All posts by imreal

SandboxAQ Joins the Department of Defense Skillbridge Program to Place Military Community Members in Exciting Quantum Tech Careers


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“The Skillbridge program is a win-win for retiring Service members looking to seamlessly transition to meaningful post-military careers and employers looking to hire highly skilled and motivated new talent,” said Jen Sovada, President of SandboxAQ Public Sector.

SandboxAQ, an enterprise SaaS company delivering the compound effects of AI and Quantum technology (AQ), today announced it is an authorized partner for the Department of Defense (DoD) Skillbridge program. The SkillBridge program enables Service members to gain valuable civilian work experience through specific industry training, apprenticeships, or internships during the last 180 days of service. SkillBridge connects Service members with industry partners in real-world job experiences.

Through Skillbridge, SandboxAQ will tap into a growing pool of talented and dedicated workers looking to apply their advanced degrees and military experience in fields such as cryptography, cybersecurity, AI, advanced mathematics, program management, natural and applied sciences and other disciplines to develop AQ solutions that solve some of the world’s toughest challenges.

“The Skillbridge program is a win-win for retiring Service members looking to seamlessly transition to meaningful post-military careers and employers looking to hire highly skilled and motivated new talent,” said Jen Sovada, President of SandboxAQ Public Sector. “The quantum ecosystem’s tremendous growth creates incredible opportunities for Skillbridge participants to apply their advanced degrees and military training towards careers that will deliver groundbreaking technology solutions, protect our national security and improve our way of life.”

For Service members SkillBridge provides an invaluable chance to work and learn in civilian career areas. For industry partners, SkillBridge is an opportunity to access and leverage the world’s most highly trained and motivated workforce at no cost. Service members participating in SkillBridge receive their military compensation and benefits, and industry partners provide the training and work experience.

For more information about our exciting career opportunities and employee benefits, please visit our careers page at https://www.sandboxaq.com/careers. To join SandboxAQ via Skillbridge visit https://skillbridge.osd.mil/program-overview.htm and apply today.

About SandboxAQ

SandboxAQ is an enterprise SaaS company providing solutions at the nexus of AI and Quantum technology (AQ) to address some of the world’s most challenging problems. We leverage the power of classical computing architecture to deliver AQ solutions and technologies today – years before fault-tolerant, error-corrected quantum computers become available. Our core team and inspiration formed at Alphabet Inc. in 2016, and SandboxAQ emerged as an independent, venture-backed company in 2022. For more information, please visit https://www.sandboxaq.com.

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Alturas Creates Alturas Business Partners and Acquires First Idaho Business


Alturas, a family of companies located in Eagle, ID, has created Alturas Business Partners, which is focused on acquiring, operating and growing small- to medium-sized businesses in Idaho and the Intermountain West. While Alturas has purchased other businesses in the past, including Hartley Dirtworks and Hartley Concrete in late 2020, Alturas Business Partners first business acquisition happened on July 1, when it acquired Idaho Fitness Factory. Idaho Fitness Factory owns and operates eight fitness clubs in the Treasure Valley.

These new enterprises benefit from the operating expertise of the Alturas companies. “We love to operate and grow businesses,” states Alturas CEO Blake Hansen. “We created Alturas Business Partners to leverage decades of business experience and provide additional opportunities for our partners as we buy and scale more great companies.”

Alturas Business Partners’ focus is creating long-term value for its partners, starting with team members and portfolio company employees. “We invest in the success of our partners and put them first,” says Rod Givens, President of Alturas. “Our belief that people are the heart and soul of every business leads us to create and maintain environments where employees want to give their best and are aligned with the long-term success of the business.”

Business owners are key to the success of Alturas Business Partners. “Our mission is to create opportunity through partnership,” says Alturas Business Partners CEO Ben Johnson. “This starts by partnering with business owners who care deeply about their people and have built successful businesses. We aim to provide them with a smooth exit from their business and continue their legacy by unlocking potential within their employees and business for decades to come.”

In conjunction, Alturas also created the Alturas Business Fund to allow investor partners an opportunity to invest along with Alturas. The fund does not share the constraints of typical investment funds. “We focus on adding one great company at a time that matches our core values and long-term goals,” continues Johnson. “The fund does not have an end date, so we are free to own and operate businesses for as long as it is in the best interest of each portfolio company, which can be indefinitely. This creates stability and opportunity for the employees and communities where our companies operate.”

Investors, banks and professionals are critical to the funding and success of Alturas Business Partners. “We look forward to growing relationships with our investor base, banking partners, brokers and other professionals as we find other businesses to start, purchase and grow together,” Johnson comments.

About Alturas Business Partners

Alturas Business Partners buys and operates small- to medium-sized businesses with sustainable, predictable cash flow from a variety of industries primarily in Idaho and the Intermountain West. Alturas Business Partners works with business owners who care about the company’s legacy and people and simultaneously want to achieve their financial goals and exit their business with a smooth transition to new ownership.

About Alturas

Alturas is a private holding company with operations in five states, over $100 million in annual revenue and more than 250 employees. With operations in construction, real estate, and technology–plus a growing portfolio of businesses managed by Alturas Business Partners–Alturas has gained experience in owning and operating businesses in Idaho and the Intermountain West since 2009.

Contact Information

Ben Johnson

benjohnson@alturas.com

LinkedIn

Blake Hansen

blakehansen@alturas.com

LinkedIn

Rod Givens

rodgivens@alturas.com

LinkedIn

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Xtalks Announces its Life Science Webinar Calendar for September 2022


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Stay on top of current hot topics through free webinars presented by leading experts in the pharma, biotech, medical device and food industries. Access to all webinars is free, so be sure to register today to save your place! Participate in the discussion and stay relevant in your field!

Visit http://www.xtalks.com to see our upcoming webinars:

BIOMARKERS

September 12- Current and Emerging Biomarkers to Advance Clinical Research in Parkinson’s Disease

CLINICAL TRIALS

September 1- Key Considerations for Planning Complex Clinical Trials: An In-Depth Look into Oncology Trials

September 7- Actionable Data: How to Deploy & Use Patient-Centric Data Collection to Improve Patient Experiences & Sharpen Decision Making

September 13- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Rare Disease Clinical Trials: Beyond Buzzwords

September 20- Patient-Reported Outcomes as Endpoints in Oncology Trials and Marketing Claims: An FDA/EMA Perspective

September 22- Community is The New Network: Developing Clinical Trial Site Relationships in Ophthalmic Research

September 26- Multi-Omics and Multimodal Data Integration and Analysis on AWS

September 27- Demystifying Complex Operations in Psychedelic Research

September 28- Applying Patient-Centric Practices Throughout Clinical Development

September 29- Decentralized and Hybrid Clinical Trials — Importance of Interoperability and Partnership

DRUG DISCOVERY & DEVELOPMENT

September 13- Non-Clinical vs Clinical: Risks & Considerations When Developing Modified Release Dosage Forms

September 22- Accelerate Product Approval Using In Silico Modeling & Simulation

September 26- Few-Shot Prediction of Drug-Target Binding Affinities for Small Molecule Drug Discovery

September 27- How Knowledge Graphs Accelerate Drug Discovery in Biotechs

DRUG SAFETY

September 30- New Options for Avoiding a Dedicated TQT Study — The Impact of the New ICH E14/S7B Revisions

FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH

September 16- Nuclear Receptors and Cancer Research: Current Trends and Applications

HEALTHCARE

September 12- Impact of Antimicrobial Stewardship Intervention in Conjunction with Rapid Multiplex Respiratory Diagnostics

September 28- Real-World Measurement of Cognition and Mood in Frontline COVID-19 Healthcare Workers

September 30- Beyond the EHR: Clinical Trials in the Age of Abundant Data

LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY

September 8- Liquid Biopsy in Oncology: Opportunities and Challenges

September 8- Transparency and Self-Service: Keys to Data Management Solutions’ Success

September 21- Single Cell Cloning — What Could Possibly go Wrong? AKA Latest Industry Thinking on Clonality

September 22- Streamlined Microbiome Sequencing through Automation

September 23- The Impact of a Rapid Blood Culture Identification System on a Pediatric Institution

PATIENT RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

September 8- Increasing Clinical Trial Diversity — Innovations to Overcome Barriers to Trial Participation

September 14- Pediatric Rare Disease Studies: Patient-Centric Approaches

September 20- Rare Disease Clinical Trials: Site, Advocate and Technology Insights

PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING & SUPPLY CHAIN

September 9- How Augmented Reality Helps Labs Improve Accuracy and Prevent Mistakes

September 20- Innovation Driving the Future of Vaccine Development and Distribution

PHARMACEUTICAL REGULATON

September 21- Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies in Structured Product Labeling Format and Additional Pharma Annual Deadlines

September 22- Let’s Get Real: The Growing Importance of Real-World Data and Real-World Evidence in Regulatory Decision-Making

September 22- Getting Ready for an Audit — How Life Science Companies can Prepare

PHARMACOVIGILANCE

September 15- Case Study: Maintaining Control and Visibility When Outsourcing Pharmacovigilance

PRECLINICAL

September 14- The Future of Glioblastoma Research: Developing Clinically Relevant Models for Evaluating Novel Therapies

MEDICAL DEVICE

September 20- ISO 11608: Best Practices to De-Risk & Shorten Time to Market for Wearable Injectors

September 23- Advances in Precision Motion and Imaging Clinical Trial Endpoints Collection for Parkinson’s Disease

FOOD

September 22- Healthy Aging and Well-being with Mediterranean Fruit and Vegetable Extracts — Part 1

September 27- Water Reuse Strategy, Challenges and Technology for the Food and Beverage Industry

ABOUT XTALKS

Xtalks, powered by Honeycomb Worldwide Inc., is a leading provider of educational webinars to the global life science, food and medical device community. Every year thousands of industry practitioners (from life science, food and medical device companies, private & academic research institutions, healthcare centers, etc.) turn to Xtalks for access to quality content. Xtalks helps Life Science professionals stay current with industry developments, trends and regulations. Xtalks webinars also provide perspectives on key issues from top industry thought leaders and service providers.

To learn more about Xtalks visit http://www.xtalks.com.

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Alturas Business Partners Acquires Idaho Fitness Factory


On July 1, 2022 Alturas Business Partners acquired Idaho Fitness Factory, which owns and operates eight fitness clubs throughout the Treasure Valley. Idaho Fitness Factory has 28 employees and nearly 20,000 members, with gyms located in Boise, Meridian, Nampa and Caldwell.

Idaho Fitness Factory was founded in 2011 by Cory Coltrin, Cade Coltrin, Chris Coltrin and Tyler Hess. They successfully scaled the business into the premier local gym in the Treasure Valley with a focus on cleanliness and customer service. The gyms offer no-contract, straightforward pricing with a la carte additions like tanning, group fitness and multi-club access to fit the needs of their members.

“Idaho Fitness Factory was born in the Treasure Valley, and we found a successor who understands the importance of that legacy,” says Idaho Fitness Factory co-founder Cory Coltrin. “We couldn’t have imagined a better outcome for the business and our team.”

The new owners plan to carry on the great things that members have come to expect from Idaho Fitness Factory and look for ways to expand the company’s footprint. “Idaho Fitness Factory is a perfect fit for Alturas Business Partners because the business model and core values align with our goals and core values,” states Alturas Business Partners CEO Ben Johnson. “We look forward to bringing new Idaho Fitness Factory services and locations to the Treasure Valley and beyond in the coming years.”

Cory Jakobson and Jenna Balch at Columbia Bank arranged the debt financing for the acquisition.

About Idaho Fitness Factory

Idaho Fitness Factory operates eight fitness clubs across the Treasure Valley. The company’s most recent addition opened in November 2021 at the corner or McMillan Road and Meridian Road in Meridian, Idaho. Idaho Fitness Factory is focused on providing clean, convenient, 24-hour gyms for its members with affordable, straightforward pricing.

Gym locations:

  • 4940 Elsinore Ave, Meridian
  • 11600 Fairview Ave, Boise
  • 3344 W State St, Boise
  • 3361 N Cole Rd, Boise
  • 2270 W Everest Ln, Meridian
  • 1535 W Franklin Rd, Meridian
  • 4108 Clock Tower Ave, Caldwell
  • 980 Rising Sun Dr, Nampa

About Alturas Business Partners

Alturas Business Partners buys and operates small- to medium-sized businesses with sustainable, predictable cash flow from a variety of industries primarily in Idaho and the Intermountain West. Alturas Business Partners works with business owners who care about the company’s legacy and people and simultaneously want to achieve their financial goals and exit their business with a smooth transition to new ownership. Read this press release to learn more about Alturas Business Partners.

Contact Information

Ben Johnson

benjohnson@alturas.com

LinkedIn

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a new mindset to address the obesity epidemic and beyond


Positive Nutrition: People do not eat nutrients. People eat foods and they do so in complicated dietary patterns as well as in astonishingly complex external environmental circumstances.

Nutritional science and nutritional policy cannot continue to ignore the interactions among diet, environment, lifestyle, and health maintenance – Dennis Bier, MD

The Mediterranean Diet Roundtable® in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy, Cambridge Food Science, and the American Italian Food Coalition, cordially invite you to the symposium: “Positive Nutrition: Shifting the Focus from Nutrients to Diet for a Healthy Lifestyle,” to be held on Thursday, September 15, 2022, from 3:30 to 5:30 pm at the Embassy of Italy in Washington, DC (3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008), with a reception to follow. H.E. Mariangela Zappia, Ambassador of Italy to the United States, will give opening remarks.

The impact of dietary choices on human health is gaining undivided attention, with an urgent call to action for developing new strategies able to contrast weight-related diseases as well as poverty. This symposium aims to provide an inclusive approach to adopting positive nutritional strategies, focusing on the long-term results and not on specific nutrients, moving the narrative to the whole lifestyle: sustainable dietary patterns, physical, and social activity as agents of change.

Since Hippocrates, food, and medicine have been interlaced in many ways. But now more than ever, it is imperative to better understand these complex relationships, with a multidisciplinary approach able to create a cohesive relationship between food, nutrition, environment, economic, social, and policy aspects, creating a new narrative about eating patterns.

With the discovery of essential nutrients in the first half of the 20th Century, nutritionists began employing relatively short- or intermediate-term experiments for disease prevention. However, fad diets never contemplate the whole picture: e.g.: people eat complex foods, not individual nutrients; observational studies are unable to determine causality; there are serious difficulties in designing, implementing, and funding long-term intervention trials.

A general scientific consensus endorses the Mediterranean eating pattern, its food matrix, lifestyle and societal variables, and environmental conditions contributing to long-term well-being. One result of such scientific investigations highlights the importance of avoiding stigmatizing this or that ingredient, and to focus on the whole meal and the right portion: a distinctive feature of the Mediterranean Diet as well as other traditional eating patterns.

Building on this science-based perspective, speakers at this symposium will discuss how public policy can help support whole diets, physical activity, and associated lifestyles.

Featured world-class scholars in the program include:


  • Dennis Bier, Director of the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine (USA)
  • Hugo Da Costa Ribeiro, Federal University of Bahia (Brazil)
  • Lorenzo Maria Donini, University La Sapienza (Italy)
  • Paul Gately, Leeds Beckett University (UK)
  • Daniela Martini, University of Milano (Italy)
  • Rick Mattes, Perdue University (USA)
  • Roberta Re, Director at Cambridge Food Science (UK) and Scientific Chair of the event

The program will be organized in two sessions: Importance of Diets not individual ingredients – European and American Dietary Pattern: Nutrition/Nutrients/ Mediterranean Diet; followed by The Role of Portion in Dietary Pattern: Energy balance, physical activity, portion size, and frequency of consumption.

“Nutritional science and nutritional policy cannot continue to ignore the interactions among diet, environment, lifestyle, and health maintenance,” says Dennis Bier adding “In order to illuminate the full nutritional field for the future, we must shine a light on all those variable interdependencies and their contributions to causal relationships among diet and disease prevention.” Roberta Re, Scientific Chair of the event states: “Dietary recommendations have promoted a restriction approach for several years, meanwhile level of obesity has continued rising across the globe. Are we tackling the problem with the right tools? A complex and multifaced problem such as obesity cannot be simplified to a single solution.”

Additional information about the speakers can be found by visiting http://www.MDRproject.com Interested Media please RSVP to: info@MDRproject.com

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ARHS Implementing MEDI+SIGN Technology Into Watauga Medical Center Expansion


Appalachian Regional Healthcare System Watauga Medical Center Expansion

Appalachian Regional Healthcare System Watauga Medical Center Expansion

“It is exciting to see technology helping to keep patients and families better informed about care… MEDI+SIGN will also help staff with making sure that care boards are automatically updated in real-time…” – Greg Miller, Chief Nursing Officer at Watauga Medical Center.

Read the full article on the ARHS website here: https://apprhs.org/expansion-project-brings-new-technology-to-patient-care/

Appalachian Regional Healthcare System (ARHS), located in Boone, North Carolina, is expanding its Watauga Medical Center with a $126 million construction project. Technological enhancements include the implementation of MEDI+SIGN Digital Whiteboards and MED+SIGN Digital Door Displays, aligning with ARHS’s focus to deliver premier healthcare.

“For years, ARHS has successfully worked around limitations in space and declining buildings that have kept us from achieving our full potential. It’s time we invest in people, systems, and facilities. This will expand our opportunities and position us for the future,” said Chuck Mantooth, President and CEO of Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.

After 60 years of dedication to the community, ARHS is committed to improving its entire operation from the inside out. This 100,000 sq. ft. hospital expansion includes surgery, imaging, bed replacement, and a new Central Energy Plant.

A new four-floor, 48-bed tower will provide larger patient rooms capable of accommodating high-tech mobile medical equipment, state-of-the-art surgical suites, an updated Emergency Department, new waiting areas, and more. A new two-story entryway will greet patients with natural light and serene mountain images as they enter the building.

Along with the new building comes a whole new era of technology advancement at Watauga Medical Center. One prominent feature will upgrade patient rooms with automated and real-time digital in-room and door displays to elevate the patient experience while also improving staff and patient communication, satisfaction, and safety.

“It is exciting to see technology helping to keep patients and families better informed about care. The product also adds safety with real-time warnings for patients who may be attempting to leave the bed by providing visual and audio warnings. MEDI-SIGN will also help staff with making sure that care boards are automatically updated in real-time with automatic data flows from the electronic medical record,” said Greg Miller, Chief Nursing Officer at Watauga Medical Center.

“To support their mission to provide high quality, compassionate healthcare, Watauga Medical Center has installed MEDI+SIGN, fully integrated, digital in-room and door displays. This state-of-the-art technology is located in the patient rooms, including ICU, Orthopedics, Med-Surg, Labor and Delivery, and the Emergency Department,” says David Linetsky, Founder/CEO of MEDI+SIGN. “The MEDI+SIGN electronic patient room whiteboards replace the traditional dry-erase boards in the patient rooms to focus on communication enhancements while substantially reducing the staff workload. The staff-facing door displays provide an overview of the patient’s care plan, risks, and other precautions to the healthcare team. Clear and concise information on the MEDI+SIGN Emergency Department Whiteboards highlights items such as tests ordered, average turnaround times and lab status.”

The MEDI+SIGN solution fully integrates with Allscripts®, ARHS’s electronic medical record (EMR), to display the patient’s real-time healthcare data to clinicians, patients, and their families. MEDI+SIGN also uses data from ARHS’s Real-Time Locator System (RTLS), to support rounding initiatives, providing peace of mind to the patient and family.

MEDI+SIGN focuses on improving HCAHPS and ensuring the utmost patient safety by reducing falls and other sentinel events. Watauga Medical Center’s smart beds integrate with MEDI+SIGN ANTI-FALL™ technology to alert healthcare staff, patients and families of potential fall risks by sending alerts to the digital whiteboards in the patient’s room and in the hallway. Patent-pending algorithms use the information in the patient’s electronic health record to detect the patient’s fall risk and other factors to determine if the smart bed is in its safest position.

About Appalachian Regional Healthcare System

Appalachian Regional Healthcare System (ARHS), the leader for healthcare in the High Country, is comprised of two hospitals, thirteen medical practices, Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center, The Rehabilitation Center, The Breast Center and the Paul H. Broyhill Wellness Center. Appalachian Regional Healthcare System stays committed to promoting health in the High Country, enhancing quality of life and simply “making life better.“ Visit https://apprhs.org/ to learn more.

About MEDI+SIGN

MEDI+SIGN is a game-changing communication tool used by hospitals that are pursuing the creation, improvement, and sustainability of their quality and safety goals. Driven and perfected by evidence-based outcomes, MEDI+SIGN deploys strategies tailored to the hospital’s specific needs and existing workflows. This unique approach allows hospitals to experience quality and safety transformations without negatively impacting the day-to-day workflow of staff. MEDI+SIGN is the first and only patient-facing technology in its class that requires zero effort from clinical staff while reinvesting time back to the bedside. With patient experience and complex psychology at the epicenter of this technology, patients are kept informed, satisfied, and safe. Beyond patient experience, MEDI+SIGN focuses on improving HCAHPS and increasing patient safety by preventing falls as well as other sentinel events related to HAC, among other CMS programs. To experience these results for yourself, visit https://medisigndisplays.com.

*Allscripts is a registered trademark of Allscripts Healthcare LLC

MEDI+SIGN is a registered trademark. © 2022 MEDI+SIGN® All Rights Reserved

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Adam Grant, Organizational Psychologist and Bestselling Author to Keynote PCMA’s 2023 Convening Leaders in Columbus


Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist and bestselling author, will deliver a keynote at PCMA’s annual Convening Leaders event on Jan. 9, 2023.

“Through our phenomenal lineup of speakers like Adam Grant and our three days of immersive programming and networking, Convening Leaders 2023 will inspire and challenge participants and prepare us to navigate the headwinds of today and tomorrow.” — PCMA President and CEO Sherrif Karamat, CAE

Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist and bestselling author who explores the science of motivation, generosity, original thinking, and rethinking will deliver an opening day keynote on Monday, January 9, 2023, at PCMA’s annual Convening Leaders. The theme of the association’s flagship education and network event is Ignite Your Path, and will take place at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio in partnership with Experience Columbus.

Grant is an organizational psychologist at Wharton, where he has been the top-rated professor for seven straight years. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, his books have sold millions of copies and been translated into 35 languages. His pioneering research has inspired people to rethink fundamental assumptions about motivation, generosity and creativity. He has been recognized as one of the world’s 10 most influential management thinkers and Fortune’s 40 under 40 and has received distinguished scientific achievement awards from the American Psychological Association and the National Science Foundation.

Convening Leaders 2023 is an incubation and experiment where the best in content, commerce, community, and experience come together to create new value for all participants and the business events industry. Industry trailblazers — the fighters, finders and inventors who are on a quest to move our industry and society forward will be featured.

Grant’s keynote, “Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World” will reveal how to recognize and champion new ideas and build cultures that welcome diverse perspectives and honest feedback.

“We live in a time that presents a new set of challenges for the industry — uncharted territories, unknown opportunities and perils, and unsolved problems,” says PCMA President and CEO Sherrif Karamat, CAE. “This is the time for us to challenge our own thinking, embrace data and new experiments to increase value. Through our phenomenal lineup of speakers like Adam Grant and our three days of immersive programming and networking, Convening Leaders 2023 will inspire and challenge participants and prepare us to navigate the headwinds of today and tomorrow.”

Columbus is recognized as an innovation center that is consistently ranked as one of the United States’ top cities to visit and is the 14th largest city in the United States. The destination is home to some of the world’s most recognizable brands, innovative small businesses, powerhouse research hubs and academic institutions. In January, Intel — the only major semiconductor manufacturer headquartered in the U.S. — chose the Columbus Region for a $20B chip production facility that will open in 2025. The region is also home to 16 Fortune 1000 companies and five Fortune 500 companies and has one of the youngest and most educated populations in the country.

“Columbus is experiencing unprecedented growth and has a vibe unlike any other city,” notes Brian Ross, Experience Columbus President and CEO. “Here, our approach is different. ‘The Columbus Way’ is a phrase often used to describe our unique community collaborations between the city, the businesses headquartered here and our nonprofit and academic institutions. It’s because of this unified approach that we can offer such an unparalleled level of service to the meetings and conventions that come to Columbus. We can’t wait to roll out the red carpet and welcome Convening Leaders participants to our smart, open and forward-thinking city.”

Participants can learn more about Columbus and what to expect at Convening Leaders during a special episode of Live Forward Live, an Experience Columbus podcast. Now in its third season, the first episode of a new PCMA series features Karamat in conversation with City of Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther. Tune in to learn why PCMA chose Columbus, what experiences await attendees in January and Karamat’s prediction on where the industry is headed.

Registration is now open for members through September 11, 2022. General registration will open Sept. 12. Learn more about PCMA Convening Leaders at conveningleaders.org.

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US Fertility welcomes Quinton Katler, M.D., M.Sc., to the Shady Grove Fertility Atlanta physician team


Dr. Quinton Katler is now accepting new patient appointments at SGF Atlanta’s Northside location.

“SGF constantly raises the bar industry-wide for fertility-related healthcare on every level and has fantastic pregnancy rates to show for it. I’m extremely proud to begin serving alongside the SGF Atlanta care team to provide patient-centered fertility care.”

US Fertility, the largest physician-owned and physician-led, integrated network of top-tier fertility practices in the United States, welcomes Quinton Katler, M.D., M.Sc., to Shady Grove Fertility’s Atlanta – Northside location. Dr. Katler is now accepting new patient appointments.

“I have long understood that there is nothing more important in life than family,” shares Dr. Katler. “As such, helping individuals and couples build the family of their dreams is a dream come true. SGF constantly raises the bar industry-wide for fertility-related healthcare on every level and has fantastic pregnancy rates to show for it. I’m extremely proud to begin serving alongside the SGF Atlanta care team to provide patient-centered fertility care.”

Dr. Katler will provide comprehensive fertility services, including:


  • fertility and ovarian reserve testing and diagnosis,
  • semen analysis,
  • hysterosalpingogram (HSG),
  • low-tech fertility treatment options such as intrauterine insemination (IUI),
  • in vitro fertilization (IVF),
  • donor egg, sperm, and embryo,
  • genetic screening and testing,
  • gestational carrier,
  • egg freezing,
  • fertility preservation for patients with cancer, and
  • LGBTQ+ family building.

Dr. Katler is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) and board eligible in reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI). Dr. Katler earned his medical degree from the American Medical Program at Tel Aviv University in Tel Aviv, Israel. He then completed his residency in OB/GYN at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. From there, Dr. Katler trained in REI at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

As an avid researcher, Dr. Katler has contributed to numerous publications, presentations, and committees exploring such topics as LGBTQIA+ family-building, recurrent pregnancy loss, egg freezing, and infertility care for marginalized communities, among others. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the Society of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (SREI).

“We are thrilled to add Dr. Katler to the SGF Atlanta medical team,” shares Desireé McCarthy-Keith, M.D., M.P.H., medical director of SGF Atlanta. “His energetic approach to patient care is one of kindness, empathy, and full transparency, which directly aligns with SGF’s patient-centered fertility care model.”

Patients may now schedule a new patient appointment with Dr. Katler by calling 404-419-7141 or by submitting this brief form.

About US Fertility

US Fertility is the nation’s largest partnership of physician-owned and physician-led top-tier fertility practices, offering comprehensive fertility-market-focused non-clinical, administrative, and technical platforms that help domestic and international practices improve patient outcomes and increase patient access. To learn more about partnership- or affiliate-status benefits, call 301-545-1308 or visit USFertility.com.

About Shady Grove Fertility (SGF)

SGF is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence with more than 100,000 babies born from 30+ years of continuous innovation and patient-centered fertility care. With 48 locations, including new locations in Texas, as well as throughout CO, FL, GA, MD, NY, PA, TX, VA, D.C., and Santiago, Chile, SGF offers patients in-person and virtual physician consults, delivers individualized care, accepts most insurance plans, and makes treatment affordable through innovative financial options, including 100% refund guarantees. SGF is among the founding partner practices of US Fertility, the largest physician-led partnership of top-tier fertility practices in the U.S. Call 1-888-761-1967 to schedule a new patient appointment or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com for more information.

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Mount Sinai Researchers Report Encouraging Immunotherapy Option for Relapsed Myeloma Patients


“This study shows patients relapsing after initial bispecific antibodies therapy can benefit from a second bispecific antibody or CAR-T cell therapy.” -Samir Parekh, MD

Mount Sinai researchers have published results that show encouraging therapeutic options for patients with the blood cancer multiple myeloma after first-line treatment with bispecific antibodies fails. Bispecific antibodies are a type of antibody that can bind to two different antigens at the same time—they are meant to enhance the immune system’s destruction of tumor cells.

While new T cell-based immunotherapies, or “T-cell redirection” therapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and bispecific antibodies have revolutionized cancer treatment, doctors still need to determine what second-line treatments (also known as salvage therapy) are effective after a patient relapses. In the August 26 online edition of Blood Advances , Mount Sinai researchers report that sequential use of different T-cell redirection therapies in these multiple myeloma patients is possible and could lead to good patient outcomes and survival.

In a retrospective analysis, researchers identified 58 multiple myeloma patients who participated in a bispecific antibodies clinical trial at Mount Sinai and underwent salvage therapy due to relapse. Patients were followed for an average of 30.5 months after the end of the trial and underwent an average of two salvage therapies over that period.

Nineteen patients received T-cell redirection therapy as a first salvage therapy, and the rest received a non-T-cell redirection therapy, such as chemotherapy. Thirty-two percent of patients who underwent T-cell redirection therapy as a first salvage therapy needed to undergo a second salvage therapy due to relapse or nonresponse to therapy. In a significant contrast, 79 percent of the patients treated with a non-T-cell redirection therapy needed to undergo a second salvage therapy. Some of this group of patients had T-cell redirection therapy as their second salvage therapy, resulting in a total of 28 patients who received T-cell redirection as either a first salvage therapy or second salvage therapy.

Depth and duration of response to the first bispecific antibodies treatment did not predict response to the second T-cell redirection therapy, indicating that even if patients did not respond to an initial T-cell redirection therapy, there may still be an option to effectively treat with a second course. The overall response rate of the 19 patients who transitioned from the initial bispecific antibodies to T-cell redirection therapy as a first salvage therapy was 84 percent, compared to 49 percent in those who received other types of therapies.

“As the clinical use and advancement of T-cell redirection therapies continue to grow, effective strategies are needed to manage outcomes for patients who relapse or are unresponsive to this initial treatment,” said senior author Samir Parekh, MD, Director of Translational Research in Myeloma, co-leader of the Cancer Clinical Investigation program at The Tisch Cancer Institute, and a member of the Icahn Genomics Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “This study shows patients relapsing after initial bispecific antibodies therapy can benefit from a second bispecific antibody or CAR-T cell therapy.”

Studies are underway to understand how T cells function after initial T-cell redirection therapy and how they are activated in sequential bispecific antibodies and CAR-T cell treatments. “Future clinical trials incorporating sequential combinations of T-cell redirection therapy will build upon these findings to further develop treatment guidelines and improve long-term outcomes for multiple myeloma patients,” Dr. Parekh said.

This work was supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) R01 CA244899 and CA252222.

About the Mount Sinai Health System

Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with more than 43,000 employees working across eight hospitals, over 400 outpatient practices, nearly 300 labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time — discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it.

Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients’ medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes approximately 7,300 primary and specialty care physicians; 13 joint-venture outpatient surgery centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and more than 30 affiliated community health centers. We are consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals, receiving high “Honor Roll” status, and are highly ranked: No. 1 in Geriatrics and top 20 in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Neurology/Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology/Lung Surgery, Rehabilitation, and Urology. New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked No. 12 in Ophthalmology. U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Children’s Hospitals” ranks Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital among the country’s best in several pediatric specialties. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is one of three medical schools that have earned distinction by multiple indicators: It is consistently ranked in the top 20 by U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Medical Schools,” aligned with a U.S. News & World Report “Honor Roll” Hospital, and top 20 in the nation for National Institutes of Health funding and top 5 in the nation for numerous basic and clinical research areas. Newsweek’s “The World’s Best Smart Hospitals” ranks The Mount Sinai Hospital as No. 1 in New York and in the top five globally, and Mount Sinai Morningside in the top 20 globally. For more information, visit https://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

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Vibrant Nutraceuticals Launches New Performance Bundles to Save 20% on Three Products to Maximize Workouts


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“It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of workout supplements on the market. The Flex Fit Pro Performance Bundle takes the guesswork out of finding support for your muscles, joints, and cartilage by putting it all in one place,” said Jim Rex, President of The GHT Companies.

Vibrant Nutraceuticals, part of The GHT Companies’ family of brands, has just released their newest bundle: the Flex Fit Pro Performance Bundle. The bundle includes Flex Fit Pro Whey Isolate Protein Powder, Silica Plus for ligament health and connective tissue flexibility, and Joint Muscle Plus for joint maintenance and support. These all-natural supplements are Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Cruelty-Free, and contain no artificial colors or sweeteners.

The Flex Fit Pro Bundle comes with full servings of Silica Plus and Joint Muscle Plus, as well as a full serving of one of two Whey Isolate Protein flavor options: decadent Chocolate Milkshake or dreamy Angel Food Cake. The Flex Fit Pro protein powder is sweetened with Stevia extract, satisfying your dessert cravings and supporting your health goals with 27g of protein, less than 2g carbs, and 1g fat per serving.

Not only is it great for your health, but it helps your wallet, too! You save 20% when you purchase the Flex Fit Pro Performance Bundle instead of the 3 individual supplements.

“We are excited to launch the Flex Fit Pro Performance Bundle because it’s an all-in-one approach for healthy muscle and joint support,” said Jim Rex, President of The GHT Companies. “For people who live an active lifestyle, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of workout supplements on the market. The Flex Fit Pro Performance Bundle takes the guesswork out of finding support for your muscles, joints, and cartilage by putting it all in one place,” Rex added.”

These Bundles are ideal for people who maintain an active lifestyle as the wear and tear on joints, muscles, cartilage, and ligaments is common with high volumes of physical activity. Vibrant Nutraceuticals recommends that active adults take one scoop of the Flex Fit Pro Performance Whey Isolate protein before or after a workout, ¼ tsp of Silica Plus each day, and 1 fluid ounce of Joint muscle plus a day.

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About Vibrant Nutraceuticals

We are the trusted source for nutraceutical innovation, formulating some of the most cutting-edge wellness solutions on the market. Our unique line of supplements is both inclusive and affordable, working in conjunction with physician guidelines to meet your health needs – no matter your age, life stage, or walk of life. We strive to empower you on your journey, helping you achieve your personal wellness goals and paving the way to better health.

At Vibrant Nutraceuticals, our goal is achieving excellence, both in your quality of life and in the quality of our supplements. Each product is formulated from only the safest, highest-quality ingredients with the strictest standards. Our founding scientists, internal science team, and in-house manufacturing team work tirelessly to ensure that our products are as effective as they are convenient. We are constantly innovating, so you can be sure that your favorite products are made from the latest and greatest ingredients for years to come.

About The GHT Companies

The GHT Companies is one of the most trusted names in the nutritional supplement field since 1996. The group is structured to collaborate with founding scientists to develop their unique ingredient/product discoveries and to deliver industry-leading, high-quality consumer products and ingredients on a global basis.

The GHT Companies uses its unique business structure of 5 diverse subsidiaries that touch on all facets of the nutraceutical industry in order to provide products and services to customers in the most effective way possible.

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Information and statements made are for educational purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your health care professional.

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