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Boston Micro Fabrication Launches Spinout in San Diego – San Diego Business Journal

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Boston Micro Fabrication Launches Spinout in San Diego – San Diego Business Journal


SAN DIEGO – Precision micro-printing provider Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF) has launched San Diego-based BMF Biotechnology Inc., a spinout dedicated to making specialized chips through cultivated large-scale tissues in vitro, helping accelerate new drug and cosmetic development.

Jennifer Sun
Chief Scientific Officer
BMF Biotechnology Inc.

“BMF Biotechnology’s BioChips allow scientists to grow human-like tissues in a lab setting and because these chips mimic how substances would be processed inside the body, scientists can use them to test drugs and cosmetic products,” BMF Biotechnology Chief Scientific Officer Jennifer Sun told the Business Journal.

“These microfluidic chips are an organ-on-a-chip platform, which can replicate the physiological conditions found in the human body by controlling the flow of small amounts of fluid through micro-size channels.”

Founded in 2016, BMF says it supports more than 2,000 customers globally with offices in Boston, China, Japan and now in San Diego.

“BMF has raised over $80M in investment funding, including $24M in 2023,” added Sun. “We have over 250 employees worldwide with global revenue growth exceeding 30% in 2023.”

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Wanting to be housed in San Diego’s vibrant biotech ecosystem, the company’s San Diego Research Institute was born in 2022. The newly launched biotech division will operate out of Carroll Canyon with ten or so employees to start.

Preliminary feedback has yielded promising results, says BMF.

“Specifically, significant progress has been made in terms of developing functional prototypes of the BMF Biotechnology’s BioChip, validating their efficacy in replicating human tissue models accurately,” shared Sun. “Furthermore, preliminary tests have shown encouraging outcomes of disease modeling and validating human drug responses.”

BMF is entering an arena of competitors like MIMETAS and InSphero – working to commercialize organ-on-a-chip technology. Sun says its product stands apart.

“Our BioChip platform offers distinctive features, including a micro-channel network designed to mimic blood vessels with micron level three dimensional features. This network ensures efficient nutrient delivery and waste removal throughout the chip, enabling the comprehensive replication of human tissues on a large scale.”

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Hybrid Printing Solution

In recent years, micro molding and 3D printing innovations have swept the micro-manufacturing world, advancing how production companies do business.

New England-based BMF’s core tech enables highly precise, micro-scale 3D printing across industries like healthcare, life sciences, electronics and machining.

“3D printing has often been known for its ability to rapidly iterate on product design, but this same benefit can also be applied to developing custom, high-precision solutions that advance research in other ways – such as through pharmaceutical development,” said Sun. Now the industry is trending toward miniaturization. “As products and technology get smaller, the connective parts become micro and more intricate. There is an urgent need for highly precise and accurate manufacturing methods that allow engineers and product designers to consistently create small-scale parts with the precision, resolution and accuracy needed to move industries forward.”

This month, BMF announced what it calls the industry’s first line of hybrid printing solutions for micro-scale and ultra high-resolution applications that allow the user to print two resolutions within a single layer or in different layers.

John Kawola
CEO-Global
BMF

“Our driving motivation for innovation has been to offer new platforms that can help realize high-value applications for 3D printing,” said BMF CEO-Global John Kawola. “Increasingly, we have been pushed by our customers to bring our technology to applications where higher precision and tighter tolerances would result in an overall increase in quality and performance, regardless of part size.”

It comes after another big win for the company. Last year it launched what it deems the world’s thinnest cosmetic dental veneer, UltraThineer™. This April, BMF secured FDA 510(k) clearance on the material.

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“As we think about the future for BMF Biotechnology, we anticipate expanding our product portfolio to address a wider range of therapeutic areas and applications, revolutionizing the way drugs are developed and tested,” Sun added. “Our goal is to be a globally recognized leader in organ-on-a-chip technology, driving transformative advancements in drug discovery, cosmetic development, toxicity testing, and personalized medicine to improve human health and safety.”

Boston Micro Fabrication
FOUNDED: 2016 in Boston, San Diego Research Institute in 2022
CEO: John Kawola
LOCAL DIVISION HQ: San Diego
EMPLOYEES: 10 in San Diego; 200+ globally
BUSINESS: biotech
CAPITAL RAISED: $80 million
WEBSITE: bmf3d.com
CONTACT: info@bmf3d.com
NOTABLE: BMF was named one of the Boston Business Journal’s “Fast 50” companies, an annual honor recognizing the 50 fastest-growing private companies in Massachusetts.



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San Diego, CA

San Diego Fire Department responds to commercial fire in Downtown San Diego

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San Diego Fire Department responds to commercial fire in Downtown San Diego


SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The San Diego Fire Department responded to a commercial fire in the Gaslamp area on Friday afternoon, according to the department on X.

Firefighters received the call at 7:27 p.m. at 900 blocks of 4th Avenue, near the San Diego Convention Center, where Comic-Con is currently taking place.

According to SDFD, a total of 77 crews were assigned to assist with the fire.

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This is a developing story. 10News will continue to keep you updated as more information becomes available.





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‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Mania, San Diego Comic-Con Highlights and This Week’s Best Events

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‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Mania, San Diego Comic-Con Highlights and This Week’s Best Events


Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Deadpool & Wolverine, San Diego Comic-Con and Harold and the Purple Crayon.

Harold and the Purple Crayon special screening

Zachary Levi, Zooey Deschanel, Lil Rel Howery and Benjamin Bottani joined director Carlos Saldanha at a special Los Angeles screening for their Columbia Pictures film on Sunday.

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Carlos Saldanha, Lil Rel Howery, Zooey Deschanel, Benjamin Bottani and Zachary Levi

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Zachary Levi, Zooey Deschanel and Tony Vinciquerra, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

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Deadpool & Wolverine premiere

Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Matthew Macfadyen, Aaron Stanford, Brianna Hildebrand, Lewis Tan and Tyler Mane joined director Shawn Levy and producer Kevin Feige at the Marvel film’s New York premiere on Monday, with support from Blake Lively and Gigi Hadid.

Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin and Ryan Reynolds

Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Disney

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Blake Lively and Gigi Hadid

Noam Galai/Getty Images for Disney

Shawn Levy, Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman and Disney chief brand officer Asad Ayaz

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Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Disney

San Diego Comic-Con

The annual comics convention kicked off in San Diego with stars from Deadpool & Wolverine, Transformers One, Planet of the Apes, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, What We Do in the Shadows and Those About to Die.

Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, and Shawn Levy onstage during Marvel Studios: The Ultimate ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Celebration of Life in Hall H.

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Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney

Keegan-Michael Key, Brian Tyree Henry and Chris Hemsworth speak during the ‘Transformers One’ panel.

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

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Mark Proksch, Paul Simms, Kristen Schaal, Kyle Newacheck and Matt Berry at FX’s ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ Vampire Residence.

Araya Doheny/Getty Images

Iwan Rheon, Gabriella Pession, Jojo Macari, Dimitri Leonidas, Sara Martins, Moe Hashim and Roland Emmerich, at ‘Those About to Die: The Chariot Race’ activation.

Christine Bartolucci/Peacock

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Kevin Durand, Owen Teague, Freya Allan and Peter Macon attend the ‘Planet of The Apes’ Experience.

Jesse Grant/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios

RuPaul’s DragCon LA

World of Wonder hosted the annual RuPaul’s DragCon across Friday and Saturday at the Los Angeles Convention Center, featuring performances, signings and meet and greets with fan-favorite Queens and a Friday night DJ set with RuPaul himself.

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Michelle Visage, RuPaul and queens from ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’

Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Gottmik

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Whoopi Goldberg Key to West Hollywood

Whoopi Goldberg received the Key to West Hollywood on Saturday for her consistent support of the LGBTQIA+ community and for having had the first branded/tested woman-owned cannabis brand in California. Later that night, Goldberg celebrated the launch of WhoopFam’s new cannabis brand, Emma & Clyde, and the relaunch of her Whoopi & Maya brand in Venice, with guests including Leslie Jones, Jo Koy and Meagan Good.

Chelsea Byer, Whoopi Goldberg, Joshua Marin-Mora and Jason Beck

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Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Leslie Jones and Whoopi Goldberg

Peach Hill Media

Room to Grow brunch

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Room to Grow, with co-hosts Uma Thurman, Catherine Carmody, Rashaan Reid and Nancy Twine gathered supporters over a private brunch in Water Mill, New York, on Saturday. The organization provides critical support to families raising babies born into low-income circumstances.

Uma Thurman, Gayle King, Nancy Twine and Room to Grow CEO Akilah King

Marsin Mogielski

 God’s Love We Deliver party

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God’s Love We Deliver, which provides nutritious, medically tailored meals for people too sick to shop or cook for themselves, celebrated the 23rd annual Midsummer Night Drinks on Saturday at the East Hampton home of Lisa and James Cohen, in partnership with GALERIE magazine. 

Kyle MacLachlan, Desiree Gruber, David Ludwigson, Lisa Cohen and James Cohen

courtesy of God’s Love We Deliver

War Game HamptonsFilm SummerDocs Series screening

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Alec and Hilaria Baldwin attended the HamptonsFilm SummerDocs Series screening of War Game on Saturday in East Hampton.

Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Baldwin

Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Images

DÌDI (弟弟) special screening

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The cast and crew of Focus Features’ DÌDI (弟弟), including writer-director Sean Wang and stars Joan Chen and Izaac Wang, celebrated the film with a special screening in L.A. on Monday.

Sean Wang, Izaac Wang and Joan Chen

Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Focus Features

Pee-wee’s Playhouse Reunion

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Paul Reubens’ former Pee-wee’s Playhouse castmates reunited to honor the late comedy legend at The Groundlings Theater in L.A. on Monday.

Suzanne Kent, Tracy Newman, Bob Drew, Lynne Marie Stewart, Doug Cox, Laraine Newman, George McGrath, Joan Leizman, John Moody, Jessica Pohly, and Phil LaMarr

Courtesy of The Groundlings

Dress My Tour premiere

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Kathy Hilton, Toni Braxton and Dr. Holly Carter hosted a celebration for the premiere of Dress My Tour, Hulu’s first reality competition show, on Tuesday.

Dr. Holly Carter, Kathy Hilton and Toni Braxton

Christopher Polk

Sing Sing special screening

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Colman Domingo and co-star Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin attended an intimate screening of A24’s Sing Sing in NYC on Tuesday, with a conversation moderated by Bevy Smith.

Colman Domingo, Clarence Maclin and Bevy Smith

Courtesy of Kristina Bumphrey

The Decameron premiere event

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Netflix celebrated the launch of The Decameron, with stars Tanya Reynolds, Jessica Plummer, Amar Chadha-Patel, Douggie McMeekin, Lou Gala, Karan Gill, Zosia Mamet, Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Tony Hale, in N.Y. on Wednesday.

Tanya Reynolds, Douggie McMeekin, Lou Gala, Kathleen Jordan, Karan Gill, Amar Chadha-Patel, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Zosia Mamet, Tony Hale and Jessica Plummer

Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Netflix

Deadpool & Wolverine Dogpool screening

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Following Monday night’s world premiere, Dogpool (played by Peggy the dog) and Leslie Uggams returned to N.Y. on Wednesday to host a second screening of the upcoming Marvel film, where guests were encouraged to bring their own pups.

Peggy the dog and Leslie Uggams

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Disney

Alok screening

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UTA held a screening of short documentary Alok on Wednesday, followed by a Q&A with director Alex Hedison and star Alok Vaid-Menon. The conversation was moderated by executive producer Jodie Foster. 

Alex Hedison, Alok Vaid-Menon and Jodie Foster

Roger Kisby

Love Island USA Universal Studios trip

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Following the season finale of Peacock’s Love Island USA, Islanders were reunited at Universal Studios Hollywood on Thursday for the first time since leaving the villa. 

Robert Rausch, Kordell Beckham, Serena Page, JaNa Craig, Kenny Rodriguez, Nicole Jacky, Kendall Washington, Leah Kateb and Kaylor Martin

Randy Shropshire/Peacock

Jonathan Van Ness x WhatsApp

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Jonathan Van Ness took over The Americana at Brand in L.A. with WhatsApp on Thursday to celebrate the app hitting 100 million active users in the U.S.

Jonathan Van Ness

Courtesy of WhatsApp



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San Diego could require all-gender restrooms on city property

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San Diego could require all-gender restrooms on city property


San Diego District 2 City Councilmember Jennifer Campbell introduced an ordinance proposal Thursday that would require any new or significantly renovated facilities on city property — such as libraries, parks, beaches and recreation centers — to offer all-gender restrooms with clear signage.

Two years ago, California gave cities and counties the power to adopt such policies.

State law already requires existing public single-toilet stalls be all-gender. This ordinance would go a step farther by mandating an all-gender option for all newly constructed projects.

Philadelphia passed a similar ordinance in 2019.

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Campbell’s policy advisor, Manuel Reyes, pitched the idea.

“Any public facility should have access because it’s a basic human necessity that all of us experience,” he said.

Reyes said restroom access is not just a matter of safety for trans people, but also of public health.

“Holding it all day” can cause urinary tract infections and dehydration, he said.

San Diego LGBT Community Center staff member Karina Piu called the proposed ordinance an active rebuke of national trends.

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It stands in contrast to the bills passed in a dozen states in recent years, which require a person to use the bathroom of the sex assigned to them at birth.

President Biden put a ban on such blanket policies in April, but it faces legal challenges.

While the debate over all-gender restrooms is often focused on trans and gender non-conforming people, they’re also more accessible for caregivers of people needing restroom assistance, like small children, elderly people or people with disabilities.

“For example, a father, out with his daughter, and she has to go to the bathroom. What does he do?” Campbell said. “He doesn’t want to take her in the men’s room, and he can’t go in the ladies’ room. So having all-gender bathrooms is a good solution for everyone.”

And, they help fight a universal enemy: long bathroom lines.

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Public comment at the Community and Neighborhood Services Committee meeting was overwhelmingly in support.

One commenter said she was concerned about safety, but said if the restrooms were single-stall it wouldn’t matter.

Campbell signaled the restrooms would be single-stall, saying: “That is the idea.”

Several more public commenters used the topic to ask the committee to address what they saw as a larger issue: the inadequate number of public restrooms in the city overall, which grand juries have repeatedly recommended to help mitigate public outbreaks of hepatitis A, shigella, and COVID-19.

The committee unanimously directed city staff to draft the ordinance.

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Reyes said some of the first affected projects would be the expansion of the Ocean Beach Library, the upcoming rebuild of the San Carlos Library, and the Ocean Beach Pier rebuild.



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