Page 985 – Soapbox

Xavier Nursing School gets $1.5 million, largest federal grant in university history

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August 4, 2009

A $1.5 million federal grant awarded to the Xavier University School of Nursing will go toward a high-tech solution the school’s developed to help combat the national nursing shortage. The three-year grant will help fund an ongoing project that links Xavier’s campus, in the heart of urban Cincinnati to rural sites in Ohio where nurses can take master’s level nursing classes via real- time, HD video conferencing. “Eventually, seven rural Ohio healthcare organizations and their surrounding areas can be a part of the Xavier campus through video-conferencing,” says Susan Schmidt, director of Xavier’s School of Nursing. “Real face time with faculty is the advantage of teaching with this state-of-the-art technology. The wonderful goal of being able to reach out to rural Ohio and offer advanced nursing education to RNs and continuing education to all staff levels can be realized with this grant.” Starting in the fall of 2009, at least 20 rural students will be admitted to the program each year. They’ll earn a Master of Science in Nursing, and get training in the emerging care role of Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL). The American Association of Colleges of Nursing developed CNL in 2004 to “improve the quality of patient care and better prepare nurses to thrive in a complex health care system,” according to Xavier. Xavier was one of the first schools in the state of offer a CNL program, and the only one offered to rural RNs. This project is in its second year. “For the first year of the program, three rural Ohio health care organizations have partnered with Xavier: Brown County Regional Hospital, Fairfield Medical Center, and Wesleyan Senior Living Center in northern Ohio,” says Distance Learning Coordinator Debbie Davis. “Additional rural partners, including skilled nursing facilities, will be recruited for the second and third years of the project.” The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration awarded the grant through its Nurse, Education, Practice and Retention Program. Right now, estimates from the American Health Care Association and the American Hospital Association estimate a shortage of 135,000 nurses nationwide, a vacancy rate of 8.1 percent. The rate is expected to grow as Baby Boomer age. Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Laurel Bauer, Media Relations Coordinator, Xavier University and Dr. Susan Schmidt, Director School of Nursing

Jacobs Automation Receives $150K from Ky. High-Tech fund, to create 9 jobs

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General

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August 4, 2009

Jacobs Automation, LLC has received $150,000 from Kentucky’s High Tech Investment Pool. The funds will go toward development of the company’s PackTrack product, which is an upgrade on the chain, belt and gear motors in traditional package movers. PackTrack relies on a direct-drive linear motor that is tracked by customized software. The state funds will pay for patent expenses and for building two PackTrack demo units. Jacobs Automation is moving from Norwood to Campbell County, and plans to create at least nine full-time jobs that pay an average salary of $65,000 not including benefits, according to the state Economic Development Cabinet.Jacobs in a client of the state’s Northern Kentucky Innovation and Commercialization Center. The state High-Tech Investment Pool promotes technology-based and research driven companies in targeted regions of the state. “This illustrates that our economic incentive programs are very competitive and can support existing Kentucky businesses while also attracting new companies,” said Larry Hayes, interim secretary of the Cabinet for Economic Development.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development

PDS Biotechnology treatment of HPV-linked cancer set for human trial in 2010

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Entrepreneurship

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August 4, 2009

PDS Biotechnology Corporation, in Lawrenceburg, Ind., is just one of the region’s biopharmaceutical companies doing potentially groundbreaking work in the area of cancer treatment. PDS specializes in immunotherapy in treating cancers such as melanoma and cancers caused by the HPV-virus (including cervical cancer). These cancers are some of the country’s most lethal. Today a vaccine exists to protect girls from HPV before they are exposed, but it doesn’t treat the virus or HPV-linked cancers in women. PDS is working to provide that treatment through a therapeutic vaccine. “Merck has Gardasil and it’s quite effective as a preventative vaccine, but it’s not effective once someone is exposed to the virus. HPV is very widespread, and the technology we are applying is for a cure for HPV and cancer. No treatment exists today,” said Dr. Frank K. Bedu-Addo, PDS President and CEO. PDS was founded by a team of biotechnology veterans who have expertise in drug development and biotechnology company management. Members have previously developed anticancer and infectious disease drugs and commercializing these drugs. It was founded in 2005. The company’s platform Versamune nanotechnology is being applied to these and other immunotherapies to treat both cancer and infectious diseases. The first Versamune-based product, Versamune-HPV is human clinical trials in 2010. It could be on the market by 2015, Bedu-Addo said. PDS’ platform is also designed to bring down the costs and raise the potency and safety of immunotherapy, as well. In June, PDS moved its offices from Cincinnati to Lawrenceburg, Indiana. The company had debated moving from Greater Cincinnati to Indianapolis, but decided to stay in through a collaborative incentive effort of the the State of Indiana, the City of Lawrenceburg and Dearborn County. The PDS Company moved into the Ivy Tech facility on Industrial Drive, Lawrenceburg. “We wanted to stay in the Greater Cincinnati area so it worked out very well,” Bedu-Addo said. Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Dr. Frank K. Bedu-Addo, PDS President and CEO

Three NKY companies secure $335K in funding from Kentucky Science and Technology

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General

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August 4, 2009

Three Northern Kentucky companies, Pilus Energy, Dito Solutions and Analytical Solutions and Providers, received a total of $335,000 in funding from the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation to spur science and technology entrepreneurism. “Entrepreneurism often flourishes during a recession,” says Casey Barach, VP of entrepreneurship at Northern Kentucky ezone, which aided the companies with the grant process. “These grants are critical for small companies to take their products and services to the next level. There are a number of opportunities for companies to receive funding from Kentucky and we’re here at the ezone to assist with the process.” Ditto Solutions, in Florence, developed and is marketing DitoAdvisor.com a comprehensive, direct to consumer financial planning and management Web site. The company says it will deliver “independent and objective financial advice on virtually any significant topic in personal finance.” The company received $75,000 from the Rural Innovation Fund Solutions and Providers (ASAP Analytical), in Covington, received $30,000 from the Rural Innovation fund. It recently introduced the InfraRed Detector that allows forensic chemists to identify the “molecular structure and chemical fingerprint” of drugs that have been chemically altered. The InfraRed Detector is highly useful in the forensic, Homeland Security, pharmaceutical and petrochemical sectors. Pilus Energy, in Covington, was awarded $250,000 and is the first Northern Kentucky company to receive dollars from the Kentucky New Energy Venture fund. Pilus developed a patent-pending, “hybrid microbial biofuel cell with an ultra capacitor to harvest electrons from their proprietary bacteria which consume sewage, fertilizer run-off, animal waste and rotting plant materials.” "This funding from KSTC will enable us to attract the specialists we need to move our technology forward,” says Jason Barkeloo, founder and president of Pilus Energy. “Over the next year we will employ nearly 40 people from bacterial farming to chemical engineering, including support staff. With a successful product launch, we will create an ecosystem that can employ hundreds of people and give rise to new businesses supporting our energy reactor technology." The Fall 2009 Science and Technology Corporation application process is from Sept. 17 – Oct. 15. For more information, call Keith Schneider at the Northern Kentucky ezone at 859-292-7785 or visit www.nkyezone.org for more information. Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Cheryl Besl, STRATA-G COMMUNICATIONS

Cincinnati one of America’s Best Cities

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Arts + Culture

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August 4, 2009

Cincinnati came in at the number 9 spot on Outside Magazine's list of the top 10 cities in America based on things like cost of living, unemployment, nightlife, commute time, and access to green spaces. Outside started their list with the 100 most populated cities and then took the top 28 candidates with the highest overall averages and put them through an additional round of critiques that included comparisons of the percentage of the population with college degrees, income level in relation to home prices, and weather. Read full article here.

Cincinnati Children’s wins $8M in stimulus funding

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Cincy In The News

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August 4, 2009

$8 million in stimulus funding for Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Medical Center will go towards research work and create over one hundred new jobs. Officials from the hospital and medical center say that there are still outstanding funding requests that could result in even more money and even more jobs for one of Cincinnati's largest employers. Read full article here.

Cincinnati zoo director helps with turnaround

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Cincy In The News

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August 4, 2009

Cincinnati Zoo executive director Thane Maynard has helped turn years of financial hardships into three straight years of operating in the black while also adding more animals and attractions for visitors. Maynard is often seen doing hard physical labor around the zoo, and maintains a mantra of "more animals, more fun." In recent years the zoo has not only become more financially stable, but they have added a black rhino, 10,000-pound Asian bull elephant, a new giraffe exhibit and will be breaking ground on a new Cat Canyon exhibit next year. Read full article here.

Cincinnati area sees first ‘green’ house deconstruction

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Cincy In The News

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August 4, 2009

The Cincinnati area saw its first 'green' full-house deconstruction in the city of Wyoming at 641 Oak Avenue. The deconstruction effort is employing 10 to 15 people and will take four to six days. The site of the house will become green space for the community while the deconstruction project is salvaging an estimated 6,400 cubic feet of building material that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill. Read full article here.

John Legend, Poison latest stars seen at T.J. Maxx

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Cincy In The News

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August 4, 2009

John Legend joined a growing list of celebrities that have been spotted at downtown Cincinnati's T.J. Maxx clothing store. The six-time Grammy Award winner was in town for the Macy's Music Festival and was staying at a downtown hotel. Legend tweeted that he had stopped into the store and that many people looked shocked to see him there buying gym shorts. Other celebrities who have recently stopped in include Rev. Run, Alice Cooper and members of the rock band Poison. Read full article here.

Second Home for First-Gens

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Cincy In The News

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August 4, 2009

In an attempt to keep many of its first-generation students around after their first year the University of Cincinnati is hoping a new Gen-1 House just off of campus will help ease the transition. The house offers tutoring and study sessions, advising, counseling and mentoring. Students who agree to live in the house also must accept its rules that are seen by some students as too strict. In addition to the Gen-1 House, the University of Cincinnati also has themed housing options for music, engineering and communications. Read full article here.