In today’s Bulldog wrapup of technology and life science news:

  • Reddit is cracking down on harassment
  • Scynexis names new chief medical officer
  • Heat BIO reports loss
  • Google’s next driverless car
  • Pandora loses latest suit

The details:

  • Reddit enacts anti-harassment policy after user complaints

Reddit, the online discussion forum known for its free-wheeling ethos, is enacting an anti-harassment policy while still trying to keep its roots as a place for free expression.

Reddit said in a blog post Thursday that it is “unhappy with harassing behavior” on the site and its survey data shows that users are too. It has been reviewing its community guidelines for the past six months.

“We’ve seen many conversations devolve into attacks against individuals,” the San Francisco company wrote in a blog post, adding that it is also seeing more and different types of harassment than in the past. For example, some users are harassing people across platforms and posting links on Reddit to private information on other sites, it said.

Reddit’s interim CEO is Ellen Pao, who this year lost a high-profile gender-discrimination lawsuit against a prominent venture capital firm. That case highlighted issues of gender imbalance and working conditions for women in Silicon Valley.

Reddit said in its blog post that it defines harassment as “systematic and/or continued actions to torment or demean someone,” making them fear for their safety or conclude that the social-networking and news site is not a safe place to express ideas.

  • Scynexis names new chief medical officer

Scynexis on Thursday named Dr. David Angulo as its chief medical officer effective June 1.

Scynexis is testing its lead drug candidate in Phase 2 clinical trial as a treatment for invasive fungal infections.

“David brings a wealth of relevant experience to Scynexis, both through his tenure as an infectious disease physician and through clinical and corporate roles where he was instrumental in securing FDA approval for ten different products in infectious disease and dermatology,” said Marco Taglietti, CEO at Scynexis. “His proven track record in developing antifungals and his broad expertise in drug development will strengthen our clinical development efforts and support the continued development of SCY-078, a novel oral and intravenous antifungal compound.”

Angulo previously was vice president of research and development at Brickell Biotech. He also worked at Stiefel, a GSK company.

  • Heat Biologics reports loss

Chapel Hill-based Heat Bio reported earlier this week a quarterly loss for the quarter ending March 31.

“Research and development expenses for the first quarter of 2015 decreased 6% compared to the first quarter of 2014. Clinical and regulatory expenses were $2.2 million compared to $0.8 million for the first quarter of 2014. The increase was attributable to increases in clinical trial execution costs, increased investigator payments, and other costs related to the manufacturing of vaccines for clinical trials,” the company said.

“General and administrative expenses for the quarter were $1.3 million compared to $1.0 million for the first quarter of 2014. The increase from the first quarter of 2014 was attributable to increases related to professional services, personnel costs as well as an increase in non-cash stock compensation.

“Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $3.9 million, or ($0.57) per basic and diluted share for the first quarter of 2015. This compares to a net loss of $2.3 million, or ($0.36) per basic and diluted share for the first quarter of 2014.”

Heat Bio has $21.1 million in cash and equivalents after raising $11 million in a stock offering made in March.

  • Latest self-driving Google car heading to public streets

Google’s pod-like self-driving car will make its debut on public roads this summer.

The car – introduced as a rough prototype last year – looks like a Smart car with a shiny black hat to hide its sensors. It can drive, brake and recognize road hazards without human intervention.

The car has limits. It can’t go more than 25 miles per hour, and can only drive in areas that have been thoroughly mapped. It doesn’t need a steering wheel or gas pedal, but will likely have them at first to meet current California regulations.

Google plans to build and test 50 to 100 cars to gather data and help get people used to the idea of self-driving vehicles. Google wants to have self-driving technology available to consumers in five years.

  • Pandora loses to BMI in court hearing, vows to appeal

Pandora Media Inc. lost a court hearing Thursday in a dispute with music publishing rights group BMI over royalty rates, but the Internet streaming leader said it will appeal.

Pandora said it’s confident it can win later since the appeals court — the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York — last week ruled in its favor in a case against the other major publishing group known as ASCAP.

Thursday’s ruling would force Pandora to pay 2.5 percent of its revenue to songwriters and music publishers, up from 1.75 percent. Last week’s appeals court ruling allowed Pandora’s 1.85 percent rate to ASCAP to stay intact.

If the appeal fails, Pandora says its costs could rise by 0.8 percent of revenue, which would have amounted to about $1.7 million last quarter.

BMI called the ruling a victory for the more than 650,000 songwriters, composers and publishers it represents.

“This is an important step forward in valuing music in the digital age,” BMI said in a statement.