Dual-use of land for solar panels and farming can propel clean energy forward in Ohio
Lettuce growing alongside a Solar panel array. (Photo courtesy of the National Renewable Energy Lab.)
In a room where many held different views, community members found their voices and stood tall. One by one, they stepped forward to speak their truth about protecting our Earth and preserving the farmland that has sustained their families for generations.
– MaryAnn Hubbard, describing the Eastern Cottontail Solar Project hearing in Fairfield County
Despite the fact the scientific community is issuing strenuous warnings that humanity is running out of time to prevent a climate tipping point when deterioration begins spinning out of human control, the process of approving solar farms in Ohio has become bogged down in a debate about loss of farmland.
'Opposition has led developers to drop plans for at least four solar projects in Ohio within 15 months. Nationally, hundreds of renewable energy projects have faced significant opposition across 47 states,' according to an article from Columbia.
But there is a dramatic shift taking place. When it becomes known that such farmland will NOT be lost but rather transformed into a dual use of solar and agriculture by what has become known as 'agrivoltaics,' the numbers are becoming stunningly reversed.
An article just reposted in OCJ documents what can only be described as a 'game-changer.' At its project in Logan County, Open Road Renewables announced from the get-go that it was going to be based on agrivoltaics. Its wording: 'The Grange Solar Grazing Center ….. is a dual-use solar and grazing facility.'
The result has been a remarkable change in comments submitted by the public, with supporters outnumbering the opponents by a four to one margin: 'Open Road Renewables reviewed more than 2,500 comments through Feb.11. and found 80% expressed support.'
This finding places the following comment to NBC4 TV by opponents of the Frasier project into an entirely new perspective: 'The (global) warming is an issue and we need to work on that, but …. We need to think outside the box, it shouldn't be on prime farmland.'
Such 'thinking outside the box' has already happened in a big way and is rapidly spreading around the world. Agrivoltaics has not only rapidly expanded to over 20 countries, but has now come into Ohio in a major way, bringing significant impact.
In the U.S. there are already over 500 applications of agrivoltaics, with their success now propelling the concept toward a larger scale. Ohio is at a leading edge of that effort. The OSU agriculture school received a 1.6 million grant to research whether agrivoltaics can be scaled up to utility size projects. They are working with the Madison Fields Solar Project in Madison County. Due to its size, it has become one of the largest testing grounds in the country.
Due to its ability to create a win-win with those concerned about loss of farmland, this new direction has been found to increase the chance of a solar project being approved. This became apparent in the Madison Fields project, and amplified even further in the larger Oak Run approval.
The Ohio Power Siting Board went out of its way to actually *require* that: 'In its first year of operation, Oak Run must graze at least 1,000 sheep and grow crops on 2,000 acres…. Within eight years of operation, at least 70% of the farmable project area, or at least 4,000 acres, must include agrivoltaics.'
There is no longer any rationale for the polarization that has existed. It is not just a 'win-win,' but actually a four way 'win-win-win-win.' The community 'wins' by receiving substantial funding for schools via a tax arrangement. The land owners 'win' by obtaining a major source of income. Those who favor agricultural use of land 'win' by having the land stay in food and grazing production. And the whole world plus future generations 'win' by having a clean and 100% renewable source of electricity.
The support has now grown to expand beyond the previous partisan political divide. A bill in Congress to promote agrivoltaics as a win-win solution is now being championed by U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, a conservative Republican of Iowa. With agrivoltaics as an ally, the future has become bright for large scale solar.
The strength of this rapidly spreading concept just became more visible in the recent public hearing about the Eastern Cottontail Solar Project in Fairfield County. The developer — EDF Renewables — wisely shifted its plan to incorporate sheep grazing back in October. Proponents of solar — sometimes outnumbered by those decrying 'loss of farmland' at previous hearings — had a very powerful counterpoint. No, the farmland is NOT going to be lost! Let us *together* celebrate and preserve the prime farmland of Ohio!
As exemplified in the opening quote of this commentary, they testified with great confidence and vigor. When a moral concern about the future of humanity becomes combined with a very real solution at the practical level, the result is poignant. In Fairfield County, many were able to integrate both together. If this can continue, I have no doubt the tide will turn for solar in Ohio.
It is worth noting that sometimes the 'loss of farmland' concern is genuine, but at other times it has been a manipulative ploy. ProPublica operates at the national level to engage in investigative journalism to advance the public interest. Its outstanding work has earned the highest award of journalism — the Pulitzer Prize.
The idea of wealthy fossil fuel-connected corporations financing campaigns that distort information about clean energy projects in order to eliminate competition was determined by ProPublica to be of national significance. A video news story details the unfortunate effort by fossil fuel interests in Ohio to not only manipulate public hearings with the 'loss of farmland' claim but also local media outlets in the ongoing case of the Frasier project in Knox County.
In order to assist the continuation of such efforts as the one in Fairfield County , this writer — who is also a video producer — has created a program about how the emergence of agrivoltaics has dramatically 'changed the equation' in Ohio.
The title of that program: 'With a Changed National Landscape, Can 'Agrivoltaics' — The Co-Existence of Panels and Agriculture on the Same Land — Provide a Path Forward for Solar Energy in Ohio?'
Here is the link.
May it prove to be a useful resource that will be shared.
Gary Houser is a long time clean energy advocate who has successfully achieved placement of solar projects and institutional commitments to clean electricity. In searching for ways to proceed forward despite the major shift at the federal level, he sees dual use 'agrivoltaics' as offering a very promising direction.
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Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Yahoo
Veru Reports Positive Safety Results from Phase 2b QUALITY Study: Enobosarm Added to Semaglutide Led to Greater Fat Loss, Preservation of Muscle, and Fewer Gastrointestinal Side Effects Compared to Semaglutide Alone
--Phase 2b QUALITY clinical study topline safety data shows that the enobosarm + semaglutide combination had a positive safety profile compared to semaglutide alone-- --Based on Phase 2b QUALITY trial efficacy and safety data, enobosarm 3mg will advance as the proposed oral dose for the Phase 3 clinical program----Enobosarm 3mg + semaglutide combination had the added benefit of fewer gastrointestinal side effects (Diarrhea, Nausea, and GERD) compared to semaglutide alone-- --Enobosarm 3mg added to semaglutide resulted in the highly selective loss of fat mass, accounting for 99% of the total weight lost, while preserving lean mass-- --With this positive Phase 2b QUALITY study, Veru has requested an End of Phase 2 meeting with FDA to provide regulatory clarity on the Phase 3 clinical program-- --The topline efficacy and safety data for the Phase 2b extension maintenance study to assess whether enobosarm monotherapy prevents the fat and weight regain following discontinuation of semaglutide are expected in the second quarter-- MIAMI, FL, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Veru Inc. (NASDAQ: VERU), a late clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative medicines for the treatment of cardiometabolic and inflammatory diseases, today announced positive topline safety results from the Phase 2b QUALITY clinical study, a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, dose-finding clinical trial, designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of enobosarm 3mg, enobosarm 6mg, or placebo as a treatment to enhance fat loss and to prevent muscle loss in older patients (≥60 years of age) receiving semaglutide (Wegovy®) for chronic weight management. Positive Topline Safety Results for the Phase 2b QUALITY Clinical Trial Adverse events (AEs) and adverse events of special Interest (see table below).In the Phase 2b QUALITY clinical trial, enobosarm and semaglutide GLP-1 RA combination had a positive safety profile. There were no increases in gastrointestinal side effects, no evidence of drug-induced liver injury (as defined by Hy's law), and no increases in obstructive sleep apnea at any dose of enobosarm compared to placebo (semaglutide alone). There were no AEs of increases in prostate specific antigen in men. There were no AEs related to masculinization in women. There were no reports of suicidal ideation observed (Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale). No treatment related serious adverse events (SAEs) were observed in the QUALITY study. There were 4 non-treatment related SAEs equally distributed between the treatment groups. At the proposed Phase 3 clinical program dose of enobosarm 3mg, one subject experienced an adverse event of transient, mild increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), which returned to baseline while remaining on enobosarm. There were no accompanying increases in aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase or total bilirubin. The enobosarm 3mg + semaglutide group had the added benefit of fewer AEs reported for certain gastrointestinal side effects (Diarrhea, Nausea, and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) compared to placebo + semaglutide. 'The safety results from the Phase 2b study are positive and suggest that the addition of enobosarm to semaglutide treatment doesn't worsen, and in some cases appears to improve gastrointestinal side effects', said Louis J. Aronne, MD, an obesity expert, past president of the Obesity Society and a scientific advisor and consultant to Veru. Topline Phase 2b QUALITY clinical trial safety summary: Adverse Events1 and Adverse Events of Special Interest Placebo+Semaglutiden=56 Enobosarm 3mg+Semaglutiden=56 Enobosarm 6mg+Semaglutiden=56 Nausea 11 (20%) 6 (11%) 8 (14%) Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) 7 (13%) 3 (5%) 0 (0%) Diarrhea 4 (7%) 1 (2%) 7 (13%) Vomiting 2 (4%) 1 (2%) 4 (7%) Constipation 8 (14%) 7 (13%) 6 (11%) Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) increased 0 (0%) 1 (2%)2 6 (11%)3 Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) increased 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 1 (2%)3 Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome 9 (16%) 10 (18%) 11 (20%) Upper respiratory tract infection 1 (2%) 1 (2%) 4 (7%) Headache 2 (4%) 4 (7%) 1 (2%) Fatigue 2 (4%) 0 (0%) 4 (7%) 1 Adverse events (at least 4 subjects in any dose group) from Day 1 to Day 1122 Graded as mild in severity, levels returned to below baseline while on drug, no associated increase in alkaline phosphatase or total bilirubin3 All graded as mild in severity, all returned to or toward baseline/upper limit of normal, no associated increases in alkaline phosphatase or total bilirubin 'We previously shared positive results from the Phase 2b QUALITY study, indicating that enobosarm can selectively enhance fat loss while preserving lean mass and physical function in older patients using semaglutide for weight loss. Today, we announced that the topline safety data from the Phase 2b QUALITY clinical study confirms that enobosarm has a positive safety profile with the added benefit of reducing certain gastrointestinal side effects that patients commonly experience with semaglutide and other GLP-1 receptor agonists. Based on these efficacy and safety results, the enobosarm 3mg dose has been selected to advance into our proposed Phase 3 study,' said Mitchell Steiner, M.D., Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Veru. 'We have submitted a request for an End of Phase 2 meeting with FDA, which we anticipate will take place in the third quarter of calendar year 2025. The meeting is expected to provide regulatory clarity on the design of our planned Phase 3 clinical program. Further, we are expecting the topline efficacy and safety results for the Phase 2b extension maintenance study this quarter, which will show us whether enobosarm monotherapy can stop the fat and weight regain that generally happens when patients discontinue GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment. Finally, we look forward to reporting the full Phase 2b QUALITY and extension clinical trial efficacy and safety data at future leading scientific conferences and in prestigious publications.' Positive Topline Efficacy Results for the Phase 2b QUALITY Clinical Study: Enobosarm in Combination with GLP-1 RA Drugs Makes Weight Reduction More Tissue Selective for Fat Loss While Preserving Lean Mass and Physical Function In January 2025, the Company announced positive topline results from the Phase 2b QUALITY clinical study, which is a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, dose-finding clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of enobosarm 3mg, enobosarm 6mg, or placebo as a treatment to augment fat loss and to prevent muscle loss in older patients (≥60 years of age) receiving semaglutide (Wegovy®) for chronic weight management. Topline Efficacy Results Topline Primary Endpoint – Percent Change in Total Lean MassIn the topline efficacy analysis, the trial met its prespecified primary endpoint with a statistically significant and a clinically meaningful benefit in all patients receiving enobosarm + semaglutide versus placebo + semaglutide at 16 weeks in total lean mass (71% relative reduction in lean mass loss, p=0.002). Notably, the enobosarm 3mg + semaglutide was the best dose with a 99.1% mean relative reduction in loss of lean mass (p <0.001). The enobosarm 6mg + semaglutide dose did not provide any additional benefit over the 3mg dose in preserving lean mass. Topline Secondary Endpoints:Total Fat Mass Enobosarm + semaglutide treatment resulted in dose dependent greater loss of fat mass compared to placebo + semaglutide with the enobosarm 6mg dose having a 46% greater relative loss of fat mass compared to placebo + semaglutide group at 16 weeks (p=0.014). Weight Loss and Tissue Composition of Weight Loss Although mean weight loss by DEXA was similar in the enobosarm + semaglutide groups compared to semaglutide alone at 16 weeks, the composition of total weight loss shifted toward greater and more selective fat loss with enobosarm treatment: In the placebo + semaglutide group, the median percentage of total body weight loss due to lean mass was 32%, and estimated fat loss was 68%. In the enobosarm 3mg + semaglutide group, the median percentage of total body weight loss due to lean mass was 0.9%, and estimated fat loss was 99.1%. Physical Function Measured by the Stair Climb Test The Stair Climb Test is used to measure physical function and is an activity of daily living that measures functional muscle strength, balance and agility. Decline in Stair Climb Test performance in older adults is predictive of increased risk for mobility disabilities, gait difficulties, falls, bone fractures, hospitalizations, and mortality. As a reference point, stair climb power declines by -1.38% per year with aging according to Van Roie E, et al. PLOS ONE.14:e0210653, Climb Test Results:A responder analysis was conducted using a greater than 10% decline in stair climb power at 16 weeks as the cutoff, which corresponds to approximately 7.5 years' worth of stair climb power loss due to natural aging. In the placebo + semaglutide group, 42.6% of patients experienced at least a 10% decline in stair climb power at 16 weeks. In the enobosarm 3mg + semaglutide group, only 16% of patients had at least a 10% decline in stair climb power at 16 weeks, representing a 62.4% relative reduction of patients with a ≥10% decline in power compared to the placebo + semaglutide group (p=0.0066). In the enobosarm 6mg + semaglutide group, only 22.5% of patients had at least a 10% decline in stair climb power at 16 weeks, representing a 46.2% relative reduction of patients with a ≥10% decline on power compared to the placebo + semaglutide group (p=0.0505). Topline Efficacy Results ConclusionThe Phase 2b QUALITY clinical trial is the first human study to show that older patients who are overweight or have obesity and receiving semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, are at higher risk for accelerated loss of lean mass and associated physical function decline. Enobosarm added to semaglutide enhanced loss of fat, with 99% of the total weight loss attributable to fat. In addition, enobosarm treatment preserved lean muscle mass, which translated into an improvement in physical function as measured by the Stair Climb Test compared to semaglutide alone. Enobosarm represents a novel drug that improves body composition by driving a more selective and greater loss of adiposity (fat mass) and preserving both lean mass and physical function in patients receiving semaglutide for chronic weight management. Phase 2b Extension Maintenance StudyAfter completing the efficacy dose-finding portion of the Phase 2b QUALITY clinical trial, participants continued into a Phase 2b extension study where all patients discontinued semaglutide treatment, but continued receiving placebo, enobosarm 3mg, or enobosarm 6mg as monotherapy in a blinded fashion for 12 weeks. The Phase 2b extension clinical trial is evaluating whether enobosarm, by preserving muscle mass, also prevents the fat regain that generally occurs after stopping a GLP-1 RA. The topline efficacy and safety results for the Phase 2b extension clinical study are expected this quarter. Regulatory Next StepsAs the Phase 2b QUALITY clinical trial is a positive study, we have requested an End of Phase 2 meeting with the FDA. During the preIND FDA meeting, FDA provided general comments about a regulatory path forward for enobosarm as a drug that improves body composition during weight loss including input on the Phase 3 clinical program design. As a path forward, we plan to propose a Phase 3 clinical program that is similar to the positive Phase 2b QUALITY clinical trial. The proposed Phase 3 clinical trial design is a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in older patients (≥60 years of age) who have obesity or who are overweight and who are eligible for treatment with GLP-1 RA. The GLP-1 RA may be either Wegovy® (semaglutide) and/or Zepbound® (tirzepatide). Patients will be randomized to oral daily enobosarm or matching placebo. All subjects will start and receive GLP-1 RA during the study. The proposed primary objective will be the effect of enobosarm on physical function measured by the Stair Climb Test at 24 weeks. Proposed key secondary objectives will be to assess the effect of enobosarm on total lean mass, total fat mass, insulin resistance, and hemoglobin A1c at 24 weeks. After the Phase 3 clinical trial ends at 24 weeks of treatment, the plan is to continue to measure total lean mass, total body weight, stair climb power physical function, total fat mass, bone mineral density, insulin resistance, and hemoglobin A1c up to 68 weeks to capture the longer-term benefits of enobosarm improvements on body composition for greater loss of adiposity or fat, weight reduction, and preservation of both lean mass and bone. Novel Modified Release Oral Enobosarm Formulation is on Track to be Available for Phase 3 Clinical Studies and CommercializationVeru is currently developing a novel, patentable, modified release oral formulation for enobosarm. The actual formulation, pharmacokinetic release profile(s), and method of manufacturing will be the subjects of future patent applications. If issued, the expiry for the new modified release oral enobosarm formulation patent is expected to be 2045. The new enobosarm formulation has completed animal trials and is anticipated to be in Phase 1 bioavailability clinical trials during the first half of calendar 2025. The expectation is that this novel modified release oral enobosarm formulation will be available for the Phase 3 clinical studies and for commercialization. Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, express or implied statements related to whether and when the full data set, including safety data, from the Phase 2b QUALITY study of enobosarm discussed above will be made available and whether that data will align with disclosed topline results or change any of the conclusions drawn from the topline data; whether and when the Company will present the full data from the Phase 2b QUALITY study and in what forum; whether and when the Company will present data from the extension maintenance study and whether such extension study will successfully meet any of its endpoints; whether and when the Company will have an end-of-Phase-2 meeting with FDA and the results of any such meeting; whether the results of the Phase 2b QUALITY study of enobosarm will be replicated to the same or any degree in any future Phase 3 studies; the expected costs, timing, patient population, design, endpoints and results of the planned Phase 3 studies of enobosarm as a body composition drug or any other Phase 3 studies; whether the Company and FDA will align on the Phase 3 program for enobosarm as a body composition drug and whether any such program will be able to be funded by the Company; whether the modified-released formation of enobosarm will be developed successfully and whether such formulation will have the same effectiveness as the current formulation, and whether and when such modified-release formulation will be available for any planned or future clinical studies; whether and when any patents will actually issue regarding such modified-release formulation and what any expiration dates of any such patents might be; whether the Company will be able to obtain sufficient GLP-1 RA drugs in a timely or cost-effective manner in the planned Phase 3 study or other Phase 3 studies; whether FDA will require more than one Phase 3 study for enobosarm as a body composition drug; whether enobosarm will enhance weight loss or preserve muscle in, or meet any unmet need for, obesity patients and whether it will enhance weight loss in any planned or other Phase 3 studies or if approved, in clinical practice; whether patients treated with enobosarm for a longer period of time than in the Phase 2b QUALITY study will have a greater loss of adiposity or greater weight loss than with semaglutide alone; and whether and when enobosarm will be approved by the FDA as a body composition drug. The words "anticipate," "believe," "could," "expect," "intend," "may," "opportunity," "plan," "predict," "potential," "estimate," "should," "will," "would" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon current plans and strategies of the Company and reflect the Company's current assessment of the risks and uncertainties related to its business and are made as of the date of this press release. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release because of new information or future events, developments or circumstances. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and if any such risks or uncertainties materialize or if any of the assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the development of the Company's product portfolio and the results of clinical studies possibly being unsuccessful or insufficient to meet applicable regulatory standards or warrant continued development; the Company's ability to reach agreement with FDA on study design requirements for the Company's planned clinical studies, including for the Phase 3 program for enobosarm as a body composition drug and the number of Phase 3 studies to be required and the cost thereof; potential delays in the timing of and results from clinical trials and studies, including as a result of an inability to enroll sufficient numbers of subjects in clinical studies or an inability to enroll subjects in accordance with planned schedules; the ability to fund planned clinical development as well as other operations of the Company; the timing of any submission to the FDA or any other regulatory authority and any determinations made by the FDA or any other regulatory authority; the potential for disruptions at the FDA or other government agencies to negatively affect our business; any products of the Company, if approved, possibly not being commercially successful; the ability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing on acceptable terms when needed to fund development and operations; demand for, market acceptance of, and competition against any of the Company's products or product candidates; new or existing competitors with greater resources and capabilities and new competitive product approvals and/or introductions; changes in regulatory practices or policies or government-driven healthcare reform efforts, including pricing pressures and insurance coverage and reimbursement changes; the Company's ability to protect and enforce its intellectual property; costs and other effects of litigation, including product liability claims and securities litigation; the Company's ability to identify, successfully negotiate and complete suitable acquisitions or other strategic initiatives; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses, technologies or products; and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's press releases, shareholder communications and Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2024, and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. These documents are available on the 'SEC Filings' section of our website at Wegovy® is a registered trademark of Novo Nordisk A/ is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company. Investor and Media Contact: Samuel FischExecutive Director, Investor Relations and Corporate CommunicationsEmail: veruinvestor@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Yahoo
Hidden in plain sight: Trump's enduring mark on Massachusetts
Over the past few weeks, I've been collecting examples of Trump's forgotten contributions to Boston's universities, hospitals, technology startup scene — and even the Museum of Science in Boston. No, not Donald J. Trump, the president. His paternal uncle, John G. Trump, the MIT professor and entrepreneur. John Trump lived in Winchester, but because he died forty years ago, in 1985, it's hard to find people who knew him or remember his work. President Trump has occasionally referenced his 'super genius uncle,' who taught at MIT for 'a record number of years.' Some think that the familial connection may be why MIT has not wound up directly in the federal government's sights, in the same way that universities such as Harvard, Columbia, Cornell and Brown have. MIT, of course, is still smarting from significant reductions in federal research funding — and is suing the government to do what it can to block cuts from agencies like the National Science Foundation. John Trump, as it happens, worked on several federally funded projects over the course of his life, including the Radiation Lab at MIT. The lab worked to perfect and deploy the radar systems that helped the Allies win World War II, and radiation to treat cancer, funded by the National Institutes of Health. And in the mid-1970s, it worked on a project to treat sewage before it entered waterways like Boston Harbor, funded by the National Science Foundation. John Trump was born in New York City to German immigrants, and while his family hoped that he might design buildings for their growing real estate business, when he was a freshman in college, he decided to change his focus from architecture to engineering. He eventually earned a master's degree in physics from Columbia and then a doctorate in electrical engineering at MIT. He collaborated with another physicist to build an early kind of particle accelerator called a Van de Graaff generator. It could produce intense X-ray beams. The two later started a company together, High Voltage Engineering Corp., with another MIT professor. It attracted funding from Georges Doriot, a Harvard Business School professor who ran one of the first venture capital funds, American Research & Development, in Boston. High Voltage Engineering, founded in a Cambridge garage, built Van de Graaff generators and other high-end equipment that were 'in increasing demand for cancer therapy, industrial radiography and nuclear particle acceleration,' according to 'Creative Capital,' a book about Doriot and his venture capital firm. Trump was also a key contributor to the development and deployment of radar technology to Allied forces, including for use during the D-Day invasion in 1944. He headed up the British branch of MIT's Radiation Laboratory and worked to improve the resolution of the newly developed radar systems, which gave the Allies a strategic edge in locating bombing targets and spotting and firing on incoming enemy aircraft. But some of Trump's most significant research contributions before and after the war involved building and using powerful X-ray generators to deliver radiation for cancer treatments. Trump had a close collaboration with what is now the Lahey Hospital and Medical Clinic, working to advance the use of radiation to reach deeper into the body without harming healthy tissue. He also modified the device to treat skin cancers and taught courses for hospital physicists throughout the Northeast about how to use the technology. During his lifetime, more than 10,000 patients were treated at Lahey, and in his High Voltage Research Lab at MIT, according to an obituary published by the National Academy of Engineering. 'He had a rich career at MIT, and was as different [from] his brother Fred and his nephew Donald as you can imagine,' says O. Robert Simha, 93, a retired director of planning at MIT who collaborated with John Trump to build one of his labs on campus. 'He was thoughtful, kind, polite, understanding, and cooperative as one could hope for.' The admiration President Trump has expressed for his late uncle is 'probably to our advantage,' Simha says. 'He's not attacking MIT directly.' If you have spent time in the Boston area, my bet is that you have seen some of the traces of John Trump here — perhaps without even realizing it. There is a John G. Trump building at the Lahey Hospital campus in Burlington, which currently houses Lahey's outpatient behavioral health and psychiatry departments, according to spokeswoman Sonya Vartabedian. A recently established John G. Trump Fund for Innovation in Diagnostic Radiology' will be used to support promising new technologies or applications that enhance and complement diagnostic radiology techniques,' she writes via email. Trump was chairman of Lahey's board of trustees from 1974 to 1985. On MIT's campus, his former research lab is still standing, right on Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, just across the street from the university's nuclear reactor. And at the Museum of Science, where Trump was also a life trustee, there's a plaque honoring his contributions. It's right near the museum's Theater of Electricity, which features a large Van de Graaf generator that Trump helped build and install. The theater's 'Lightning!' show is on hiatus now because of construction, but museum spokesperson Meaghan Agnew expects it to return sometime in June. John Trump 'never promoted himself in any way,' says Bob Wenstrup, 87, who worked with him as a medical physicist at MIT and Lahey. Wenstrup remembers Trump going to Washington, D.C., to receive an important award, but not telling his colleagues, who learned about it by reading the next day's newspaper. Trump was 'a man who had made enormous contributions in every area he worked in,' Wenstrup said. 'It's simply unbelievable how much he did.' Wenstrup is not a fan of John Trump's nephew, the president. 'He resents people who are intelligent,' Wenstrup said, but he 'uses John Trump as an indication of how extraordinary he is himself.' Wenstrup has clear memories of attending John Trump's funeral in February 1985 and meeting Fred Trump there, the president's father. But he doesn't recall encountering Donald Trump there. Waymo's driverless taxis will face some unique obstacles in Boston MassLive's 12 innovation leaders to watch in 2025 New head of $100M AI hub says Massachusetts' strengths shouldn't be a 'best-kept secret' These seven dynamics are making the Mass. job market 'chaotic' in 2025 Read the original article on MassLive.
Associated Press
19-05-2025
- Associated Press
TEDCO's Maryland Innovation Initiative Announces New Board Members
New board appointees exemplify Maryland's innovative spirit COLUMBIA, Md., May 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TEDCO, Maryland's economic engine for technology companies, announced two new Maryland Innovation Initiative ( MII ) Board of Directors appointees. Carol Washington, president and CEO of UTech Consulting LLC, and Francesca Ioffreda, chief innovation officer for the State of Maryland. Washington was appointed to the board by House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, while Ioffreda was appointed by Governor Wes Moore's administration, thereby bringing the program's board of directors to capacity. The MII is a collaboration between the State of Maryland and five of Maryland's academic research institutions – Johns Hopkins University, Morgan State University, University of Maryland, College Park, University of Maryland, Baltimore and University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The intent of the collaboration is to bring promising technologies with significant potential from the research laboratories to the commercial sector. This process is done through technology validation, market assessment and the creation of startup companies. 'MII has seen nearly 13 years of success and we are excited to continue moving forward with a fully slated board,' said Renée Winsky, chair of the MII Board of Directors. 'Carol and Francesca's appointments are sure to aid us in uplifting innovation and research throughout Maryland.' Recently, this collaborative effort expanded to include two comprehensive universities, Frostburg State University and Bowie State University, as well as an expansion into Baltimore through the Baltimore Innovation Initiative ( BII ) Pilot Program. These pilot programs allow MII to further its reach and bring more innovative research to the market. 'I am pleased to welcome Carol and Francesca to the MII Board,' said Abi Kulshreshtha, MII executive director. 'With more than $58 million invested in the Maryland ecosystem, nearly 400 jobs created and supported, and a revenue generation of $9 million in FY24, we look forward to building on our success with Carol and Francesca's contributions and expertise.' A full list of the MII Board of Directors includes board chair Renée Winsky, Bay One Group, LLC; Christina DeMur, Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures; Francesca Ioffreda, State of Maryland; Wendy Martin, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Mary Morris, University of Maryland, Baltimore; Kenneth Porter, University of Maryland, College Park; Wayne Swann, Morgan State University; and Carol Washington, UTech Consulting, LLC. For more information, visit our page here. About TEDCO TEDCO, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, enhances economic empowerment growth through the fostering of an inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. TEDCO identifies, invests in, and helps grow technology and life science-based companies in Maryland. Learn more at Media Contact Tammi Thomas, Chief Development & Marketing Officer, TEDCO, [email protected] Rachael Kalinyak, Associate Director, Marketing & Communications, TEDCO, [email protected] View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE TEDCO
