Understanding the Promise of Immunotherapy in Veterinary Medicine

Immunotherapy in veterinary medicine is a rapidly evolving field that leverages the immune system to fight diseases. These therapies are particularly effective in treating various cancers, including lymphomas, mast cell tumors, melanomas, and osteosarcomas. Beyond cancer, immunotherapies are also being explored for their potential in managing chronic inflammatory diseases, such as autoimmune disorders where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues. While traditionally, veterinary treatments have focused on surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, the advent of immunotherapy offers a more targeted approach, particularly for conditions like cancer.  

This targeted approach not only minimizes collateral damage to healthy tissues but also offers the potential for longer-lasting protection by training the immune system to recognize and fight off recurrence of the disease. The interest in immunotherapies has grown in tandem with advancements in human oncology, leading to a crossover of technologies and methodologies into veterinary applications. 

How Does Immunotherapy Work?

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Our Maxwell® Travels from Spain to Antarctica to Help Stop the Avian Flu Virus

In January 2024, Antonio Alcamí and Ángela Vázquez, virologists from the Severo Ochoa Centre for Molecular Biology, landed in Antarctica to study the avian flu virus. They embarked on a journey to monitor 17,000 penguins as part of their efforts to study the virus and prevent its spread. Our Maxwell® RSC 48 was delivered to extract nucleic acids from the samples, which are set to be analyzed using qPCR.

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Embracing Spring at Promega: A Commitment to Environmental Stewardship and Sustainable Growth 

This blog is guest-written by Jason Hankes, Manager, Land & Natural Resources, Promega Corporation 


At Promega, the arrival of spring is not merely a celebration of nature’s rejuvenation, but also a reflection of our steadfast commitment to environmental stewardship. This vibrant season allows us to spotlight a crucial ecological initiative: the controlled prairie burn. Conducted every three to five years across over 25 acres of native prairie restorations, these burns are essential for habitat health. They not only reduce the risk of wildfires but also curb invasive weeds and stimulate new growth. Undertaking these burns exemplifies how Promega reinforces its commitment to environmental stewardship – a foundational principle that guides our operations and influences our architectural designs. 

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Beyond April: Sustaining Momentum in Sexual Assault Awareness and Action  

This guest blog post is written by Tara Luther, Sr. Marketing Specialist, Genetic Identity at Promega.

April 2024 marked the 23rd anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) in the United States. While we have crossed into May, the importance of what SAAM stands for does not diminish with the changing of the calendar. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) emphasizes that SAAM is a time to not only draw attention to the prevalence of sexual assault, but to also educate individuals and communities about how to prevent sexual violence. 

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AI in the Research Lab: Where We Are, and Where We’re Going

This guest blog post is written by Poncho Meisenheimer, Vice President of Research and Development.

Poncho Meisenheimer is the Vice President of Research and Development at Promega Corporation.

I got into an argument with ChatGPT this morning.

That’s not unusual. I argue with ChatGPT a lot. In fact, that’s usually my goal.

As a scientist and a leader, it’s important to pressure-test my ideas. I need to account for biases, identify limitations, and strengthen weak points. Large language models like ChatGPT have given me a powerful tool in my pocket to become a better version of myself.

The advent of generative artificial intelligence has changed our world. We can’t keep doing things the way we did even only a year ago.

Promega is embracing AI. Every department is finding groundbreaking and responsible ways to deepen their impact using our ChatGPT enterprise license. As the Vice President of Research and Development, I have been working with our scientists to think beyond simple queries and imagine new horizons we can explore with these tools. 

Make no mistake: I don’t think that ChatGPT and other AI tools can, will or should replace human scientists. Instead, they will empower all scientists to ask more ambitious questions and uncover new answers. They will upend our current paradigm about what science is and how it operates, and will help us build an even deeper understanding of the world around us.

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Blending Art and Science in a Costa Rica Physics Lab

Sophia Speece engaged her passions for art and science during her internship in Costa Rica.
UW-Madison student Sophia Speece (left) spent the summer in Costa Rica for the “Artist in the Science Lab” internship hosted by alum Dr. Mariela Porras Chaverri (right)

My name is Sophia Speece. I am a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying Biomedical Engineering and Music Performance. As you can imagine, there is not a lot of overlap between these two passions of mine.

This past summer I was given the unique opportunity to combine these two areas. I applied and was accepted for the “Artist in the Science Lab” internship abroad in Costa Rica!

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Elevate Your Research: Exploring the Power of 8-Dye STR Chemistry with the Spectrum Compact CE System

In genetic research, staying at the forefront of technology is crucial. The latest breakthrough in human identification comes in the form of 8-dye Short Tandem Repeat (STR) chemistry. This innovation promises unprecedented precision and accuracy in DNA analysis, revolutionizing the way we approach genetic studies. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the world of 8-color chemistry and explore how it seamlessly integrates with the game-changing Spectrum Compact CE System.

Understanding 8-Dye STR Chemistry

The introduction of 8-dye chemistry expands the capability of STR analysis, enabling researchers to analyze more DNA markers with smaller amplicons, providing more robust data from degraded or inhibited DNA samples.  The performance of the 8-color dye chemistries from Promega on the Spectrum Compact CE System is sensitive, with both chemsitries (PowerPlex® 35 GY System and the upcoming PowerPlex® 18 E System) producing 100% profiles from their suggested inputs down to as little as 62.5 pg of DNA. The 18E system produced 100% profiles down to 31.25 pg of input DNA with minimal signal bleed through and low system noise.

Table showing percent STR profiles generated with decreasing input DNA using the PowerPlex 35GY or PowerPlex 18 E chemistry on the Spectrum Compact CE System
Table showing percent profiles generated with decreasing input DNA using the PowerPlex® 35GY or PowerPlex® 18E chemistry on the Spectrum Compact CE System.
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No Horsin’ around with Halal Meat Authentication


Today’s blog is written by guest blogger, Sameer Moorji, Director, Applied Markets.  

People’s diets are frequently influenced by a wide range of variables; with environment, socioeconomic status, religion, and culture being a few of the key influencers. The Muslim community serves as one illustration of how culture and religion can hold influence over people’s eating habits.

Halal meat on cutting board

Muslims, who adhere to Islamic teachings derived from the Qur’an, frequently base dietary choices on a food’s halal status, whether it is permissible to consume, or haram status, forbidden to consume. With the population of Muslims expected to expand from 1.6 billion in 2010 to 2.2 billion by 2030, the demand for halal products is anticipated to surge (2).

By 2030, the global halal meat market is projected to reach over $300 billion dollars, with Asia-Pacific and the Middle East regions being the largest consumers and producers of halal meat products (3). Furthermore, increasing awareness and popularity of halal meat among non-Muslim consumers, as well as strengthening preference for ethical and high-quality meat, are all contributing to demand.  

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Recapping the 2022 iGEM Grand Jamboree

On October 26, hundreds of young scientists made their way through Paris to convene at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles for the world’s largest synthetic biology competition. The iGEM Grand Jamboree showcases student projects from around the world that tackle real-world challenges such as nutrition, diagnostics and climate change.

Each year, ten Promega iGEM Grant winners receive $2,500 in free Promega products to support their research. Many Promega branch offices also provide support to teams within their region. In total, 36 iGEM teams were supported by Promega during the 2022 competition.

Promega staff at the 2022 iGEM jamboree
Representatives from Promega France and Promega Madison meet iGEM competitors during the Jamboree

Six representatives from Promega Madison, France and Germany attended the Jamboree. We met so many incredible scientists and had countless conversations about the exciting future of synthetic biology. At the Closing Ceremonies, we were thrilled to see many of our sponsored teams take home gold medals, trophies, and even the coveted BioBrick Trophy.

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COVID-19 Intranasal Vaccines: Right on the Nose?

Last updated April 28, 2023

covid-19 intranasal vaccines

COVID-19 is still a global pandemic. Around the world, as of 5:40pm CEST, 26 April 2023, there have been 764,474,387 cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 6,915,655 deaths, reported to the World Health Organization. As of 24 April 2023, a total of 13,325,228,015 vaccine doses have been administered. The adoption of vaccines worldwide continues to increase, yet periodic spikes and surges in infection rates continue to occur with new SARS-CoV-2 variants, such as that observed in Australia in Jan 2022. Vaccine booster doses provide effective protection against developing severe disease and hospitalization, but vaccine adoption and distribution face ongoing challenges in low- and middle-income (LMIC) countries (1). The development of intranasal vaccines could help alleviate some of the challenges in these areas. Therapeutic interventions for those already infected are in development, with one (Paxlovid) currently available under emergency use authorization (EUA) in the US.

Cumulative COVID-19 statistics by country: WHO COVID-19 Dashboard. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2020. Available online: https://covid19.who.int/ (last cited: April 28, 2023).

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