In Biotech, people are often on the hunt for more sustainable ways for humans to be energized in two major ways: through food and through power. This hunt takes scientists and creators all across the globe to examine where this next source lies. One search took scientists at Lyxia, a SoCal Biotech Company, to Shenzhen China where they discovered a common yet super special substance: microalgae. Microalgae are unicellular photosynthetic microorganisms, living in saline or freshwater environments, that convert sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to algal biomass. This ability makes them a key energy source in all ecosystems and an even better source of nutrients. At Lyxia, they are attempting to use microalgae to reach their goal: producing natural specialty ingredients with sun, seawater, CO2 and microalgae. Their first focus has been producing “...the essential nutrient, eicosapentaenoic acid, more commonly known as the Omega-3 EPA… We [Lyxia] have now launched a series of products based on pure, natural, vegetarian EPA that is sustainably produced from microalgae..." 

How absolutely tasty is that! 

We virtually sat down with Lyxia’s Former R&D Senior Process Designer Peter Mponzi to find out more about it on the last episode of our first series, Alternative Careers in Biotech. 

You can also learn more about Lyxia here: http://www.lyxia.com

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Cats are humans’ other best friend! In Los Angeles alone, there are an estimated 771,076 households that have one or more cats as pets and unconditional sources of companionship and friendship. Despite the high number of cat owners in LA and all over the country, however, there is extremely little research about feline genetics when the numbers are compared to canine genetics and research. Meet Basepaws, a Los Angeles based startup, that is focusing to change this imbalance in research and bring feline research to the forefront. According to their website, “At the Conference on Canine and Feline Genetics and Genomics (2019), for example, canine‑focused presentations outnumbered feline‑focused presentations roughly 5 to 1. In addition, when it comes to the number of sequenced genomes from each species, the goals (and available research funding) for the two fields look completely different."

 Thus, to bridge this gap, their goal is to build the world’s largest feline genomics database. Learning genomic information about cats is extremely important because it enables us to better learn about caring about cats. Through DNA and a genomic library, we can learn more about diseases, health issues, and traits to create the best products for cats possible. We virtually sat down with Anna Skaya, the founder of Basepaws, to ask her all about it. You can also learn more by checking  out their website: https://basepaws.com. 

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We use science everyday, scientists are discovering something new everyday, and a piece of scientific news might just change the world everyday! Especially in the 21st century, keeping up with the world of science is imperative. Getting the most accurate, most digestible, and most relevant scientific news, however, can be quite challenging as misinformation rampant, and scientific news can be full of a lot of information that is inaccessible to the public. So, how do we enable and create more accessible, exciting, and engaging science media online that people can learn from and share with their friends and families? How do people know they can trust the news, fact check, and work to better understand new scientific discoveries? 

 These questions are where, Massive Science, a scientific content and media company, comes in. Powered by a “Massive Science Consortium” which is a group of scientific experts from over 50 countries, in over 150 fields, and at over 700 institutions, Massive Science aims to create a space where experts can share cutting edge scientific news and research via their accessible online platform by training scientists on how to be powerful scientific storytellers. Massive Science teaches the members of the Consortium how to create a more engaging narrative regarding their discoveries  by empowering  them to work with a professional team of editors and other researchers. 

Are you interested in learning more about how Massive Science does it? Join Dr. Yewande Pearse, PhD in BCLA’s 2nd episode of Alternative Careers in Biotech as she chats with the two founders of Massive Science, Nadja Ortelt and Allan Lasser!

To learn more about Massive Science, check out: 
https://massivesci.com  

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 A booming industry around the United States, the Cannabis industry’s worth in this country could be greater than the GDP of 9 US States. In Southern California, Cannabis is even more important and commonly used than the rest of the country with the percent increase of usage in Los Angeles (LA) skyrocketing to 62% from March 2018 to March 2019. From edibles to lotions, Cannabis can be found in many forms making the industry even more interdisciplinary and varied than ever before. With the great usage of this drug and substance that was once considered dangerous, however, comes the need for government regulations, stringent product testing, and other mechanisms to keep consumers safe. 

The need to make sure products meet a certain standard brings us to Cannalysis, a company based in Los Angeles that focuses on efficiently testing new cannabis products so that they meet state guidelines. As quoted from their website, Cannalysis is “... inventing the best way to test them [Cannabis Products]” by employing robotics for “less error with groundbreaking express sample prep automation” throughout the testing process. Creating a streamlined testing process is key, and Cannalysis is at the forefront. 

Are you interested in learning more about how this Los Angeles staple goes from the plant to your pocket safely? Join Dr. Yewande Pearse PhD, Social Media Associate at Biotech Connection Los Angeles, as she speaks with Kayleen (Leong) Sabino, Vice President of Operations at Cannalysis. Sabino virtually sat down to discuss the science being Cannalysis’ amazing work and what the future of the cannabis industry in LA might look like moving forward. 

For more info on Cannalysis see the following links:
https://www.thesocialclub.tv/shows/xyz-news/season/2/episode/1
https://www.thesocialclub.tv/shows/xyz-news/season/2/episode/4 

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