NABsys has acquired GeneSpectrum, combining the companies’ technologies for sequencing DNA. The new joint operation will continue to work toward the production of the “$1000 genome,” or the reduction of the cost of mapping the human genome from its current $10 million price tag to under $1000.

InfoWorld Magazine named Traction Software’s TeamPage “Best Enterprise Wiki” in the 2007 Technology of the Year Awards. TeamPage was also recognized as a Trend-Setting Product of 2006 by KMWorld in August, solidifying its market- leading position in the online communications systems space.

Insight Health Solutions’ software solutions played an integral role in Luther Midelfort, Mayo Health System’s recent Wisconsin Forward Award of Excellence for organizational performance quality. According to the Wisconsin Forward Award report, which specifically cites Insight Health's products as a key organizational strength, “transparent communication approaches, utilizing groundbreaking technology such as Insight, allow Luther Midelfort to share critical business information, including the performance metrics for the overall system and departments.”

RightPath Payments has signed an alliance agreement with IdenTrust, Inc., a leading identity solutions provider, to enhance RightPath’s Business Payment Connection (BPC) product with identity authentication capabilities. IdenTrust’s environmental framework for secure commerce will streamline RightPath’s buyer-to-seller process flow for BPC’s global use.

Digital radiology software company Advanced Image Enhancement (AIE) has named Robert Petrocelli, former CEO and co-founder of Heartlab, as its director of business development. A 2000 New England finalist for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and an innovative medical engineer, Petrocelli has been a member of AIE’s Board of Directors since February 2005, and brings a strong computer science background and proven entrepreneurial instincts to the new operational position.

Andera concluded 2006 with 103 financial institution customers, nearly double its total from a year ago, and combined assets of over $160 billion. In addition to increasing its revenue over 50% from 2005, Andera was recently named the online account opening market leader by Aite Group.

Vaccine developer EpiVax Inc. of Providence has received a grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a division of the National Institutes of Health, to re-engineer botulinum toxin (more commonly known as Botox), for use in treatment of dystonias. The company also announced the development of a promising tularemia vaccine candidate, which grants protective immunity against the bacteria considered to be one of the most threatening potential bioterrorist agents.

Slater has invested in software startup Public Display to expand research and development of its information extraction software, which enables users to locate, organize and act upon information in webpages or other digital documents. Public Display is led by CEO William O'Farrell, a seasoned entrepreneur who founded three successful software application companies prior to starting Public Display.

Afferent Corporation, Ion Signature Technology, Inc., and SubChem Systems were named recipients in the inaugural competitive award program from the Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council’s (STAC) Research Alliance. Developed to support collaborative partnerships between academic-private industry research programs, the awards were granted to 15 organizations throughout the state.

On March 31, 2007, Managing Director Ronald Unterman, Ph.D. will retire from Slater Technology Fund. Ron joined Slater in 2002, and in his five years here, he brought a true dedication to furthering the environmental and ocean technology sectors in the state. We, as well as many others throughout Rhode Island, have benefited from his experience and expertise. We offer Ron our thanks for his service to Slater, and wish him well in his retirement.