Science

City of Carlsbad Kids’ Science Camp

by The Editors on March 26, 2012

Flask GirlWant smart kids? Exposé them to the wonders of science. On April 9, 2012 kids ages 4 to 12 can have fun while learning about the natural world through Carlsbad’s spring science camps. A part of Carlsbad Parks & Recreation’s Spring Camps, Wonders! Science Camp #6 runs Monday through Thursday, April 9 – 12, 2012 for 3 hours, (kids under 6 go in the morning, afternoon classes are for 6 and over) at Magee Park’s Heritage Hall. Here’s what’s in store for attendees:

Explore robotics, make pinhole cameras, make and launch amazing water rockets, build barometers, split water, collect fossils, fire balloon rockets, make oil tornados, hollow out pennies, create foot long lighting, split light, fly remote controlled dragonflies, and much, much more. $20 materials fee is due to the instructor the first day.

Students will get to do all those cool & messy projects most parents don’t want to deal with at home. Sign them up online or in person at any of the Carlsbad community centers and don’t miss out on this great learning opportunity.

Residents pay $125, those not fortunate enough to live in Carlsbadistan, pay $135.

[Link: Science Camp]

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Life Technologies’ $500 Million Buy Back

by The Editors on January 11, 2011

LifetechOur favorite Carlsbadistan based life sciences company Life Technologies Corporation announced that they will be using $500 million to repurchase shares on the open market “or in privately negotiated transactions.”

“The company remains committed to our long-term growth plan and our balanced capital deployment strategy,” said Gregory T. Lucier, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Life Technologies. “Given our continued outlook for significant free cash flow generation, we believe the Company is in strong financial position to meet both our capital requirements to invest for future growth, while also returning excess cash to shareholders.”

Gotta do something to drive that share price up right? Follow the jump for the rest of the details.
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Life Spends $375 Million On Ion Torrent

by The Editors on October 7, 2010

LifetechOur favorite Carlsbadistan based life sciences company Life Technologies Corporation just purchased a Connecticut based DNA sequencing company for $375 million in cash and stock.

Ion Torrent has revolutionized DNA sequencing by enabling a direct connection between chemical and digital information through the use of proven semiconductor technology. The result is a sequencing system that is simpler, faster, less expensive and more scalable than other sequencing technologies. As previously announced, the first product using this technology will be the Personal Genome Machine (PGM) sequencer, which will launch in the fourth quarter of 2010.

The reports that the purchase will be two cents dilutive to the Life Tech stock in 2010, neutral in 2011, and will start brining in the cash in 2012. Guess we have to play a bit of a longer game on this one. Follow the jump for all the details. [click to continue…]

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A New Doc At Life Technologies

by The Editors on October 5, 2010

LifetechOur favorite Carlsbadistan based life sciences company, Life Techonologies Corporation, has created the new position of Chief Medical Officer and named Dr. Paul R. Billings as the first to fill it.

Dr. Billings has had a distinguished career as a physician and researcher. He has been a founder or chief executive officer of companies involved in genetic and diagnostic medicine, including GeneSage, Omicia and CELLective Dx Corporation. Previously, he was senior vice president for corporate development at Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LabCorp). He has held academic appointments at some of the most prestigious universities in the United States, including Harvard Medical School, Stanford School of Medicine and the University of California, Berkeley, and has served as a physician at a number of medical centers throughout the country, including the University of California, San Francisco. He is the author of nearly 200 publications and books on genomic medicine. Dr. Billings holds an M.D. from Harvard Medical School and a Ph.D. in immunology, also from Harvard University.

Sounds like a nice addition to the team and to Carlsbadistan in general. Welcome, Dr. Billings. Follow the jump for all the details.
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Pacific Ridge School In The SD Science Olympiad

by The Editors on March 25, 2010

Nathan Relyea Is Preparing For Launch As Kevin Xu L And Bailey Bjornstad R Observe

Carlsbadistan’s Pacific Ridge School fielded 10 middle school teams and 15 upper school teams in the San Diego Science Olympiad Competition. Pacific Ridge finished 10th overall for middle schools and 9th over all for upper schools. For the complete individual results follow the jump. . .
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ViaSat Donates $15,000 To Science Education

by The Editors on March 24, 2010

Viasat
Left to right: Dave Irvine, ViaSat; Patty Johnson, Carlsbad Educational Foundation; Bob Peterson, Calavera Hills Middle School; Jen Gastauer, Valley Middle School; Cesar Morales, Valley Middle School.

Last night, March 23, 2010, at Valley Middle School’s science night, Carlsbadistan based ViaSat announced a $15,000 donation to super charge the science programs in Carlsbad Middle school. Principal César Morales along with science teachers, a member of the Carlsbad Education Foundation, and accepted the check from a representative from ViaSat.

On a side note: ViaSat announced on Monday, March 22, 2010, that they were going public, offering 5,500,000 shares of its common stock, consisting of 2,500,000 shares offered by ViaSat and 3,000,000 shares offered by certain selling stockholders.

Follow the jump for all the details.
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Lucier’s Life In Technology

by The Editors on November 9, 2009

Lucier T352We don’t know much about Gregory T. Lucier. He is CEO of is our favorite Carlsbadistan-based life sciences company, Life Technologies. And under his guidance the company’s stock has gone up nearly $10 a share since we decided to “invest in Carlsbadistan.” And he thinks things are only going to get better for his industry.

I actually think we’re heading into the golden age of drug discovery and development. We’ve reached a point where our grasp and knowledge of these tools is finally allowing the researchers to get answers faster. So I’m hopeful the next 10 years will be different than the last 10 years of this kind of dearth of new products we saw coming out of pharmaceutical companies.

Now, thanks to the The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Thomas Kupper we know much more about the 45-year-old HBS MBA and you will too if you read this interview.

[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]

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Life Technology’s Q2 Better Than Expected

by The Editors on July 29, 2009

LifetechOur favorite Carlsbadistan-based life sciences company Life Technologies Corp. (we’re shareholders) reported second quarter numbers yesterday and while profits were down versus last year, the company beat analyst’s estimates, according to a story on TradingMarkets.com.

The . . . company reported GAAP net income for the second quarter of $38.9 million or $0.22 per share, compared to $46.9 million or $0.48 per share for the year-ago quarter. . . The company, which makes tools used to identify the H1N1 strain of influenza, also lifted its financial guidance for the rest of the year in an earnings report released after the market closed Tuesday.

And thanks to that the stock was up $3.14 a share this morning, or nearly 8 percent. Thanks, Swine Flu.

[Link: Trading Markets and The Street.com]

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Life Technologies Foundation Grants $2 Million

by The Editors on June 13, 2009

LifetechOur favorite Carlsbadistan based life sciences company Life Technologies has just awarded $2 million to three grant recipients working to advance science including DNA–PROKIDS, the New York Academy of Sciences, and Science Museum in London, England.

“We are proud to support these innovative organizations that advance scientific understanding,” said Greg Lucier, Chairman and CEO of Life Technologies. “The grantees we have chosen are working to demystify science to the public by providing training and access for using biology to make life even better.”

Nice to see a company giving back. For all the details follow the jump.
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Life Technology Helps In Swine Flu Hunt

by The Editors on May 12, 2009

SwinebjOur favorite Carlsbadistan-based life technologies company Life Technology has been “working overtime” lately to get out equipment that helps researchers identify infectious diseases like H1N1, aka Swine Flu, according to a story in the San Diego Business Journal.

“We have a surge of demand for this particular instrument from the labs associated with the public health network,” he said. “We are redirecting inventory to these labs as a priority.” . . The instruments, named Applied Biosystems 7500 and Applied Biosystems 7500 Fast Dx, cost between $50,000 and $60,000 apiece. Dansky said the systems were only developed in the last few years and were originally approved by the FDA for identifying avian flu.

On the one hand we’re worried about Swine Flu, but as shareholders of Life Technology we have to think it’s good for business, right?

[Link: San Diego Business Journal]

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