Piece by piece by Randall C. Willis PDF version (240 KB PDF) In the two decades since tissue engineering was first proposed as a panacea for many human ailments, enthusiasm for the field has ebbed and flowed. While some researchers have touted its potential to replace lost organ functions, others have argued that the return on investment has been too low. However, researchers continue to build on tissue engineering’s promise. Understanding polyeletrolytes by Robert S. DeWitte PDF version (224 KB PDF) Because solubility and permeability are critical factors in determining oral absorption, careful treatment of electrolytes is critical for understanding the fate of an orally dosed compound as it passes through the gastrointestinal tract and enters the bloodstream. To help identify potential drugs with desirable features, companies are using software packages to predict physicochemical properties. Bad news for Beantown? by Randall C. Willis PDF version (224 KB PDF) Traditionally, Massachusetts and the greater Boston area have been seen as a mecca for biotechnology and pharmaceutical development. But the region’s lead has started to slip in recent years as other centers of excellence expand. A new report, along with perspectives from those working there, highlights how the Massachusetts biotech community is embracing a new business outlook to drive growth.

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The Expanding Role of Mass Spectrometry Biotechnology
Reviewed by Randall C. Willis
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On the Calendar
HUPO and ASHG (72 KB PDF)
China and Canada host meetings featuring culture, proteomics, and genetics.

Content in Context
Beyond Borders (32 KB PDF)
by Ann M. Thayer

New and Noteworthy (152 KB PDF)
Patent trends • Stem cells: Screening for substrates • Chemical genomics initiative • Report to pharma: “Take the lead” • Homing in on cancer • Protein array • HHS teamwork • Diabetes: Magnetic monitor?

Focus on Business

	Marketplace, deals, and people (64 KB PDF)
	Tackling global diseases (84 KB PDF) by Jim Kling Vaccine producers hope that creating products for developing countries will meet societal and business need.
	Border patrol (84 KB PDF) by Randall C. Willis GAO report vindicates drug purchases from Canadian Internet pharmacies.

People and Perspectives
Growing with the research flow (52 KB PDF)
by Ann M. Thayer
Beckman Coulter’s Caro leads the company’s new biomedical research division into an improving marketplace.

Diseases and Disorders
Parkinson's disease (80 KB PDF)
by Julie L. McDowell
Many drugs treat the condition, but curing this progressive neurological disoreder remains challenging.

Rules and Regulators
Blurred boundaries (72 KB PDF)
by David Filmore
The Office of Combination Products sorts out jurisdictions and opens up communication between FDA center.

Clinical Trials Track
Normalizing Negotiations (168 KB PDF)
by David Filmore
An initiative seeks a standardized clinical trial contract template to streamline sponsor and site deliberations.

Applications Notebook
Biomarkers at the multiplex (168 KB PDF)
by John J. Kang
Using arrays of arrays, researchers can screen more samples faster and in parallel.

Sites and Software
The BINDs that tie (72 KB PDF)
by Nicole Johnston
A bioinformatics initiative is creating a biological blueprint from genomic and proteomic data.

The Tool Box
Get it cell-free! (76 KB PDF)
by Vadim V. Demidov
Innovative technologies for high-throughput protein expression in vitro.