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GRAND RAPIDS — Take a peek into any manufacturer that works with medical devices or pharmaceuticals and one is bound to see a clean room in use.

The devices help manufacturers ensure product integrity and that the cleanliness of the products remains as high as possible. Production in other industries, like food processing and high-tech, advanced battery manufacturing, all takes place in clean rooms. Moreover, as other manufacturers in the automotive industry – particularly those dealing with finishes – look for a competitive advantage and quality control, they’re turning to clean rooms.

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GRAND RAPIDS — When Van Andel Institute and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine announced they would be collaborating on projects as part of VAI’s phase II expansion, they had in mind that the two research organizations might find synergies that would benefit each other on new projects. Those sorts of collaborations are already starting to bear fruit, just over a year into the collaboration.

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KALAMAZOO — A Kalamazoo-based startup is taking its green pesticides from the bench to the field.

Vestaron Corp. is moving forward with field trials on its first generation of insecticides using natural peptides from spiders. The company is scaling up production of its insecticides, increasing batches from 2 liters in its lab to 750 liters, and has hired Steven Hartmeier as its new President and CEO.

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GRAND RAPIDS — Ensuring that food sold to customers is safe to eat is a monumental task involving countless people.

It’s also a fantastic business opportunity for one West Michigan environmental microbiology testing lab.

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The last year has been a flurry of activity in Kalamazoo County, with major initiatives moving forward among many of the region’s organizations.

From the announcement of a $100 million gift to found Western Michigan University’s Medical School to Bronson’s partnership with Battle Creek Health System, the area is looking to capitalize on its life sciences legacy as it looks to drive the healthcare industry forward.

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Despite a down economy, one of Kalamazoo County’s largest industries, biomedical, is only getting bigger and more established.

The Southwest Michigan Innovation Center, a business incubator for life sciences companies, currently has 16 clients at its Kalamazoo campus. Some are “veterans,” like drug development company ProNAi, and others are newer additions to the SMIC, like Metabolic Solutions Development Company, which earned a $773,000 grant to fund research into a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.

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KALAMAZOO — Jerry Colca and Rolf Kletzien have a good idea that they very well might have a real pharmaceutical breakthrough in their hands.

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WEST MICHIGAN — Game changing medicinal compounds and medical devices grab headlines and provide new revenue sources for life sciences and pharmaceutical companies large and small. Often overlooked is how the delivery devices and packaging innovations play a role in keeping companies competitive in an industry under constant pressure from generic producers.

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BATTLE CREEK — As the E. coli outbreak in Germany that has killed 39 people continues to dominate headlines around Europe, experts warn that the U.S. food system is still at risk and could have significant consequences for agriculture, food processors and others tied to the industry.

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KALAMAZOO — The U.S. is the leader in the medical device market worldwide.

That position, however, is at risk.