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: In recent years, there have been numerousreports of species of invasive predatory flatworms(Geoplanidae) across several islands of the Caribbean.Terrestrial planarians and their cocoons are believed tobe dispersed to new territories mainly through planttrades; the worms/cocoons may be accidentallytransmitted in the soil of potted plants or within thefoliage. The exotic terrestrial flatworm, Bipaliumkewense, was first reported in Jamaica in 1897 [1]. Later,the suspected sightings of Platydemus manokwari andBipalium vagum [2] were documented, in 2019 and 2020,respectively. Terrestrial flatworms were collected as partof a wider study of the epidemiology and transmission ofzoonotic parasite, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, inJamaica.
The worldwide ginger market was valued at US$6.82 billion in 2020, with India, Nigeria and China being the top global producers (Global Ginger Market Report, 2021). Jamaican ginger once held pride of place in the global market, with its widely accepted superior quality, uniqueness of flavor and high oil content. However, since the initial outbreak of the ginger rhizome rot disease in 1995, production has drastically plummeted to insignificant levels and the industry has not yet recovered. In this regard, a number of intervention strategies have been implemented by the Government of Jamaica over the years, including the Eastern Jamaica Agricultural Support Project of 1993 under RADA, the Ginger Agricultural Science, Technology and Innovation Working Group initiative supported by the CTA ACP-EU under the National Commission and Science and Technology in 2005, the Ginger Resuscitation and Expansion Programme of 2011 led by the Export Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ginger Value Chain Study supported by the FAO, the Ginger Varietal Study funded through the Jamaica Business Development Fund in 2018 and the ongoing Ginger Value Chain and Certification Programme supported by the FAO, with propagation and production of disease-free planting materials. These programmes, amounting to investments of millions of dollars, through partnerships with the key private, governmental and international stakeholders, have been met with varying degrees of success.
Brookhaven National Laboratory delivers discovery science and transformative technology to power and secure the nation’s future. Primarily supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science, Brookhaven Lab is a multidisciplinary laboratory with seven Nobel Prize-winning discoveries, 37 R&D 100 Awards, and more than 70 years of pioneering research. The laboratory is open to users from all countries and areas of STEM. The workshop will give an introduction to the capabilities of the laboratory, how to access facilities and collaboration tips for working with BNL scientists.
Pesticide usage in agriculture has occurred for centuries and led to significant positive outcomes in food production and noticeable reduction in crop losses. However, pesticide usage on food crops often results in the presence of toxic pesticide residues on food produce, which is the main route of exposure to pesticides in humans. The toxicity of the pesticide residues can potentially cause debilitating effects to major human organs and body systems. Pesticide residue analysis addresses the issue of pesticide residues in foods by screening and quantifying the levels of pesticides in food commodities.
Globally, STEM scientists are the apex of novel innovation and cutting-edge research and development. While, patents are inextricably linked to innovation, research, and development, both undergraduate and graduate STEM students rarely invent, and those that do almost never invent twice. The thesis of this presentation is three-fold: (1) The understanding, value, benefits, and basics of intellectual property (IP) creation and invention are fundamentally missing in STEM curricula; (2) There are few (if any) incentives for STEM researchers to create and file patent applications within the University environment; and (3) Patent filling assistance programs (pro se) provide pro bono outreach and education to applicants. The key tenants of this presentation are reduced to practice as it relates to pro se patent filings of West Indies inspired invention to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in 2021 and 2022. Three examples of West Indies conceived and awarded IP by a lead inventor domiciled in Anguilla, BWI (Patent Nos. 10,934,168, 11,219,255, and 11,298,375). Further, a permanent patent filling, titled: “Innocuous Sterilant using Hemocyanin and Functionalized Fullerenes with Broad-Spectrum Intracellular and Interstitial Microbiocidal and Radical Scavenging Effects for Packaged Matter, Biologics and Organics including Liquids, Gases, Tissue, Organs, Cells, and Limbs with Copper Mediated Oxygenation for Viability and Preservation” is under review and awaiting a first office action offering broad evidence of origination of IP in the West Indies. As case studies for this presentation, two pieces of IP are examined: The permanent patent and a recently filed provisional application that teaches a minimally invasive and unassisted robotic surgical method for atomic scale manipulation of funtionalized nanoparticles to perform high precision “nano surgery”.
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