Peaks of Interest

American Chemical Society Honors Brian Bidlingmeyer

The American Chemical Society (ACS) named Brian Bidlingmeyer of Agilent Technologies, Inc. (Santa Clara, California) and a member of LCGC's editorial advisory board to the 2012 class of ACS Fellows, a prestigious honor bestowed upon 96 distinguished scientists who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in chemistry and made important contributions to ACS, the world's largest scientific society.

"These chemists hold the future to our country, to our way of life, and to the legacy we will leave for the next generation," said ACS President Bassam Z. Shakhashiri, PhD. "Whether it's producing renewable fuels, finding cures for afflictions such as diabetes, cancer, AIDS, and Alzheimer's disease, or ensuring safe drinking water, these Fellows are scientific leaders, improving our lives through the transforming power of chemistry."

The 2012 Fellows were recognized at an induction ceremony during the society's 244th National Meeting and Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where each Fellow received a lapel pin and a certificate.

The ACS Fellows program was created by the ACS Board of Directors in December 2008 "to recognize members of ACS for outstanding achievements in and contributions to science, the profession, and the society." Fellows are chosen from academe, industry, and government.

Agilent Partners with Sera Prognostics to Target Pregnancy Complications

Agilent Technologies and Sera Prognostics (Salt Lake City, Utah) have formed a strategic partnership to develop proteomic assays for the prediction of pregnancy complications. Sera Prognostics is a private biotechnology company that develops diagnostic tests for these risks.

"By providing pivotal information to physicians, Sera's preterm birth predictor is designed to address an unmet medical need for a reliable, early risk assessment that has the potential to help significantly improve the health of mothers and newborns, while materially reducing the costs of care," commented Gregory C. Critchfield, chairman and chief executive officer of Sera Prognostics. "Our partnership with Agilent provides Sera with access to advanced and innovative technologies designed to deliver on the promise of personalized medicine."

Through the partnership with Agilent, Sera Prognostics has purchased a number of liquid chromatography instruments. Furthermore, Sera Prognostics is adapting sample preparation technology from Agilent to meet the demands of high-volume testing.

"Agilent and Sera Prognostics share the vision of applying the power of advanced proteomic technologies to address meaningful medical challenges," said Yvonne Linney, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Life Science Solutions Division.