University Circle
Welcome to the latest round of Lab Chat, in which our resident Post-Doctoral Research Associate attempts to demystify the complex world of biomedical research. Today, our writer takes on the roadblocks to diagnosing and treating cancer -- and how improvements in medical technology are offering avenues to better results.
For those who have suffered a traumatic injury to the skull and face -- be it from an accident, cancer or deformity -- OsteoSymbionics leads the way in facial reconstruction. The Cleveland-based manufacturer of custom craniofacial implants serves surgeons at hospitals across the United States. OsteoSymbionics’ products provide both skull rebuilding and is cosmetically attractive.
Founded in 2006by Cynthia Brogan, OsteoSymbionics is known for using a special plastic in its craniofacial implants that doesn’t break and exactly fits the patient's face or skull. “We’re a well-respected player in the marketplace,” says CEO Dorothy Baunach. “The type of plastic we use is a market niche and it’s done really well in its ability to be shaped to the skull opening without crumbling or breaking.”
Today, OsteoSymbionics has a line of products that range from a clear implant that allows surgeons to see brain function during placement, to hard and soft tissue implants. Housed in the Incubator at MAGNET, the company employs six full-time and two part-time employees who have backgrounds that range from medical artists and sculptors to biomedical engineers and materials scientists.
Many of the artists on staff are graduates of Cleveland Institute of Art’s biomedical program. “They’re really our secret weapon,” says Baunach. “The fit and forming is more of an art than a science. Because of the talent of the students at CIA, they can do things that are pretty complex.”
Baunach plans to double sales by the end of the year and add sales reps across the country. “It’s really about growing sales and the company,” she says. “Sales are built on surgeons’ preferences.”
Founded in 2006by Cynthia Brogan, OsteoSymbionics is known for using a special plastic in its craniofacial implants that doesn’t break and exactly fits the patient's face or skull. “We’re a well-respected player in the marketplace,” says CEO Dorothy Baunach. “The type of plastic we use is a market niche and it’s done really well in its ability to be shaped to the skull opening without crumbling or breaking.”
Today, OsteoSymbionics has a line of products that range from a clear implant that allows surgeons to see brain function during placement, to hard and soft tissue implants. Housed in the Incubator at MAGNET, the company employs six full-time and two part-time employees who have backgrounds that range from medical artists and sculptors to biomedical engineers and materials scientists.
Many of the artists on staff are graduates of Cleveland Institute of Art’s biomedical program. “They’re really our secret weapon,” says Baunach. “The fit and forming is more of an art than a science. Because of the talent of the students at CIA, they can do things that are pretty complex.”
Baunach plans to double sales by the end of the year and add sales reps across the country. “It’s really about growing sales and the company,” she says. “Sales are built on surgeons’ preferences.”
Artists are often the first to move into urban neighborhoods, and also the first to move out when rents escalate. Yet in the post-recession landscape, many communities are working with artists to transform blight, engage residents and reimagine their neighborhoods.
There has been a flood of new businesses that tout the city through an assortment of Cleveland-themed apparel and products or by integrating the city name right into the company’s branding. Many point to the recent recession as the dawn of this entrepreneurial movement, which coincided with a newfound pride of place.
university study ranks cities' walkability; cleveland in top 10
In a recently released report by the Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis at George Washington University School of Business in conjunction with Smart Growth America, the 30 largest U.S. cities were ranked by how walkable they are. This is key indicator on how cities are shifting from suburban sprawl to urban infill.
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“The researchers, including Leinberger, first looked at Walkscore heat maps, focusing on areas that scored high. They then looked at areas with significant regional importance, meaning they have at least 1.4 million square feet of office space and more than 340,000 square feet of retail space. They combined these factors to determine areas they call "walkable urban places" or WalkUPs.”
But the report doesn’t just evaluate the present; it looks ahead.
“Researchers then tried to predict how these areas would grow in the future by looking at trend lines and pricing premiums in rent space, which indicate demand level. For example, demand around train stations in places like Washington, D.C. is so high commercial and residential renters can pay a premium of between 50 and 80 percent, said Emerick Corsi, president of Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises Real Estate Services.
Coming in at No. 10 is Cleveland.
“Ohio's largest city hangs on to the bottom spot in the Top 10, but that may change soon. It's set to plummet to No. 24 in the future. Cleveland is one of a handful of older industrial cities where walkability is largely rooted in the past, where a strong city center is walkable while the rest of the surrounding suburban area lacks any kind of walkable urban space.”
Read the rest here.
?
“The researchers, including Leinberger, first looked at Walkscore heat maps, focusing on areas that scored high. They then looked at areas with significant regional importance, meaning they have at least 1.4 million square feet of office space and more than 340,000 square feet of retail space. They combined these factors to determine areas they call "walkable urban places" or WalkUPs.”
But the report doesn’t just evaluate the present; it looks ahead.
“Researchers then tried to predict how these areas would grow in the future by looking at trend lines and pricing premiums in rent space, which indicate demand level. For example, demand around train stations in places like Washington, D.C. is so high commercial and residential renters can pay a premium of between 50 and 80 percent, said Emerick Corsi, president of Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises Real Estate Services.
Coming in at No. 10 is Cleveland.
“Ohio's largest city hangs on to the bottom spot in the Top 10, but that may change soon. It's set to plummet to No. 24 in the future. Cleveland is one of a handful of older industrial cities where walkability is largely rooted in the past, where a strong city center is walkable while the rest of the surrounding suburban area lacks any kind of walkable urban space.”
Read the rest here.
Everybody has those days when they just don’t feel like going to work. But some employers offer perks that make coming to work a little less painful. From all-you-can-eat snack bars to pursuing outside interests on company time -- and free beer! -- these companies help make coming to the office a little easier to swallow.
philanthropist's efforts to boost young audiences at orchestra in new york times
In a New York Times post titled, "Maintaining a Classical-Music Miracle in Cleveland," writer Craig Duff covers efforts by local philanthropist Milton Maltz to increase the number of young audience members at Cleveland Orchestra performances.
"When Milton Maltz looked down from his box seat in Severance Hall -- the stately home of the Cleveland Orchestra -- he used to fear for its future," writes Duff.
"Where are the young people?" Maltz is quoted in the article.
The aging of audiences is something all orchestras are contending with, but Maltz decided to do something about it. He and his wife donated $20 million to help the orchestra build a younger audience, with the ambitious goal of attracting the youngest audience of any orchestra in America by 2018, the band's 100th birthday.
Incentives include "FanCards" that allow young concertgoers to attend as many concerts as they like per season for $50. Additional deals include free admission to summer outdoor concerts at Blossom for those under age 18. Students also can attend any concert during the subscription season for $10.
Efforts are paying off: in 2010, students made up 8 percent of the audience. Last year, that figure was 20 percent.
Read the rest of the good news here.
"When Milton Maltz looked down from his box seat in Severance Hall -- the stately home of the Cleveland Orchestra -- he used to fear for its future," writes Duff.
"Where are the young people?" Maltz is quoted in the article.
The aging of audiences is something all orchestras are contending with, but Maltz decided to do something about it. He and his wife donated $20 million to help the orchestra build a younger audience, with the ambitious goal of attracting the youngest audience of any orchestra in America by 2018, the band's 100th birthday.
Incentives include "FanCards" that allow young concertgoers to attend as many concerts as they like per season for $50. Additional deals include free admission to summer outdoor concerts at Blossom for those under age 18. Students also can attend any concert during the subscription season for $10.
Efforts are paying off: in 2010, students made up 8 percent of the audience. Last year, that figure was 20 percent.
Read the rest of the good news here.
Welcome to the latest round of Lab Chat, in which we try to demystify the often complex field of biomedical research. Today, our well informed post-doc takes on commercial drug development, specifically, why the heck does it take so long for prescription drugs to move from lab to local pharmacy?
The entrepreneurs behind Piccadilly Artisan Yogurt have unveiled the concept behind their new shop in University Circle. The Cleveland-based company's latest location, Piccadilly Artisan Creamery, will feature a style of ice cream and yogurt that is made using liquid nitrogen to rapidly freeze small batches of delicious ice cream.
This process of using liquid nitrogen to instantly craft yogurt and ice cream has grown rapidly on the West Coast, but Piccadilly is the first company in Cleveland to employ the technique. The process has three main benefits, say founders Adrian and Cosmin Bota: the rich and creamy texture it gives the frozen treats, the customization afforded to the customer, and the lack of preservatives needed when making it.
It all begins with the liquid nitrogen, which boils at an astounding -321 degrees Fahrenheit (that's several degrees colder than it was during the recent Polar Vortex). The nitrogen is added to the other ice cream ingredients in a mixer, where the nitrogen instantly freezes the contents on contact.
“We're really gonna let people go crazy and create their own thing,” Adrian explained during a demonstration on Thursday evening. Customers can decide what goes into their yogurt or ice cream and how soft or hard the texture will be. Because the ice cream or yogurt is being prepared fresh for each customer, preservatives are never necessary, which the owners claim results in a better-tasting product.
The Botas teamed up with designer Sailee Gupte, who helped transform the new store on Euclid. The tables and countertops are made of thick slabs of raw, live-edge wood. Exposed brick on walls gives the shop an edgy, urban feel. “Each area [Piccadilly] moves into has a specific feel and we want to pay homage to that," Sailee explained. To pay tribute to University Circle, the owners opted for “a more vintage and rustic theme.”
Piccadilly's owners have a passion for local, organic food that is evident in the menu offerings at their existing locations in Cleveland Heights and Ohio City. The owners buy from a local farm that does not use any preservatives, hormones or antibiotics, and they source other ingredients from the West Side Market. The Botas also will offer vegan yogurt options in the University Circle store.
“We’re just excited to be a part of this neighborhood," Bota told those in attendance.
The official grand opening of the new Piccadilly in University Circle is May 24th.
There's more than one way to get around Cleveland. As more and more alternative transportation options like Lyft, Uber and pedicabs enter the local market, residents are discovering that it's increasingly becoming easier to leave the wheels at home. Fresh Water took them for a test drive.
introducing cleveland, the 'entertainment capital you never knew about'
In a Travelers Today feature titled "Five Reasons Cleveland is the Entertainment Capital You Never Knew About,' writer Will Walker calls our fair city "one of largest and most underrated cultural hot-spots in the country."
According to Walker, here are five reasons Cleveland is the entertainment capital that's "ripe for exploration by any traveler adventurous enough to take a chance on it."
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
"Opened in 1995 by Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun, the Rock Hall marks a must-see destination for anyone interested in Rock & Roll, music, or pop culture in general.
Cinematheque
The Cleveland Institute of Art's Cinematheque offers what the New York Times called one of the country's "best repertory movie theaters."
Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland has one of the "best and most important art museums in the country, boasting works from artists as diverse as Caravaggio, David, and Monet."
Playhouse Square
"The second largest theatrical complex in the country (outside of New York) Playhouse Square's nine theaters sprawl over two city blocks, casting an impressive shadow of cultural sophistication that the rest of the city can't help but take note of."
Cleveland Orchestra
According to the British music periodical Gramophone, the Cleveland Orchestra ranks as the seventh best in the world, topping every single United States orchestra outside of Chicago.
Read the rest of the good news here.
According to Walker, here are five reasons Cleveland is the entertainment capital that's "ripe for exploration by any traveler adventurous enough to take a chance on it."
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
"Opened in 1995 by Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun, the Rock Hall marks a must-see destination for anyone interested in Rock & Roll, music, or pop culture in general.
Cinematheque
The Cleveland Institute of Art's Cinematheque offers what the New York Times called one of the country's "best repertory movie theaters."
Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland has one of the "best and most important art museums in the country, boasting works from artists as diverse as Caravaggio, David, and Monet."
Playhouse Square
"The second largest theatrical complex in the country (outside of New York) Playhouse Square's nine theaters sprawl over two city blocks, casting an impressive shadow of cultural sophistication that the rest of the city can't help but take note of."
Cleveland Orchestra
According to the British music periodical Gramophone, the Cleveland Orchestra ranks as the seventh best in the world, topping every single United States orchestra outside of Chicago.
Read the rest of the good news here.
Sometimes, even the most adventurous resident can grow a little too comfortable living in the same city after a while. But one can always find something new to discover if we just dig a little deeper. Lucky for us, a number of smartphone apps will help the explorer in all of us get reacquainted with the city we call home.
It's been four and a half years since the first edition of "Moon Handbooks: Cleveland" was published. Considering all that has taken place in Cleveland during that time, author and Fresh Water managing editor Douglas Trattner says that for the second edition, which was released this week, he went back to the starting gate.
Each summer, throngs of people flock to the streets to partake in arts festivals, art walks and marquee arts events. Many are free and no two are exactly alike. With art mediums that include paintings, sculpture, glassware, photography, leather, jewelry and performance art, there’s something for everybody.
cleveland clinic's new herbal therapy ward highlighted in time mag
In a Time feature titled "Cleveland Clinic’s New Medicine," Alexandra Sifferlin writes about the Cleveland Clinic's nonconforming efforts to incorporate Eastern herbal medicine with traditional Western medical practices.
"Though herbal therapy has been practiced in China for centuries, it is still an afterthought in the U.S., in part because pharmaceutical remedies are usually easier to obtain," Sifferlin writes. "Now that’s beginning to change: in January, the Cleveland Clinic opened a Chinese herbal-therapy ward."
In this small division, therapists at the clinic treat patients suffering from chronic pain, fatigue, poor digestion, infertility and sleep disorders.
“Western medicine may not have all the answers,” Daniel Neides, the clinic’s medical director, is quoted in the piece.
A certified herbalist runs the unit under the supervision of Western-trained doctors. Patients must be referred to the clinic by their doctor, who must oversee their treatment for at least a year.
Executives at the Cleveland Clinic say the clinic "is the first of its kind to be affiliated with a Western hospital."
“We’re incorporating ancient knowledge into patient care,” says in-house herbalist Galina Roofener.
Read the rest of the news right here.
"Though herbal therapy has been practiced in China for centuries, it is still an afterthought in the U.S., in part because pharmaceutical remedies are usually easier to obtain," Sifferlin writes. "Now that’s beginning to change: in January, the Cleveland Clinic opened a Chinese herbal-therapy ward."
In this small division, therapists at the clinic treat patients suffering from chronic pain, fatigue, poor digestion, infertility and sleep disorders.
“Western medicine may not have all the answers,” Daniel Neides, the clinic’s medical director, is quoted in the piece.
A certified herbalist runs the unit under the supervision of Western-trained doctors. Patients must be referred to the clinic by their doctor, who must oversee their treatment for at least a year.
Executives at the Cleveland Clinic say the clinic "is the first of its kind to be affiliated with a Western hospital."
“We’re incorporating ancient knowledge into patient care,” says in-house herbalist Galina Roofener.
Read the rest of the news right here.
Disease Diagnostics Group, a startup company out of CWRU, won the top $1,500 prize in the Charter One Foundation Student Business Idea Competition. Three winners were announced at the Northeast Ohio Entrepreneur Expo on April 7.
Disease Diagnostics has developed a hand-held device for early detection of malaria. The company was founded by CEO John Lewandowski, who earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering and his masters in engineering management from CWRU, and Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) Brian Grimberg, assistant professor of international health at Case School of Medicine’s Center for Global Health and Disease.
“It was Dr. Grimberg’s technology,” explains Lewandowski. “This device is reusable, portable, inexpensive and fast. One billion tests are needed. Five hundred million to 700 million cases are documented and people don’t even know they have it.”
Disease Diagnostics’ Rapid Assessment of Malaria (RAM) device can help people get treatment early. The test costs only about 25 cents to run, takes about a minute for results and has 94 percent accuracy. “Malaria is completely curable disease,” says Lewandowski. “With early detection, you won’t die from it and you won’t spread it. Being able to detect it in someone who doesn’t have symptoms yet would be monumental.”
The company is in the final stages of testing its device and collecting field data, in part thanks to funding from the Case-Coulter Translational Partnership. Lewandowski foresees the RAM device to be on the market soon for national and international government programs.
Lewandowski says they will use the $1,500 for final prototyping and lab tests.
Other recipients of Charter One Foundation funds were Sprav Water, a company out of Case that is developing a shower head that monitors water consumption, and Holmes Mouthwatering Applesauce, an applesauce manufacturer out of Hiram College. Sprav received $400 and Holmes received $600.
The three winners were selected by a panel of judges and by popular vote.
Disease Diagnostics has developed a hand-held device for early detection of malaria. The company was founded by CEO John Lewandowski, who earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering and his masters in engineering management from CWRU, and Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) Brian Grimberg, assistant professor of international health at Case School of Medicine’s Center for Global Health and Disease.
“It was Dr. Grimberg’s technology,” explains Lewandowski. “This device is reusable, portable, inexpensive and fast. One billion tests are needed. Five hundred million to 700 million cases are documented and people don’t even know they have it.”
Disease Diagnostics’ Rapid Assessment of Malaria (RAM) device can help people get treatment early. The test costs only about 25 cents to run, takes about a minute for results and has 94 percent accuracy. “Malaria is completely curable disease,” says Lewandowski. “With early detection, you won’t die from it and you won’t spread it. Being able to detect it in someone who doesn’t have symptoms yet would be monumental.”
The company is in the final stages of testing its device and collecting field data, in part thanks to funding from the Case-Coulter Translational Partnership. Lewandowski foresees the RAM device to be on the market soon for national and international government programs.
Lewandowski says they will use the $1,500 for final prototyping and lab tests.
Other recipients of Charter One Foundation funds were Sprav Water, a company out of Case that is developing a shower head that monitors water consumption, and Holmes Mouthwatering Applesauce, an applesauce manufacturer out of Hiram College. Sprav received $400 and Holmes received $600.
The three winners were selected by a panel of judges and by popular vote.
If you're considering a move to Cleveland, there might be no better means to examine the broad range of residential options than by hopping aboard a City Life tour hosted by Cleveland Neighborhood Progress. In a few short hours, participants enjoy an immersive dive into a number of Cleveland's most in-demand neighborhoods.
On Thursday, May 1, Global Cleveland will officially launch its talent attraction campaign at a major event at the Cleveland Convention Center. The event -- like the organization hosting it -- is focused on increasing the population while strengthening the local economy.
cleveland clinic exports marquee brand to abu dhabi
In a Reuters article titled, "Cleveland Clinic exports marquee Ohio brand to Abu Dhabi," by Robin Respaut writes about the Clinic's plans to open a hospital on Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi.
"For decades the Cleveland Clinic has provided healthcare to the upper echelons of Middle Eastern society who fly halfway across the world for treatment at the Ohio-based private medical center," she writes. "Soon, they can skip the trip."
Early next year, the Cleveland Clinic will open an ultra-modern, 364-bed hospital on Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi. The Clinic currently helps manage the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City facility in Abu Dhabi, but this will be the first time it puts its name and personnel in the region.
"We look at it as our petrodollars coming home to Cleveland," Cleveland Clinic's chief executive officer Dr Toby Cosgrove said during an interview. "It's money coming back to us."
Read more about the state-of-the-art facility here.
"For decades the Cleveland Clinic has provided healthcare to the upper echelons of Middle Eastern society who fly halfway across the world for treatment at the Ohio-based private medical center," she writes. "Soon, they can skip the trip."
Early next year, the Cleveland Clinic will open an ultra-modern, 364-bed hospital on Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi. The Clinic currently helps manage the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City facility in Abu Dhabi, but this will be the first time it puts its name and personnel in the region.
"We look at it as our petrodollars coming home to Cleveland," Cleveland Clinic's chief executive officer Dr Toby Cosgrove said during an interview. "It's money coming back to us."
Read more about the state-of-the-art facility here.