The Israeli Government has selected Virginia as one of four key life science centers for its annual “Israeli Life Science Road Show III” to take place at the Center for Innovative Technology on November 6, 2006.  "This opportunity offers two powers in the Life Science arena -- Virginia and Israel -- to explore additional ways we can work together to develop new innovative technologies,” said Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine.  The morning through lunch session includes dynamic panels and company presentations.
 
Both the Israeli guests and the US participants will have an opportunity to meet Dr. Scott Gottlieb, who is the key note speaker.  Dr. Gottlieb is the Deputy Commissioner for Medical and Scientific Affairs at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.  As the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Medical and Scientific Affairs, Dr. Gottlieb is a senior advisor to Acting Commissioner, Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach on all major agency matters including regulations, policy and administrative programs. His office works with all of the FDA’s centers on implementing and coordinating the agency’s regulatory and administrative policies aimed at advancing the public health.

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"I've been involved with over 400 health care financial deals, many in the Life Sciences.  Two current deals involve Israeli companies.  There seems to be an incredible number of opportunities involving Israeli companies."  
Joel Kanter, President, Windy City, Inc. and participant in Life Science Road Show

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The fourteen participating Israeli companies have been carefully selected by prestigious Israeli Institutions including BIRD and Matimop (Chief Scientist of Israel), as well as a consortium of twelve US VC’s including Paramount Bio, Polaris Ventures, and Clarus Ventures.  According to Yair Shiran, the Israel Economic Minister to North America, Israel is a world leader in International Life Science patents.   This is a terrific opportunity for regional companies to view these innovations, many of which are presenting for the first time in the US.”

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Agenda & Registration

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An open house on October 19 marked the opening of Camero’s headquarters in the US.   The Tysons Corner, Virginia, location will help meet the growing demand for its market-leading Xaver™ 800 ‘Through-Wall Vision’ system. The Xaver™ 800 generates real-time, three-dimensional images of stationary and moving objects concealed behind walls. The new premises will include a demonstration facility for the Xaver™ 800.
 
“These are exciting milestones for our company,” said Aharon Aharon, CEO of Camero. “Our new office will support Camero’s growing customer base. The Through-Wall demonstration facility located in our new offices will enable potential users to experience the life-saving capabilities of the Xaver™ 800 for themselves and is a key part of the rapid expansion of our U.S. operations.”
 
“Opening this new office underscores Camero’s commitment to providing the U.S. Military, Law Enforcement and Search & Rescue communities with our unique products,” said Robert (Bob) Judd, President of Camero, Inc.

Editor's Note: This article is reprinted with permission from VAbio.

What began as an idea sketched out on the back of a napkin has led–after six years of intense planning, construction, and recruiting–to the opening of the Janelia Farm Research Campus (JFRC), a new scientific community created by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Janelia Farm, which is located in Ashburn, Virginia, is an environment where leading scientists can pursue long-term, high-risk, high-reward research in a campus specially designed to bring together researchers from disparate disciplines. The $500 million facility officially opened the first week of October.

Four hundred years after Captain John Smith established the first permanent English colony in Jamestown, the commonwealth of Virginia is leading the way once again. Virginia grabbed the top spot in Forbes.com's first-ever Top States for Business thanks to its strong economic growth, low business costs and excellent quality of life.

The state, called "Earth's only paradise" by poet Michael Drayton, dominated our rankings, placing in the top ten in each of the six categories we examined: business costs, economic climate, growth prospects, labor, quality of life and regulatory environment. No other state placed in the top ten in more than three categories.

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"Add up a smart labor force, low costs, good regulatory environment and a great quality of life, and you get Virginia, the runaway winner in our listing of the Top States for Business." Forbes.com October, 2006

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We looked at a total of 30 metrics within the six general categories, and Virginia scored in the top half of all but three of them (high school attainment, five-year income growth and cost of living). The next best-performing states, North Carolina and Colorado, scored in the bottom 50% in nine metrics. Our second-ranked state overall, Texas, had 12 metrics where it ranked outside the top half