to $11.8 million. Commenting on the successful equity offering, Emergent Financial CEO Peter Voldness stated: “The Tenex Health offering was a success by every measure. The offering was quickly oversubscribed by investors, including prominent orthopedic surgeons across the country that recognized the first mover advantage of the new therapy platform.” Additionally, Tenex was recently named by Forbes magazine as the top rated medical device company in their 2011 list of America's 100 Most Promising Companies.

“Through the efforts and guidance from Emergent Financial, we were able to quickly and effectively raise the funds to galvanize the growth of our company,” said Jagi Gill, CEO and Founder of Tenex Health Inc. Jagi Gill also added: “The financing has allowed us to fully integrate manufacturing and production capabilities with operations and sales as well as expand our physician and consumer marketing campaigns surrounding the FAST procedure. With such a comprehensive talent and resource pool, we can more effectively deliver our compelling therapy to the marketplace and build a robust product pipeline.”

About Tenex Health Inc.

Tenex Health, Inc. (www.tenexhealth.com) develops and markets innovative therapies for the treatment of tendon pain due to trauma or repetitive motion injuries. The minimally invasive procedure, known as FAST™ (Focused Aspiration of Scar Tissue), utilizes the company’s proprietary TX1 Tissue Removal System to debride and aspirate diseased soft tissue and bone spurs in an outpatient setting using local anesthetic (www.fastprocedure.com). Since the surrounding healthy tendon tissue is not disturbed, patients enjoy less discomfort and faster recovery times versus traditional open surgical procedures. The entire procedure is completed under local anesthesia and usually within 15 minutes.

About Emergent Financial Group, Inc. (www.emergentfinancial.com)

Emergent Financial Group provides investment banking services for early stage growth companies in healthcare. By specializing on innovative healthcare companies, Emergent has developed an understanding of these companies, their entrepreneurial managers, and their highly specialized financing needs.

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NEWARK, Del.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

SDIX (NASDAQ: SDIX – News), a leading provider of biotechnology-based products and services for a broad range of life science, biotechnology, diagnostic and food safety applications, and BD Diagnostics, a segment of BD (Becton Dickinson and Company), a leading global medical technology company, today announced the signing of a comprehensive agreement whereby the two companies will collaborate in the development of a microbiology detection solution. The collaboration will combine SDIX’s expertise in development of high performance antibodies with BD’s expertise in diagnostic system development. The collaboration objective is to commercialize a novel system to address market needs for faster time to results and for accurate detection of microorganisms.

Under the agreement, SDIX will provide BD Diagnostics access to its proven antibody technology and a non-exclusive license to its patented bacteria phage technology. BD will pay SDIX a $1.25M upfront fee for a combination of license fees, technology access fees, and paid-for research during system development. In addition to the upfront payment, the agreement provides up to $2.5M in milestone payments and royalties on product sales incorporating SDIX’s patented technology. Upon commercialization of this system SDIX and BD will be engaged in a long term agreement for the supply of antibodies from SDIX to BD.

Francis DiNuzzo, SDIX’s President and CEO commented, “We are excited to be working with a world class organization like BD. This agreement demonstrates our strengths in the design and production of novel, highly specific antibodies and our knowledge and experience in developing antibody based detection systems.” Mr. DiNuzzo went on to say, “The combination of SDIX’s antibodies together with the assay and platform capabilities of BD will enable the partnership to deliver a highly valuable system that we expect to advance microbial detection in many very valuable applications. We are pleased with the opportunity to collaborate with such a capable and well known organization.”

About SDIX (www.sdix.com)

SDIX is a biotechnology company with a core expertise in creating better antigens, better antibodies and better assays for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and food safety markets. For over 20 years, SDIX has been a leading immune-solutions company, developing results-oriented and innovative antibody-based solutions that enable customers to meet high performance research, diagnostic and commercialization objectives. In the life science market, SDIX’s technology and capabilities are being used to help discover disease mechanisms, facilitate development of new drugs and provide antibodies and assays for the diagnosis of disease. In the food safety market, SDIX continues to expand its footprint as an international supplier of rapid pathogen test technologies that enable more accurate and cost-effective results.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements reflecting SDIX’s current expectations. When used in this press release, words like “anticipate”, “could”, “enable”, “estimate”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “can”, “goal”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “plan” and similar expressions as they relate to SDIX are intended to identify said forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ from those anticipated by SDIX at this time. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, changes in demand for products, the application of our technologies to various uses, delays in product development, delays in market acceptance of new products, retention of customers and employees, adequate supply of raw materials, inability to obtain or delays in obtaining fourth party, or required government approvals, the ability to meet increased market demand, competition, protection of intellectual property, non-infringement of intellectual property, seasonality, and other factors more fully described in SDIX’s public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

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SDIX Announces Collaboration Agreement with BD Diagnostics

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Smith & Nephew Reaches Settlement With US Government

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Feb. 6, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PSS World Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq:PSSI – News) announced today that, effective March 1, 2012, Jenny R. Kobin, age 45, will join the Company as Vice President of Investor Relations. Ms. Kobin will report to David M. Bronson, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

In her new role, Ms. Kobin will provide strategic leadership for investor relations, public relations and corporate communications initiatives integral to the ongoing success of the Company. She will also serve as the liaison between PSS and external stakeholders including analysts, institutional investors, individual shareholders, media and the local community.

In making the announcement, Mr. Bronson said, “We are very pleased to welcome Jenny Kobin to our team. Her breadth of investor relations, capital markets and healthcare industry expertise will enable us to further strengthen relationships with the investment community and build appreciation for our mission, strategic plans and performance. Jenny's experience and value-added interactions led to her top five ranking in Institutional Investor magazine's 2011 Sell-Side List of Best IR Professionals in the Biotech Industry.”

An industry veteran, Ms. Kobin has more than 20 years of experience partnering with companies on investor relations and strategic financial communications. She most recently served as Vice President of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications for Inspire Pharmaceuticals, a specialty biopharmaceutical company. She previously led the investor relations functions at TriPath Imaging, a medical device company, and SciQuest, a healthcare e-procurement and supply chain solutions provider. Ms. Kobin began her career in investor relations at Bank of America and in corporate finance at J.C. Bradford & Co., a regional investment bank. Ms. Kobin holds a B.S. in Commerce from the University of Virginia and an M.B.A. from Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina. She is an active member of the National Investor Relations Institute and recently served a four-year term on its national Board of Directors.

PSS World Medical, Inc. markets and distributes medical products to physicians, elder care providers and alternate-site healthcare providers throughout the United States. Since its inception in 1983, PSS has become a leader in the market segments that it serves with a focused approach to customer service and operational excellence. The Company's stated purpose is to strengthen the clinical success and financial health of caregivers by solving their biggest problems.

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PSS World Medical Appoints Vice President, Investor Relations

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