Community aids research
A survey conducted by Johns Hopkins University faculty has foundstrong support among their peers for working more closely with theminority, inner-city community that surrounds the institution.Overall, 91 percent of faculty responders said closer ties makeresearch more relevant to those it ultimately serves, and 87 percentsaid it improves the quality of research. Moreover, the survey alsofound that Hopkins health researchers who conducted studies in thesurrounding community were more likely to hire and collaborate withlocal residents. The survey was published in the December issue ofthe Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics.
Export grants awarded
Maryland economic development officials awarded the first twocycles of fiscal 2011 Export MD grants to 19 small and mid-sizedbusinesses across the state. The Export MD grants, administeredthrough the Department of Business and Economic Development, areawarded to businesses quarterly to help finance the cost ofinternational marketing initiatives, including trade show fees,travel expenses, brochures, translators and website development.Since 2007, more than 100 Export MD grants have been awarded.Applications for the next cycle are due by Jan. 1, and eligibilityrequirements can be found on DBED's website atwww.choosemaryland.org.
MedAssurant selected
MedAssurant Inc. of Bowie, a provider of health care dataanalysis services, said it was selected by Washington, D.C.-basedMedicaid Health Plans of America to provide advanced analytics toestablish priorities and to inform best practices in health caredelivery settings for Medicaid patients. MedAssurant will assistMHPA in conducting detailed research to address questions ofcomparative effectiveness, clinical quality and efficacy. MHPA is atrade association whose focus is representing Medicaid health plans.Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Mtech works
The planned sale of Columbia-based Martek Biosciences Corp. to aDutch vitamin maker marks the second company sold for more than $1billion in the past three years that was launched with the help ofthe Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute, or Mtech, at theUniversity of Maryland. Martek announced on Tuesday that it hadentered an agreement to be acquired by Royal DSM NV for $1.1billion. Digene Corp., a Gaithersburg-based biotechnology companythat produces tests for women's cancers and infectious diseases, wasacquired by Qiagen NV for $1.6 billion in 2007. In addition to usingMtech's Technology Advancement Program incubator, Martek leveragedMaryland Industrial Partnerships funding during its early stages.
