In ‘Around The Table,’ we highlight member news and share information on industry trends. In this edition, we shine the spotlight on McKinstry, Microsoft, PNNL, Seattle Genetics, and Wells Fargo.
McKinstry, University of Washington and Gonzaga Create a New Regional Health Partnership Center in Spokane
Spokane is getting a new center for medical education, health sciences and innovation, with the announcement of an 80,000-square-foot building that will serve as the new home for the University of Washington School of Medicine-Gonzaga University Regional Health Partnership (RHP). McKinstry will develop, design, build, and manage the four-story facility for use by the University of Washington and Gonzaga University. The universities have each made the commitment to enter into long-term lease agreements for use of space in the facility. Estimated at $60 million, the privately funded project leverages and expands the public-private partnership to reduce risk, expedite completion, and save taxpayers money. Learn more here.
New Book from Microsoft President Brad Smith
Congratulations to Roundtable member Brad Smith on publication of a new book! As noted in GeekWire, “In ‘Tools & Weapons: The Promise and the Peril of the Digital Age,’ the longtime Microsoft executive and his co-author Carol Ann Browne tell the inside story of some of the biggest developments in tech and the world over the past decade – including Microsoft’s reaction to the Snowden revelations, its battle with Russian hackers in the leadup to the 2016 elections and its role in the ongoing debate over privacy and facial recognition technology.” Check out an excerpt of the book in The Seattle Times.
NASA funds PNNL Microbe and Plant Research in Space
Janet Jansson and Christer Jansson of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have each been awarded a NASA grant to explore how life adapts and changes during spaceflight. These grants, designed to help NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration program, represent the convergence of PNNL’s scientific development and NASA’s interest in PNNL’s science. The projects consist of parallel experiments: a control group at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and an identical cohort on the International Space Station. Learn more here.
Seattle Genetics/Astellas Win Priority U.S. Review of Armed Antibody Aimed at Bladder Cancer
Seattle Genetics has secured a speedy review of its second armed antibody, courtesy of the FDA. The company’s ‘breakthrough’ Astellas-partnered drug – enfortumab vedotin – has procured priority review from the US regulator, after data showed it helped patients with a stubborn type of bladder cancer. A marketing application for the drug has already been submitted – and a late-stage trial designed to confirm the drug’s safety and efficacy in this patient population is ongoing. Learn more here.
Manufacturing Academy Students Develop Financial Stability Through New Wells Fargo Partnership
The Wells Fargo Foundation is offering students in the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC) access to financial wellness resources as they begin their professional careers. AJAC provides hands-on advanced manufacturing training and to high school youth in Washington. Thanks to Wells Fargo, AJAC apprentices will be eligible to participate in financial health webinars and conversations with a phone banker on topics like budgeting, saving, or strengthening credit. Apprentices will also have access to Hands on Banking, which provides on-demand courses, checklists, and other tools. Wells Fargo is also providing one-hour training twice a month during the students’ internship on topics ranging from basic finance to managing more advanced financial resources. Learn more here.