Daily Archives: July 27, 2021

SAN DIEGO, July 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Poseida Therapeutics, Inc. (Nadsaq: PSTX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company utilizing proprietary genetic engineering platform technologies to create cell and gene therapeutics with the capacity to cure, today announced the appointment of biotechnology industry veteran Cynthia Collins to its Board of Directors, effective July 23, 2021.

"We are excited to welcome Cindy to Poseida's Board of Directors," said Eric Ostertag, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Poseida Therapeutics. "As a recognized leader in cell and gene therapies and in growing innovative companies, she brings more than four decades of experience to our Board. Her broad expertise in gene engineering, oncology and hematology will be highly valuable as the Company continues to develop the next wave of cell and gene therapies with the capacity to cure."

Ms. Collins most recently served as the CEO of Editas Medicine, and prior to that served as the CEO of Human Longevity, Inc.; the CEO/GM of the Cell Therapy and Lab Business of General Electric's Healthcare Life Sciences; and the CEO of Clarient Diagnostics, Inc. Her prior leadership roles have included President and CEO of GenVec, Inc., a publicly traded vaccine and gene therapy company, and Group Vice President, Cellular Analysis Business of Beckman Coulter with responsibility for its Hematology, Flow Cytometry, and Hemostasis businesses. Prior to Beckman Coulter, she served as President and CEO of Sequoia Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a venture-capital funded company developing antiviral drugs for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Ms. Collins received a B.S. degree in Microbiology from the University of Illinois, Urbana and an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She is a member of the boards of directors at DermTech, Inc., Certara, Biocare Medical, LLC, and Triumvira Immunologics, Inc., and previously served on the boards for the ARM Foundation for Cell and Gene Medicine and Alliance for Regenerative Medicine.

"I am pleased to join the pioneers at Poseida Therapeutics at this exciting time, as the Company continues to leverage its proprietary genetic engineering tools to create next generation cell and gene therapies," said Ms. Collins. "I look forward to working closely with the team at Poseida as they advance the development of therapeutic candidates for patients in need."

About Poseida Therapeutics, Inc.Poseida Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to utilizing our proprietary genetic engineering platform technologies to create next generation cell and gene therapeutics with the capacity to cure. We have discovered and are developing a broad portfolio of product candidates in a variety of indications based on our core proprietary platforms, including our non-viral piggyBac DNA Modification System, Cas-CLOVER site-specific gene editing system and nanoparticle- and AAV-based gene delivery technologies. Our core platform technologies have utility, either alone or in combination, across many cell and gene therapeutic modalities and enable us to engineer our wholly-owned portfolio of product candidates that are designed to overcome the primary limitations of current generation cell and gene therapeutics. To learn more, visit http://www.poseida.comand connect with us on Twitterand LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking StatementsStatements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include statements regarding the clinical data presented, the potential benefits of Poseida's technology platforms and product candidates and Poseida's plans and strategy with respect to developing its technologies and product candidates. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon Poseida's current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with development and regulatory approval of novel product candidates in the biopharmaceutical industry, the fact that future clinical results could be inconsistent with results observed to date and the other risks described in Poseida's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Poseida undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by law.

SOURCE Poseida Therapeutics, Inc.

http://www.poseida.com

Originally posted here:
Poseida Therapeutics Appoints Cynthia Collins to Board of Directors - PRNewswire

Futuristic Technology and Disruptive Technologies Worldwide as Concept

Earlier this summer, the Atlantic Councils GeoTech Center published a new bipartisan report of Commission on the Geopolitical Impacts of New Technologies and Data (www.atlanticcouncil.org/geotechreport). Fourteen months in the making, the bipartisan recommendations highlight that the technological revolution is advancing at such speed and enormity that it is reshaping both societies globally and the geopolitical landscape.

We are now entering a new era of emerging connected technologies that blend engineering, computing algorithms, and culture. Along with connected computing comes new capabilities enabled by machine learning and artificial intelligence. This technology convergence will be immensely impactful. Human/computer interface will extend our human brain capacities, memories, and capabilities, and that the power of computing doubles, on average, every two years. These connected technology tools can be stepping-stones to a new world in diverse areas such as genetic engineering, augmented reality, robotics, renewable energies, big data, digital security, quantum computing and artificial intelligence.

If you think about the transformative role that technology is already playing in our lives, it is easy to envision how emerging technologies can proceed in effecting societal change. We are in the early stages of profound technological innovation namely the digital revolution, the Internet of Things, health and medicine, and manufacturing. It is no exaggeration to say we are on the cusp of scientific and technological advancements that will change the human condition. Incredibly, technology continues to evolve at a pace we could not have envisioned even two decades ago, and these advancements can greatly improve our lives if we harness them properly.

The GeoTech Commission Report poignantly states that the world must now start to understand how technology and data interact with society and how to implement solutions that address these challenges and grasp these opportunities. For example, data analytics has the potential to improve healthcare by identifying the best pathways in treatments and administration of patient medicines, as well as predicting the spread of the flu. In commerce and trade, data analytics can predict when and what consumers are buying. The mathematical applications used in analyzing large data sets can be used to predict societal change at almost every level of human interaction.

Collaboration is Key:

A thematic takeaway from the Commission co-chaired by John Goodman and Teresa Carlson was the urgent need for collaboration and that governments, industries and other stakeholders must work together to remain economically competitive, sustain social welfare and public safety, protect human rights and democratic processes, and preserve global peace and stability.

Success in these cooperative public private partnerships is dependent on information sharing,planning,investment in emerging technologies,and allocation of resources coordinated by both the public and private sectorsinspecial workingpartnerships.

The result of such collaboration will both keep us apprised of new paradigms and contribute to a seismic shift in breakthrough discoveries. Such cooperation could speed up the realization of the next industrial revolution and bring benefits beyond our expectations.

Personal information concept. Group of engineer.

Technologies can impact society across many industry verticals. For example

Health & Medicine

Abstract luminous DNA molecule. Doctor using tablet and check with analysis chromosome DNA genetic ... [+] of human on virtual interface. Medicine. Medical science and biotechnology.

*Health- Implantable devices, (bionic eyes, limbs)

*DNA nanomedicines

*Genomic techniques gene therapy (Gene therapy to enhance strength, endurance and lifespan Gene therapy to enhance human intelligence

*Remote sensing tech (Wearables)

*Medicine for longevity, enhancement

*Real-time biomarker tracking and monitoring

*Artificially grown organ

*Human regeneration Human cells interfaced with nanotech

*Cybernetics

*Exoskeletons for mobility

*Telemedicine

Transportation:

Global business logistics import export background and container cargo freight ship transport ... [+] concept

*Sustainability of infrastructure

* Converged transportation ecosystems and monitoring

*Autonomous and connected cars

*Predictive analytics (parking, traffic patterns)

* Smart Cities

Ecology concept. Hand holding light bulb against nature on green leaf with icons energy sources for ... [+] renewable, sustainable development, save energy.

Energy & Environment:

*New Materials for stronger construction and resilience

*Solar power

*Converting waste to biofuels

*Protecting the Electrical Grid

*Batteries (long lasting)

*Renewables

*Energy efficiency.

*Instrumenting the planet to respond to crises faster

Professional policemen tracing group of bandits in room of video monitoring watching movements on ... [+] city map while other colleagues working

Public Safety:

*Instrumenting the planet to respond to crises faster

*Better situational awareness for emergency management (chemical and bio sensors, cameras, drones)

*License plate readers

*Non-lethal public safety technologies

*Advanced forensics, both physical and digital

*Interoperable and secure communications

future technologies

Please also see: GovCon Expert Chuck Brooks: A Guide to Emerging Technologies Impacting Government in 2021 and Beyond GovCon Expert Chuck Brooks: A Guide for Emerging Technologies Impacting Government in 2021 and Beyond - GovCon WireFour Emerging Technology Areas Impacting Industry 4.0 Advanced Computing, Artificial intelligence, Big Data & Materials Science COGNITIVE WORLD

In the GeoTech Commission report there are several areas of specialized cooperation that get attention, including two of the biggest threats that society faces today, pandemics, and cyber-attacks.

Doctor wearing highly protective suit and holding globe in her hands. Globe link: ... [+] https://visibleearth.nasa.gov/images/2181/the-blue-marble/2182w

Mitigating Pandemics:

As we are now acutely aware of the implications of a global pandemic from Covid19, The Commission suggested that government should launch a global pandemic surveillance and warning system and develop rapid and automated treatments for unknown pathogens. It should also build a digital infrastructure that includes, among other systems, emerging biosensors and autonomous sequencers deployed in water systems, air filtration systems and other public infrastructureto integrate their diverse data for analysis and modeling with protocols for activating rapid analysis of new pathogens, including new strains of extant pathogens to evaluate ongoing vaccine efficacy,

Cyber Security and Digital Data Protection Concept. Icon graphic interface showing secure firewall ... [+] technology for online data access defense against hacker, virus and insecure information for privacy.

Implementing Cybersecurity:

Cybersecurity is a big focus area of the report. Cybersecurity, information assurance, and resilience are the glues that will keep our world of converged sensors and algorithms operational. This has become one of the largest areas of both public and private sector spending and is consistently ranked the top priority among CIOs, CTOs, and CISOs.

The commission urged for strengthening the National Cyber Strategy Implementation Plan, developing a geopolitical cyber deterrence strategy for critical digital assets and hardening the security of commercial space capabilities. To advance security, the government should increase its oversight of supply chain assurance, organize data on critical resources, and with allied partners, evaluate the physical and digital information technology supply chain.

Furthermore, the report highlighted that Governments, especially democratic governments, must work to build and sustain the trust in the algorithms, infrastructures and systems that could underpin society, the commission noted. The world must now start to understand how technology and data interact with society and how to implement solutions that address these challenges and grasp these opportunities. Maintaining both economic and national security and resiliency requires new ways to develop and deploy critical and emerging technologies, cultivate the needed human capital, build trust in the digital fabric with which our world will be woven and establish norms for international cooperation.

We have entered a new renaissance of accelerated technological development that is exponentially transforming our civilization. Yet with these benefits come risks. The Atlantic Council Commission Report provides a working roadmap on the Geopolitical Impact of emerging technology and the correct paths to follow.

Please see the Report of the Commission on the Geopolitical Impacts of New Technologies and Data atReport of the Commission on the Geopolitical Impacts of New Technologies and Data - Atlantic Council

Atlantic Council Report of the Commission on the Geopolitical Impacts of New Technologies and Data

Dr. David A. Bray has served in a variety of leadership roles in turbulent environments, including bioterrorism preparedness and response from 2000-2005, time on the ground in Afghanistan in 2009, serving as the non-partisan Executive Director for a bipartisan National Commission on R&D, and providing leadership as a non-partisan federal agency Senior Executive. He accepted a leadership role in December 2019 to incubate a new global Center with the Atlantic Council.

David also provides strategy to both Boards and start-ups espousing human-centric principles to technology-enabled decision making in complex environments. Business Insider named him one of the top 24 Americans Who Are Changing the World under 40 and he was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum for 2016-2021. From 2017 to the start of 2020, David served as Executive Director for the People-Centered Internet coalition Chaired by Internet co-originator Vint Cerf, focused on providing support and expertise for community-focused projects that measurably improve peoples lives using the internet. He also was named a Marshall Memorial Fellow and traveled to Europe in 2018 to discuss Trans-Atlantic issues of common concern including exponential technologies and the global future ahead. Later in 2018, he was invited to work with the U.S. Navy and Marines on improving organizational adaptability and to work with U.S. Special Operation Commands J5 Directorate on the challenges of countering misinformation and disinformation online. He has received both the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award and the National Intelligence Exceptional Achievement Medal.

Dr. David Bray LinkedIn Profile:

AC GeoTech Center on Twitter:@ACGeoTech

Chuck Brooks, President of Brooks Consulting International, is a globally recognized thought leader and subject matter expert Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies. LinkedIn named Chuck as one of The Top 5 Tech People to Follow on LinkedIn. He was named by Thompson Reuters as a Top 50 Global Influencer in Risk, Compliance, and by IFSEC as the #2 Global Cybersecurity Influencer. He was featured in the 2020 Onalytica "Who's Who in Cybersecurity" as one of the top Influencers for cybersecurity issues. He was also named one of the Top 5 Executives to Follow on Cybersecurity by Executive Mosaic.He is also a Cybersecurity Expert for The Network at the Washington Post, Visiting Editor at Homeland Security Today, Expert for Executive Mosaic/GovCon, and a Contributor to FORBES. He has also been featured author in technology and cybersecurity blogs & events by IBM, AT&T, Microsoft, Cylance, Xerox, Malwarebytes, General Dynamics Mission Systems, and many others.

Chuck is on the Faculty of Georgetown University where he teaches in the Graduate Applied Intelligence and Cybersecurity Risk Programs. In government, Chuck was a plank holder at The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) serving as the first Legislative Director of The Science & Technology Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security. He served as a top Advisor to the late Senator Arlen Specter on Capitol Hill coveringsecurity and technology issues on Capitol Hill. He has an M.A from the University of Chicago and a B.A. from DePauw University

Chuck Brooks LinkedIn Profile:

Chuck Brooks on Twitter:@ChuckDBrooks

Read more:
A Roadmap On The Geopolitical Impact Of Emerging Technologies By Chuck Brooks And Dr. David Bray - Forbes

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This is one of a series of interviews by Bloomberg Opinion columnists on how to solve the worlds most pressing policy challenges. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Nisid Hajari: President Joe Biden has announced that U.S. troops will leave Afghanistan at the end of next month, ending NATOs 20-year involvement in the country. The U.S. intelligence community has reportedly predicted that once the U.S. withdraws, the Afghan government may collapse within six months, with the Taliban potentially returning to power. Youve covered and written about Afghanistan for decades. Your 2000 book, Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia, chronicled the rise of the Taliban and became a bestseller in the West after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. You have a unique viewpoint on what the Talibans resurgence means for the countrys future. Are you surprised by how rapidly the Taliban have been making gains since Bidens announcement?

Ahmed Rashid, author, Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia: Yes, definitely. Its been a big surprise to the Afghans, to the Americans and to outside observers. I think all parties in this conflict have made horrendous mistakes. I think the Americans gave away too much to the Taliban. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has not been able to unite his politicians and warlords around him. Theres a very divisive situation in Kabul. The countrys neighbors have all claimed that they want to see peace, but have not been really helpful.

And the Taliban still, after a year and a half of negotiations, have not told the Afghan people what they want. They dont believe in democracy, or do they? We have no idea. There is a younger generation of Taliban who may be more desirous of some kind of representative government. But theres an old guard of commanders and people influenced by al-Qaeda. Some of them have been in Guantanamo. They are very hardline. And they dont believe in what they consider to be Western political ideas.

NH: Are you surprised by how resilient the movement has been? After 20 years, theyve been beaten down, mutated and are now reborn.

AR: The essence of the Talibans longevity is that they had a very secure sanctuary in Pakistan. That was the crux of Americas problem, that the Taliban were able to replenish themselves. Right now, for example, wounded Taliban are in hospitals in Pakistani cities. The Afghan government is not able to provide that kind of facility for its own troops, many of whom who are stuck in faraway areas of Afghanistan. The second problem has been, I think, the lack of a real American strategy [since 2009], when President Obama sent thousands of troops into Afghanistan or even earlier than that after 9/11, when there was an opportunity for the Americans to negotiate with the Taliban. That is what many Taliban wanted, but the Americans rejected the idea.

NH: How different is this Taliban from the one that you wrote about in your first book?

AR: Well, the Taliban I met with initially in 1993, who then swept through Afghanistan, were very innocent, in a sense, very naive. They had very little concept of basically anything except fighting. They had no ideas on rebuilding Afghanistan or how to govern. It was not seen as a particularly practical movement, but they promised an end to the warlordism and the civil war. And that encouraged a lot of people to join them and accept them. After they captured Kabul in 1995-96, then they became one more warlord party, and started trying to invade northern Afghanistan and put down all the other ethnic groups. Their ability to preside over a new kind of government in Afghanistan was absolutely lost because they took several years to capture the rest of the country. And once they did that and started ruling the country, they had no idea how to do it.

As for how theyre different now, I think theyve experienced a great deal. For example, they never allowed media in the 90s. Now they are media-savvy, something they learned from al-Qaeda. But there are still enormous concerns about how they will govern. They dont have an educated elite. A lot of the second- and third-generation Taliban have grown up in Pakistan in refugee camps and are better educated. But whether theyll be allowed to come to the forefront in a Taliban regime is doubtful.

NH: The original movement was very tightly controlled from the top, very centralized and hierarchical. Is it still that way?

AR: Its highly centralized. But the most extraordinary thing, I think, which has surprised many people, is that its very disciplined. There were divisions within the Taliban in the mid-90s and after 9/11. But over the last year or two, the negotiations with the Americans have prompted a rallying around the flag for the Taliban. They have been far more disciplined and united, both in military terms and in political terms, than the government in Kabul. And, of course, their military forces are inspired by the fact that now they are close to conquering Afghanistan once again.

Theyre also very keen to be recognized by the international community. They love traveling around the region, visiting Moscow and Central Asia and Iran. And they consider themselves now as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan, who should be acknowledged by the international community. This is something that the Americans and international community can hold over the Taliban; it could be used as part of the negotiating strategy.

NH: All these neighboring countries are now reaching out to the Taliban, in part because theyre worried about the spillover of violence or drugs or refugees and so on. Are the neighbors playing a useful role here?

AR: I think the Americans lost a real opportunity earlier. If they had brought in the United Nations to put together an alliance of neighboring states and then exerted a common pressure on the Taliban, we might have seen a different outcome than what were seeing right now. Instead, what has happened is that, first of all, all the neighboring countries China, Russia, Iran, the Central Asian republics and, of course, Pakistan all started buttering up the Taliban, as it were, as they became more successful. During the peace negotiations, America gave in to many of the Taliban demands, without really taking into account the Afghan government. So what weve seen is a desperate failure of the international community to come together and use their presence as one trigger in order to put pressure on the Taliban. What we need is much greater unity in the international community.

Also read: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation can tame Taliban. If members stop double game in Afghanistan

NH: You dont think its too late for that?

AR: I really am a firm believer that its never too late. The reality of the geopolitics in the region, however, is very much against any kind of major effort by the international community. Many of these countries, countries like Iran and Russia, carry out policies which are to their advantage, not to the advantage of bringing peace to Afghanistan.

China is going to become the major beneficiary of whatever happens in Afghanistan, because Afghanistan is full of minerals. The idea of mineral exploration and exploitation is certainly uppermost in Chinas mind. And its quite logical because Afghanistan cant export important minerals to anywhere else in the world except through the Chinese, who can build a land route through northern Afghanistan into China.

NH: Can the Chinese expect that a Taliban regime would create enough stability that they could profit from development and from mining?

AR: Well, the Taliban have gone out of their way to reassure the Chinese. I think the Taliban would be more than willing to facilitate Chinese exploration and exploitation of Afghanistans minerals.

NH: How much influence does Pakistan still have over this version of the Taliban compared to 20 years ago?

AR: Its a different kind of influence. Twenty years ago, Pakistan was giving money, arms, weapons or ammunition or food it was fully backing and supplying the Taliban in its offensives across Afghanistan. I dont think thats the case now, but there is enormous influence because, simply, the Taliban are situated in Pakistan. Their families, the leadership committees, their incomes are all focused on the leadership sitting in Pakistan. One of the very big mistakes made was the failure of international community to persuade Pakistan to send the Taliban back to Afghanistan, or at least threaten to do so, because the Taliban are very comfortable here. Theyre not threatened in any way by any Pakistani pressure. And, of course, this has become a very big issue for the millions of Afghans in Afghanistan, who are asking, Well, what the hell do you think youre doing? Sorry, you claim to be Afghan, yet youre launching wars against Afghanistan? For many Afghans this is a sellout of Afghan nationalism youre using your foreign base in order to attack your own country and kill your own countrymen.

NH: If the Taliban do gain power in Kabul, what do you think their rule would be like? First of all, would they keep their promises to cut off ties to al-Qaeda?

AR: Well, I cant see how they can do that. Al-Qaeda is both a military and a political force in Afghanistan. The leaders of al-Qaeda, many of them are married into Afghan society, especially the Pashtun population. And theres a very close proximity between the Taliban in the field and some of the al-Qaeda people, who have been helping them develop new weapons, training, etc. The Taliban would have to be extremely ruthless and literally kill off al-Qaeda fighters. I dont see them doing that. Theres a lot of wishful thinking here. Maybe some Taliban in the past would like to have seen al-Qaeda leave Afghanistan, but to do that in a peaceful manner is not going to be easy at all.

Also read: 5 reasons the West lost in Afghanistan

NH: And how do you think they will treat women and minorities again, compared to 20 years ago?

AR: They have promised that they will allow limited girls education. That means girls will be able to go to school up to perhaps fifth or sixth grade, but no more than that. It still has to be seen what policies they will use for human rights groups, civil society, women, teachers. Women form 40-45% of teachers in schools. Women are nurses and doctors. And if the Taliban come in and pull out all these women from the workforce, it will lead to even more catastrophic results for them. I think [Taliban leaders] will attempt to bring some of the younger cadres who are better educated into making policy, but they also have to watch the hardliners, the commanders whove been fighting and dying on the front lines. They will say, We want the old Taliban government back.

Its a very tricky thing to manage and manipulate. How many concessions will they give on the social front, especially regarding women? How serious is the western threat to refuse to recognize the Taliban government if it comes into power and does not give women equal rights? There are a lot of unanswered questions at the moment.

NH: Of the various possible outcomes the government holds on, or the Taliban take over or theres a messy civil war where do you see things most likely heading?

AR: It is very difficult to say, but I would predict that there will be continued fighting. The Taliban will try and take more and more territory [but] they wont attack the major cities. Theyll expect some kind of surrender, or something like that. I think the international community will become less and less relevant. [Well see] the Afghan government resisting but losing ground. I certainly wouldnt give a dire prediction, as some American commanders have done, by saying the government will collapse in three months or six months. Remember that the CIA predicted that after the Soviets withdrew, the Afghan communist government would collapse in six months; actually, they lasted three years in power. So, I would be very careful about making such predictions.

NH: Youve been covering the story for decades now. Whats your personal feeling about whats transpired in Afghanistan, the tragedy of it?

AR: Ive been incredibly depressed, to tell you the truth. I was there covering the Soviet invasion and the withdrawal, the breakdown of the government, followed by the civil war. And so yeah, this is a repeat of a repeat of a repeat. And in the middle of this, of course, are the Afghan people, the majority of whom do not want the Taliban back and do not want any kind of extreme political system which will restrict their basic freedoms of education and jobs and things like that. It has been very depressing to see Afghanistan fall back like this and the international community making so many mistakes once again.- Bloomberg

Also read: Proud of achievements in democracy, human rights India will tell Blinken on US concerns

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Essence of Talibans longevity is very secure sanctuary they had in Pakistan: Ahmed Rashid - ThePrint

CTAHR extension researchers

When a virus or virus-like agent infects a vegetatively propagated crop, the negative consequences can go far beyond a disappointing yield, appearance, taste and plant longevity. If the difficult-to-find disease goes undetected inside the propagation material, the problem could be passed on to a new farm, establish itself, and spread even further.

With a new grant from the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, a group of University of Hawaii at Mnoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) extension agents and researchers on Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island have joined a national networks sweet potato research group.

Since 2008, the National Clean Plant Network has brought together growers, scientists and government agencies with the shared goal of safeguarding clean plants and ensuring a sustainable source of disease-free, vegetative propagation materials (such as cuttings, slips, scionwood, etc.).

For their first project, Amjad Ahmad, Rosemary Gutierrez, Roshan Manandhar, Susan Miyasaka, Sharon Motomura-Wages and Jensen Uyeda, along with Jon Suzuki from the USDAs Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center in Hilo, will focus on Okinawan sweet potato, the purple-fleshed variety that is a primary commercial cultivar in Hawaii.

During the first year, we hope to produce a total of 100 virus-tested Okinawan plantlets in the tissue-culture laboratory of the Komohana Research and Extension Center, then distribute to extension agents across the state, Miyasaka says.

The plan calls for the extension agents to multiply the clean material to produce 500 cuttings, and distribute them to growers. The agents will use either pot or hydroponic cultures under conditions that will minimize any re-introduction of disease, while Suzuki will test for major sweet potato viruses in order to ensure that the propagating materials are clean. If all goes well, by the second year of funding, the agents will be able to ramp up production to distribute 2,500 clean cuttings to growers.

Go to the CTAHR website for more information.

This work is an example of UH Mnoas goal of Excellence in Research: Advancing the Research and Creative Work Enterprise (PDF), one of four goals identified in the 201525 Strategic Plan (PDF), updated in December 2020.

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Sweet potato protection! CTAHR team joins nationwide effort | University of Hawaii System News - UH System Current News

TV pioneer Norman Lear has never seen differences in race

Norman Lear looks back at his career and favorite quote: 'Just another version of you.' (Oct. 2)

AP

Norman Lear, the creative powerhouse behind "All in the Family," "The Jeffersons" and many other influential sitcomhits, turns 99 Tuesday.

Lear, who began writing and producing TV shows and movies in the 1950s, has remainedbusy in his late 90s, serving as an executive producer of "One Day at a Time," a recent reimagining of his 1970s sitcom; the Epix documentary series "America Divided"and Jimmy Kimmel's Emmy-winning, all-star recreations of his classic comedyscripts for ABC.

Lear, a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors(2017) and the Golden Globes' Carol Burnett Award,changed television and American culture by introducing real-lifeissues that had been taboo, including race, sex, war and even flushing toilets to a comedy genre previously rooted in silliness and escapism. The volatile mix of deadly serious topics and humor drew howls of opposition and of laughter, along with a bounty of awards and ratings.

More: Norman Lear's hits gain new relevance in era of TV remakes

Lear, whose other gems include "Maude," "Good Times," "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" and the movie "Cold Turkey,"linked work to longevity when the Paley Center for Media honored a group of comedy legendsin 2019.

"There's nothing I believe more than this, that laughter adds time to one's life," he said, figuratively tipping his trademark porkpie hat to fellow honorees Burnett, Bob Newhart, Carl Reiner and Lily Tomlin."Had I not laughed with them and at them and for them and about them, I may have been too deceased to pick up this award tonight."

To celebrate the New Haven, Connecticut, native and World War II veteran's 99th birthday, we have a birthday gift, but it's from him to all of us: A collection of wit and wisdom the maestro shared with USA TODAY over the years. Happy birthday, Norman!

More: TV legend Norman Lear isn't resting on laurels

"I would get mail by the tens of thousands. Whether they agreed with Archie or disagreed with Archie, what they all said was, 'My father ... my mother ... my sister ... my family ... we argued about this, that and the other thing,' " Lear said in 2009. "I think conversation about those issues is what our democracy is all about."

"I was interested in family, and we were dealing with what families deal with," Lear said in 2009. "I don't think I consciously thought that anything we were doing was controversial."

More: 'Those were the days': Celebrating Norman Lear's TV classic 'All in the Family' at 50

"If 2,000 years of the Judeo-Christian ethic hasn't seemed to help, I would be some kind of fool if I thought my little half-hour sitcom was having that kind of effect," Lear said in 2009. "What I do know is people talked. That's always good."

The characters and circumstances in the "One Day" remake (2017-20) were substantially different from the original (1975-84): Thenewer version centered on three generations of a Cuban-American family in Los Angeles.Lear welcomesdemographic and location differences, butfocuses on universality.

"I emphasize the common humanity. To laugh at them and live with them for a half-hour is to share in their humanity," he said in 2017. Issues change over the decades, too, but humor remains a shared response,even in difficult situations, "because the foolishness of the human condition is a constant. It doesn't go away."

More: Famous cast sticks live-TV landing in Norman Lear's 'All in the Family,' 'The Jeffersons'

In2017, Lear announced he would boycott the traditional White House reception that accompanies the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony because of then-President Trump's policies relating to the arts. Dancer and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade also planned to boycott before the reception was canceled.

Lear, an outspoken critic of the former president, explained his decision. "Because he's made me feel it's not my White House," he said in 2017. "But I've gotten over that. It is my White House. It oughtn't to be his."

"As I sift through in my mind the problems we dealt with, nothing's gone away. The (problems are)still there," he said in 2009.

He offered a more condensed assessment in 2016:"Very little changes in human nature."

"There is nothing like a live audience and actors who live off the reaction to the last thing they said," he said in 2019. "It's a chemistry that one can't find any other way."

After so many career highlights, Lear experienced a new one at 94: Hosting his own podcast, "All of the Above." It"allows me to gab. I like talking, I like listening, I like interactions," he said in 2017.

New assignments challenge him: "I like going to bed with something on my mind for the next day. I like waking up to that."

"I'm having more fun because it's now," he said in 2016, when asked which version of "One Day at a Time" he most enjoyed. "Then is a memory. Today is the moment."

Contributing: Jefferson Graham

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Norman Lear turns 99: The legendary 'All in the Family' producer's best quotes over the years - USA TODAY