Soligenix, Inc., a late-stage biopharmaceutical company developing products that address unmet medical needs in the areas of inflammation, oncology and biodefense, announced today that it has initiated a development agreement with Emergent BioSolutions to implement a commercially viable, scalable production technology for the RiVax drug substance protein antigen. RiVax is a vaccine candidate being developed to protect against ricin exposure.
Identifying and tracking individuals affected by the Ebola virus in densely populated areas presents a unique and urgent set of challenges in public health surveillance. Currently, mapping the spread of the Ebola virus is done manually. Researchers at Florida Atlantic University's College of Engineering and Computer Science have received a National Science Foundation Rapid Response Grant to develop an innovative model of Ebola spread by using big data analytics techniques and tools.
Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory have the ability to forecast the upcoming flu season and other infectious diseases by analyzing views of Wikipedia articles. "The ability to more accurately forecast the flu season and other infectious diseases will transform the way health departments prepare for and respond to epidemics, ultimately saving lives," scientist Sara Del Valle said.
In a geopolitical environment with proliferating threats, a recently held Defense Department whole-of-government exercise provided a realistic way for federal, state and local experts to interact in simulated situations involving mock home-grown terrorists and a nuclear incident. This exercise took place on Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, located on the Kitsap Peninsula, in the state of Washington.
The Transportation Department's Federal Aviation Administration announced a public outreach campaign for the national capital region to reinforce the message that the District of Columbia and cities and towns within a 15-mile radius of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport are a "No Drone Zone."
PrepBiz 1.0 gamification app educates children, youth, adults and visually impaired users on best practice recommendation responses to disasters, hazards and active shooter incidents. PrepBiz 1.0 (VI) is an audio-only action/adventure game for mobile phones, tablets and computers where ears replace eyes thanks to innovative technology.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Avelox (moxifloxacin) to treat patients with plague, a rare and potentially fatal bacterial infection. This approval includes use of the drug for treating pneumonic plague (infection of the lungs), and septicemic plague (infection of the blood). Avelox also is approved for prevention of plague in adult patients.
Georgetown University global health and law experts say that a robust global health framework can be created to help prevent tragedies like Ebola, while also allowing countries to meet everyday health needs. They propose specific priorities to transform a fragmented health system into an organized framework with national health systems at its foundation and the World Health Organization at its apex.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Integration Center is soliciting public feedback for the update of the National Planning Frameworks. This National Engagement Period will conclude at 5:00 p.m. EDT 3 June 2015. These frameworks set the strategy and doctrine for building, sustaining, and delivering the core capabilities identified in the National Preparedness Goal.
FLIR Systems, Inc. announced the release of FLIR Vue, a compact thermal camera that makes thermal imaging capability more accessible to commercial drone applications like search and rescue, substation inspections, livestock monitoring, precision agriculture, critical infrastructure security, pipeline and power line inspections, emergency response operations, and many more.
