WRAL Tech Wire

3-D virtualization could boost medical device development

two professors at the University of Minnesota have come up with a 3-D visualization device that aims to revolutionize how medical devices are designed and tested, thereby shortening R&D cycles and the costs associated.

3-D journey of the body

Chip breakthrough: NCSU researchers improve performance 20%

The team develops a technology that enables graphics processing units and central processing units to collaborate on a single chip. On current chips mounting GPUs and CPUs operate separately.

Education CTO program kicks off third year of successful program

The 2012 class of the Certified educational Chief Technology Officer (CeCTO) program begins Tuesday and Wednesday in Chapel Hill. Since 2010, 58 CeCTOs have completed the course offered through the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, UNC School of Government's Center for Public Technology, and MCNC.

'Investing in Gen Z' is Emerging Issues Forum theme

Through Monday and Tuesday, panelists and speakers will be discussing, debating the 'Gen Z' - youths born between 1990-2000 and the issues they face today as well as tomorrow.

Who is Gen Z?

UNC Nutrition Research Institute lands $1M endowment

The gift will create the NRI's first endowed distinguished professorship, The Dickson Foundation-Harris Teeter Distinguished Professorship in Nutrition. Once fully endowed, this professorship will generate an annual disbursement to support a designated Nutrition Research Institute faculty member and foster scientific discovery.

Atlanta firm looks to raise $6M for image-guided surgical device

STATE OF VENTURE: Spectropath's imaging technology was developed at Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology, and spun into a company in 2010. Spectropath has already raised about $417,000 in its first round of funding.

Spectropath

Red Hat co-founder, Lulu CEO donates $250,000 to NCSU 'eGames' competition

Bob Young will back the business startup competition over the next five years. NCSU will call the program "The Lulu eGames."

The Lulu eGames

North Carolina's economic 'index' declines in December

However, N.C. State economist Dr. Michael Walden, who compiles the report, says the outlook for 2002 is a "continuing, slow improving state economy."

Tracking NC's economy

NCRC researchers tackle genetic causes for severe acne

The MURDOCK Study at the Duke Translational Medicine Institute in Kannapolis is enrolling patients as young as 12 who have been diagnosed with severe acne vulgaris and have been treated with oral isotretinoin, such as Accutane, Amnesteem, Claravis or Sotret.

North Carolina Science Festival is gearing up for spring

Time Warner Cable, NC GlaxoSmithKline Foundation, SAS, Biogen Idec Foundation, and Duke Energy are just a few of the many sponsors already committed to support this year's event showcasing STEM in North Carolina this April.

Entrepreneurship is big business: 40,000 jobs, 1,823 firms in RTP over 20 years

Startups also drew $7.7 billion in investments between 1992 and 2011, according to a report from the Council for Entrepreneurial Development and UNC-Chapel Hill.

Genetics firm Precision BioSciences scores patent victory

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has rejected claims from French company Cellectis that alleges that Precision is infringing on a Cellectis patent.

Durham firm seeks $4M to launch open-heart surgical device

Physcient's technology was originally developed at North Carolina State University. Researchers there were researching surgical instruments that would cause less trauma to patients. Physcient was founded in 2007 to further develop the research.

The Assauge

Study: Headphones, music soothe prostate cancer test anxiety

"It's a matter of shifting attention, so the music provides a distraction from the procedure," Dr. Matvey Tsivian, a Duke urologic oncology fellow and lead author of the study, says.

Biotech Center awards $1 million in grants for university research

Scientists at NCSU, East Carolina and UNC-Wilmington receive $250,000 to fund work toward federal grant applications.