Daily Business Report: Nov. 21, 2023
Latitude 33 and development team receive
national award for UC San Diego student housing
Latitude 33 Planning & Engineering joins the University of California, San Diego and other project partners in celebrating UC San Diego Nuevo East Graduate Student Housing’s national recognition by the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA). The organization named Nuevo East a winner of a National Award of Merit in the Educational Facilities category.
Recipients were honored at DBIA’s annual Awards Dinner on Nov. 2, at the Design-Build Conference & Expo in National Harbor, MD. This award is the latest in a series of National DBIA awards for Latitude 33, demonstrating the firm’s excellent outcomes as part of a design-build team.
The $220 million mixed-use UC San Diego Nuevo East Graduate Student Housing community consists of 712,000 total square feet which house 1,374 students. The project includes five (5) mid- and high-rise residential buildings with one- to four-bedroom apartments and townhomes. A sixth building, The Exchange, serves as a gateway to the East Campus and provides study space, meeting facilities, a yoga and fitness room, and outdoor gathering spaces including public plazas and community gardens.
Top Photo: UC San Diego’s Nuevo East Graduate Student Housing. (Photograph by Dana E. Keil)
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New studies of brain activity explain
benefits of electroconvulsive therapy
By Miles Martin | UC San Diego
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), formerly known as electroshock therapy, involves inducing a brief seizure in the brain using controlled doses of electricity. While ECT is highly effective for certain mental illnesses, particularly depression, the reasons for its efficacy have long puzzled the fields of psychiatry and neuroscience.
Now, researchers from University of California San Diego may have an answer. In two new studies published November 16, 2023 in Translational Psychiatry, they propose a new hypothesis that ECT alleviates depression symptoms by increasing aperiodic activity, a type of electrical activity in the brain that doesn’t follow a consistent pattern and is generally considered to be the brain’s background noise.
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SDG&E joins Toyota to research
battery EV ‘bidirectional’ power
By Debbie Sklar | Times of San Diego
San Diego Gas & Electric and Toyota of North America announced a collaboration on vehicle-to-grid research for battery electric vehicles using a Toyota bZ4X, an all-electric SUV.
The research is intended to explore bidirectional power flow technology that enables battery electric vehicle (BEV) owners to both charge their vehicle’s batteries from the electric grid and discharge electricity from the batteries back to the grid, a joint statement from the companies read.
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As storms arrive in California, reservoirs
are in good shape. But water forecast is murky
By Rachel Becker | CalMatters
As forecasts tease California with rainstorms, the state’s reservoirs are already flush with water. It’s a big departure from a year ago: The state’s major reservoirs — which store water collected mostly from rivers in the northern portion of the state — are in good shape, with levels at 124 percent of average.
In late 2022, bathtub rings of dry earch lined lakes that had collectively dipped to about two-thirds of average — until heavy winter storms in January filled many of them almost to the brim. Yet healthy water levels don’t mean California’s reservoirs are full. Most of California’s large reservoirs are operated for flood control as well as water storage, with space kept empty to rein in winter storm runoff.
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Digital literacy skills maximize
opportunity for women in rural Mexico
Around the globe, more than 1.2 billion women in low-middle-income countries do not actively use mobile internet. Furthermore, women in these countries are 26 percent less likely to use mobile internet than men.
Since 2021, Carlsbad-based Viasat has connected rural communities in Mexico through the Ambassador Program – a program designed to partner with local representatives comprised mostly of women to be the boots on the ground in areas connected by Viasat technology. Currently serving 27 communities throughout Mexico, the Ambassador Program encourages gender equality, creating a fair and just society, and addresses systemic inequalities, including digital inclusion. It has been the chosen model for Viasat to focus on creating opportunities for women, as the vast majority of the rural communities’ male population have migrated, leaving the women with household responsibilities, yet little economic empowerment or opportunities.
Coastal Commission rejects appeals of Watermark permit
The California Coastal Commission has determined that residents’ appeals of a permit for the Watermark housing development in Del Mar did not raise any significant issues, allowing the project to proceed as the city had previously approved it. The 50-unit, four-story project planned for the corner of Jimmy Durante Boulevard and San Dieguito Drive has been stalled since May 2022, when the Del Mar Hillside Community Association and resident Jill Schultz each filed an appeal to the state commission, claiming the city issued a permitinconsistent with its Local Coastal Plan.
Payroll Integrations snags $20 million in Series A
Encinitas-based Payroll Integrations has secured $20 million in Series A funding to expand its product line and strengthen relationships with providers. The automated tech platform aims to continue its growth by linking payroll providers and benefit platforms, simplifying administrative tasks for employers. These expansions include insurance benefits, student loan repayments, and compliance solutions for third-party administrators.
Viriom influenza treatment completes clinical trials
Viriom Inc., dedicated to advancing a pipeline of highly effective and broadly affordable treatments targeting infectious and malignant diseases globally, announces the successful completion and positive results of Phase I clinical trial for AV5124, a novel inhibitor of influenza virus replication. AV5124 is an extremely effective inhibitor of influenza virus RNA processing that is potent against all tested influenza types.
Planet Based Foods announce Northern California expansion
Planet based Foods, a company offering a wide variety of hemp-based food alternatives, announced that New Leaf Community Markets and Lunardi’s Markets have authorized the sales of Planet Based Foods’ Original with Cheese and Southwest Style Taquitos across their respective locations. The company also announced that Gregory Maselli has joined the board of directors.
MG Properties acquires NOVO Broadway Apartments
MG Properties, a leading real estate investment and management firm from San Diego, announced its $100.25 million acquisition of NOVO Broadway Apartments (formerly known as Parc Broadway), a residential community located in Tempe, Ariz., recently completed by Evergreen Devco Inc. MG Properties was founded in 1992 by Mark Gleiberman.
IoT industry executive joins Ikotek as COO
Ikotek, the leading IoT original design manufacturer (ODM), announces with immediate effect the appointment of Mathi Gurusamy as its new chief operating officer (COO). In his new role, Mathi will be responsible for overseeing the company’s day-to-day operations, driving strategic initiatives, and contributing to Ikotek’s continued growth and success. Mathi Gurusamy brings a wealth of expertise with over 20 years of experience in the IoT sector and electronic device industry to Ikotek.
Guild Mortgage earns 2024 Military Friendly Employer designation
San Diego-based Guild Mortgage and its employee resource group, The Seventh Branch, were awarded the 2024 Military Friendly Employer designation for policies and programs in support of veterans and their families. Institutions earning the designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Over 1,200 companies participated in the 2024 Military Friendly survey.
Calidi Biotherapeutics announces issuance of new U.S. patent
Calidi Biotherapeutics Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a new generation of targeted immunotherapies, announced the issuance of a new patent for the company’s SuperNova technology, strengthening its intellectual property portfolio and positioning Calidi to advance its CLD-201 program into the clinic. In addition, the company also provided an update on the timing of its anticipated clinical milestones.
National City partners with Sports San Diego
for inaugural Rady Children’s invitational
National University announced it will be a sponsor of the inaugural Rady Children’s Invitational college basketball tournament to be held later this month at UC San Diego.
The invitational tips off on Thanksgiving with two games, followed by two more games the next day. The Iowa Hawkeyes, USC Trojans, Seton Hall Pirates and Oklahoma Sooners will compete. Tournament is produced bby Sports San Diego.
City of San Diego launches search for next police chief
The City of San Diego is kicking off a process to recruit and hire a new chief of police for the San Diego Police Department, which will include a thorough outreach and community engagement effort to give San Diegans a voice in the hiring process along with a national search for a diverse pool of applicants who reflect the city’s priorities. Chie David Nisleit
announced his retirement on Nov. 13 and will complete his service in June 2024.
