Los Alamos Press Highlights

Hepatitis C resists Vertex drug, needs cocktails

In patients infected by a common strain of the hepatitis C virus, as many as 20 percent of viral particles became resistant to Vertex's telaprevir within two days of taking it, according to researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. "That’s the most rapid drug resistance for any agent that’s ever been observed," said Alan Perelson, a Los Alamos scientist and the senior author of the study. (full story)



Stimulus money helps LANL cleanup project

Crews are preparing a massive cleanup effort at Los Alamos National Laboratory's first hazardous waste landfill, a six-acre site used from 1944 to 1948. The project gets under way in June and is being paid for with $212 million in federal stimulus money.

"This is one of those kinds of jobs that you can visually see because there's such a large area, buildings demolished, dirt being moved," said former New Mexico Gov. Toney Anaya, who is in charge of overseeing the state's stimulus funds. (full story)


Scholarships inch students closer to goals

Los Alamos High School students Miles Carlsten, Kathy Lin, Katherine Rooney, Sandra Zerkle, Bryn Smith, Patricia Stan, Jenny Tumas, John Sarracino and Matt Whicker are other recipients of the LAESF for 2010. In total, 53 students from across New Mexico received a scholarship from LAESF.

Susan Herrera, CEO of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation, said, "These young New Mexicans show so much promise in their academics and their future careers in science, medicine and engineering. The LAESF Board is proud to be able to recognize them and offer scholarships." (full story)

A safer forest

Quick-growing seed mixtures of more than 20 types of plants (mainly grass) were laid down by hand on 950 acres of LANL property, yielding growth within seven days - imperative to holding back potential flood waters. Planes dropped green hydromulch composed of seeds and wood fiber on 650 acres. (full story)



Also from the Albuquerque Journal this week:

Los Alamos has rebuilt, but memories linger of what was lost

By the time the fire was extinguished, 43,000 acres had burned, 39 structures at Los Alamos National Laboratories were damaged and nearly 400 families had lost their homes. In the decade since, residents have been able to rebuild - but it hasn't been easy. (full story)



Clean Energy Economy Forum with Secretary Vilsack

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will discuss the progress achieved on the one year anniversary of President Obama's Biofuels Directive and moderate a panel on bio-energy with Dr. Jose Olivares of the Bioscience Division of Los Alamos National Laboratory, and others. (full story)





Feds plan to sign monitoring deal for Buckman project
Agency that oversees LANL would fund water-quality oversight

The federal government has promised to pay for water-quality monitoring to detect any signs of contamination from Los Alamos National Laboratory heading toward Santa Fe's new water-supply project. (full story)

$3M contract awarded to perform demolition in Los Alamos, NM

The $6 million contract was awarded to ARSEC Environmental, LLC, which is a Joint Venture between American Radiation Services, Inc and SEC. Under this contract, the team will abate hazardous materials, demolish and dispose of the 316,500-foot main Administration Building (SM-43) as well as three connecting walkways. (full story)

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