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Make Way for CalIBR

Merck this week launched the California Institute for Biomedical Research, or CalIBR, "a new nonprofit research institute to help academics turn their basic biology insights into drug compounds ready for human tests," Science reports, adding that the pharmaceutical company is contributing $42 million over the first three years, and possibly as much as $90 million over the first seven years, to the institute. The Wall Street Journal adds that CalIBR "will be free to seek alternative funding sources for any projects not licensed by Merck and it plans to access funds from government and non-government sources" and that "revenue derived from licenses will be shared between CalIBR and the collaborating institutions."

The institute will be led by the Scripps Research Institute's Peter Schultz and "will offer academic scientists, around the world, a streamlined, efficient and flexible path for translating their biomedical research into novel medicines," according to a CalIBR statement.

The Scan

Positive Framing of Genetic Studies Can Spark Mistrust Among Underrepresented Groups

Researchers in Human Genetics and Genomics Advances report that how researchers describe genomic studies may alienate potential participants.

Small Study of Gene Editing to Treat Sickle Cell Disease

In a Novartis-sponsored study in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that a CRISPR-Cas9-based treatment targeting promoters of genes encoding fetal hemoglobin could reduce disease symptoms.

Gut Microbiome Changes Appear in Infants Before They Develop Eczema, Study Finds

Researchers report in mSystems that infants experienced an enrichment in Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Finegoldia and a depletion of Bacteroides before developing eczema.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment Specificity Enhanced With Stem Cell Editing

A study in Nature suggests epitope editing in donor stem cells prior to bone marrow transplants can stave off toxicity when targeting acute myeloid leukemia with immunotherapy.