J. Craig Venter, genomics pioneer, dies at 79

La Jolla, California—April 29, 2026—The J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) announced that J. Craig Venter, Ph.D., the Institute’s founder, board chair, and chief executive officer, died today in San Diego following a brief hospitalization for unexpected side effects that arose from treatment of recently diagnosed cancer.

Dr. Venter was a visionary scientific leader whose work helped define modern genomics and launch the field of synthetic biology. He drove scientific and technological change by building interdisciplinary teams, pushing for bold ideas and faster methods, and insisting that discovery should translate into real-world impact. He was also a fierce advocate for robust federal science funding and for partnerships that accelerate progress across government, academia, and industry.Continue reading

7 Health Sciences faculty and staff members receive Convergence Awards

The annual awards are one of the university’s highest recognitions for interdisciplinary research achievement and honor the faculty, staff and external partners whose work exemplifies the U of A’s commitment to inquiry, innovation and societal impact. The recognition program, which is hosted by the Office of Research and Partnerships, highlights those advancing transformative research and creative activity across disciplines, sectors and communities.Continue reading

C-Path Podcast Highlights Bold Ideas in Drug Development

The Critical Path Institute Podcast started connecting the dots for health innovators around the world one year ago. What started as a bold idea to bring the world of drug development, regulatory science, and clinical research to life through conversation has grown into a rich library of episodes covering everything from clinical outcome assessments and pediatric drug development to rare disease research and the power of data collaboration. Continue reading

Incubate and Manatt Release New Report: Regulatory Instability at FDA Is Reshaping Biotech Investment

WASHINGTON (April 21) — Today, Incubate, in partnership with Manatt Health, released new insights from interviews with leading biopharmaceutical investors showing that instability at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is increasingly shaping investment decisions. In short, investors aren’t just evaluating science — they’re reassessing whether the U.S. regulatory environment is predictable enough to support it.Continue reading

Nectero Therapeutics Reports Two-Year Safety and Efficacy Data from First-in-Human Trial for Treatment of Small- to Medium-Sized Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

London, England – April 23, 2026 – Nectero Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapies for aneurysmal disease, released two-year outcomes data today from the company’s first-in-human (FIH) trial of their investigational Nectero EAST® System. The results were presented at Charing Cross 2026 by Dr. Andrew Holden during a session on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) disease management.Continue reading