Genomics for everyone 
Printed human genome sequence, from Huff Po.
Seeing a need that the unique expertise at Los Alamos National Laboratory could fill, a team in the Biosecurity and Public Health group, collaborating with the Naval Medical Research Center, has developed a new computational and web-based tool called EDGE Bioinformatics to fulfill the promise of democratizing genomics.
Funded by the Department of Defense’s Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the work comes out of the lab’s decades of research in genetics and life sciences. (Full story)
ABQ startup ready to go with gas detection device
Charles Harb, Journal photo.
Charles Harb, a quantum optics physicist, is from Australia, but his wife’s family is New Mexican. The Australian Federal Police approached Harb about a decade ago to develop a mobile explosives-detection device, leading to about $8 million in research and development at the University of New South Wales in Canberra, plus assistance from Los Alamos National Laboratory in recent years.
The company, RingIR Inc., launched in Albuquerque in August 2016 at the WESST incubator Downtown after more than 10 years developing its technology in Australia and New Mexico. (Full story)
Also from the Journal this week:
Fast-growing Descartes Labs moving HQ to Santa Fe
ABQ Journal photo.
Descartes, which launched in 2015, is growing fast with advanced image-recognition software from Los Alamos National Laboratory that allows industry, government and academic researchers to rapidly analyze global trends in almost any field using satellite imagery.
It’s currently based in a 3,000-square-foot office in Los Alamos, and it leases a smaller space in Santa Fe for employees there. But with 30 people now working for Descartes, and plans to reach 60 by the end of the year, the company is bursting at the seams. (Full story)
United Way and LANL partner to make a difference
UWNNM Executive Director Kristy Ortega,
left, presents a plaque to Carole Rutten
of the LANL Community Partnerships Office,
LANL photo.
United Way of Northern New Mexico (UWNNM) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) are embarking upon an exciting new partnership through the UWNNM Cornerstone Program! A shared objective in this partnership is to keep up with the most critical areas of need in the counties we serve. Because of the Laboratory and other Cornerstone Businesses, UWNNM hosts community focused meetings, engages in regular communication with a variety of non-profits, local governments, and local business. (Full story)
LANL Foundation kicks off scholarship campaign
This year’s fundraising campaign champion, Jeff Yarbrough, associate director for Plutonium Science and Manufacturing, addressed students, parents and donors at the Lab, emphasizing the fundraising theme, “Education: Mission Critical.” John McDermon, LANL Foundation scholarship program manager, and LANL Director Charlie McMillan were also in attendance.
Each year, LANL Foundation has the privilege of awarding scholarships to deserving students who have worked hard in and out of the classroom to become well-rounded individuals and members of their communities. (Full story)
