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3D Artificial Cornea from Stem Cells: Chula Researchers Advance Canine Corneal Wound Treatment

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BANGKOK, July 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Veterinary Science and the Faculty of Engineering have worked together to research and develop a three-dimensional artificial cornea from stem cells that offers a way to treat deep corneal wounds in dogs. The innovation helps to solve the problem of treatment methods that rely on tissue replacement which is hard to find and very expensive.  It makes it possible for dogs to be able to see clearly and comfortably once again.  

Does your dog have any of these symptoms? The inability to fully open its eyes, squinting or blinking frequently, shedding lots of tears, sometimes the tears are thick, and the mucus appears greenish.  The sclera is unusually red and not clear like before.  The cornea becomes cloudy and there are blood vessels in it.   

If your answer is “yes” then your pet might be suffering from a corneal ulcer which, if left untreated could eventually cause blindness.   

Nowadays, the number of dogs receiving treatment for corneal ulcers has increased tremendously.  The small animal hospital at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chulalongkorn University alone is already treating dogs with corneal ulcers daily.   

“We find quite a number of lesions like this in dogs.  Corneal ulcers occur as a result of many reasons, such as dogs scratching their own eyes because they have allergies causing itching around the eyes followed by scratching until the lesions form.  Fights with other dogs, being scratched by a cat, or accidentally bumps into objects” Veterinarian Dr. Chutirat Torssahakul of the Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chulalongkorn University addressed the problems that became the starting point for the research and innovation development.  “Three-dimensional artificial cornea from stem cells” enables your beloved pet to have perfect vision once again.  “The current treatment being used is to have grafts made from replacement tissue derived from porcine bladder or canine placentas which are rare and relatively expensive.  There is also the possibility of causing post-surgery reaction and inflammation.  Therefore, we thought that if we could produce our own innovative artificial cornea using natural materials that are easily found and reduce the chance of causing inflammation this might be a better option.”  Dr. Chutirat explained.    

Three-dimensional artificial cornea from stem cells – a brighter alternative 

As a result of the effort and intention to solve eye problems for dogs, the Faculty of Veterinary Science’s research team through the Veterinary Stem Cell and Bioengineering Innovation Center (VSCBIC) has therefore embarked on additional studies on stem cells and is working with the Biomedical Engineering Research Center of the Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University recognizing its expertise in tissue engineering to help make adhesive materials for growing stem cells. 

According to Veterinary Professor Dr. Chutirat “Artificial corneal tissue is obtained by cultivating real dog corneal stem cells on a natural material structure made from silk fibroin mixed with gelatin.  The material can be cheaply and easily found in Thailand.  It is strong and durable, clear and transparent, and adheres well to cells making them three-dimensional which is comparable to real corneal tissue.” 

This innovation can be used to treat corneal perforations in dogs as well as large corneal wounds where the tissue cannot be stitched or even deep wounds in which a large amount of corneal tissue has been lost.  In cases of dogs with mild or moderate levels of corneal ulcer problems, currently, 2 methods for treatment are still in use.   

Treatment with topical eye drops is usually used in cases that are not too severe, such as a superficial wound or a bit deeper layer. Treatment with eye drops can help prevent complications due to secondary infections.  The drops do not help, however, with healing wounds since that depends on the dog’s own body mechanisms. If the body is strong and there is normal cell growth, then most cases will recover on their own.  

Treatment with surgery is used in cases of very deep wounds, complicated wounds, reaching the last layer of the cornea, or penetrating wounds where it is still possible to stitch the corneas together normally. 

“But in cases where the wound in the cornea is so large that tissue must be used to replace the missing part, we usually use a graft which could be the dog’s own conjunctiva.  The other option is to use replacement tissue such as tissues derived from human or canine placentas.  These are costly and difficult to find so we have invented a new way to treat them and that is the three-dimensional artificial cornea made from stem cells.” 

4 outstanding features of the 3D artificial cornea innovation  

It appears very similar to the real corneal surface – Research shows that stem cells grown in the lab can create tissue cells.  The extracellular matrix is interconnected and the outline is similar to the real corneal surface.  In particular, the arrangement of stem cells in the cornea is remarkable in that it is more orderly than other positions.  This will help maintain the clarity of the cornea compared to other alternative materials currently in use that are somewhat opaque.  It derives entirely from all-natural substances- The stem cells used are those that have been harvested from the cornea of the dog being treated or collected from recently deceased corpses so there is little chance of post-transplantation inflammation or irritation.  The structure for cells to adhere to is made from silk fibroin mixed with gelatin.   As time passes, stem cells create their own network of cells that form three-dimensional pieces even though the structural materials are naturally degraded by enzymes. They can be trimmed during the transplantation process – since the parts are three-dimensional sheets they can be trimmed to fit the wound where the cornea is missing.    Wounds heal faster – stem cells are living cells and have properties that help in network formation causing cell adhesion.  They also help with strengthening and building collagen so that wound healing can occur.  This is different from using graft sheets that do not contain living cells.    

At present, the “3D artificial cornea from stem cells” innovation is still in the laboratory testing stage to study whether the 3D artificial cornea can actually be used as a cornea replacement, and to determine how it interacts with the animal’s body.  According to Veterinary Professor Dr. Chutirat in many countries research on such innovations is also currently underway at the laboratory level. 

“The research we have done has produced satisfactory results.  It is expected that this innovation will be applied to dogs in the next few years.  Moreover, we have plans to apply this knowledge to cats as well from cell collection, locating cells, separating cells, and arranging cells” Dr. Chutirat concluded.   

Those who are interested can further read the research paper on the subject at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35120168/ 

For the full release and more images, please visit: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/170754/

About Chulalongkorn University

Chulalongkorn University has made the world’s top 50 university list for employment outcomes, which reflects both the high employment rate and workability of Chula graduates. The university is also listed as the best in Thailand for the 15th Consecutive Year (since 2009), according to the newly released QS World University Rankings 2024, putting Chula at 211th in the world, up from 244th last year.

Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChulalongkornUniversity
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/chulauniversity
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/school/15101896/

 

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SOURCE Chulalongkorn University

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THE HUNT IS ON: BUCKHORN WHISKEY BRINGS A TASTE OF THE WILD TO CHICAGO AND ATLANTA

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October 29, 2026

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Grab the Buck by the Horns. Sazerac’s new American whiskey brand challenges adventure seekers to uncover hidden destinations in Bucktown and Buckhead as Smoked Maple makes its fall debut

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Buckhorn, the new American whiskey brand from Sazerac, brings the spirit of the outdoors and the thrill of discovery to whiskey drinkers who want fun, not fuss.

With the Buckhorn Buck Hunt, the brand is turning everyday watering holes into backwoods escapes hiding in plain sight, giving whiskey lovers and outdoor enthusiasts a whole new kind of hunt. The hunt is headed to two fittingly named “Buck” neighborhoods – Bucktown in Chicago and Buckhead in Atlanta – creating a taste of the wild and a night that’s anything but ordinary. Along for the adventure is NEW Buckhorn Smoked Maple, the latest addition to the brand’s nationwide lineup of no-frills flavored whiskeys and ready-to-drink (RTD) whiskey lemonades.

A New Whiskey for Cooler Weather
Buckhorn is adding a little smoke to the season with the introduction of Buckhorn Smoked Maple, arriving just in time for fall adventures and fireside gatherings. Bottled at 32.5% ABV, it’s a smooth blend of Buckhorn’s signature whiskey with a bold and sweet smoked maple flavor. The new flavor offering brings a rich, warming flavor profile to Buckhorn’s growing portfolio, made for those who appreciate good whiskey without the fuss.

Backed by Sazerac’s whiskey-making expertise, Buckhorn was created for those who care more about what’s in the bottle than the hype around it. The lineup includes blended and flavored whiskeys alongside refreshing, canned whiskey lemonades made with real American whiskey, offering something for everything from a backyard BBQ with the crew to a weekend at the lake or an evening around the campfire. It’s whiskey made for the outdoors, without a price tag that gets in the way of the next adventure. 

“Good whiskey. Good company. A little adventure. That’s Buckhorn,” said Erica Bovard, Senior Brand Director of American Whiskeys at Sazerac. “With The Buck Hunt, we’re saying ‘Buck It’ to the usual night out and creating something worth tracking down. A little wilderness, our new Smoked Maple and a moment you have to hunt to find, there’s your next good story.”

Buck It: The Hunt is on in Chicago and Atlanta
This November, Buckhorn is inviting whiskey drinkers to grab the buck by the horns and ditch their usual Friday night plans for something a little more exciting. Part scavenger hunt, part whiskey-fueled adventure, The Buckhorn Buck Hunt is bringing a taste of the wild to Bucktown in Chicago and Buckhead in Atlanta, with unexpected discoveries and plenty of BUCK IT attitude along the way.

From the sidewalk, there’ll be little to give away what’s waiting inside. But those who follow the clues will find a unique experience where familiar city surroundings give way to rugged, backwoods-inspired scenery straight out of the great outdoors. It’s a chance to leave the usual city scene behind, discover something new and have a bucking good time.

Once inside, there will be plenty of Buckhorn to discover, from its smooth American flavored whiskeys and refreshing canned whiskey lemonades to the new Smoked Maple. The experience will also introduce the Buck Shot, the brand’s signature group celebration moment that brings friends together to say “Buck It,” grab life by the horns and enjoy a shot of Buckhorn.

How to Join “The Buckhorn Buck Hunt”
Buckhorn is bringing the whiskey hunt to two “Buck” neighborhoods for one-night-only experiences this November:

Bucktown (Chicago, IL): Friday, November 6, 2026, 4-8pm CTBuckhead (Atlanta, GA): Friday, November 13, 2026, 4-8pm ET 

Both locations will be hiding in plain sight. Those who sign up for The Buck Hunt will receive the clues and intel needed to track down their city’s secret experience.

The Buckhorn Buck Hunt events are free to attend, but advance registration is Required. No exceptions. REGISTER HERE.

Keep an eye out for “Buck Sightings”, and visit BuckhornWhiskey.com to learn more about the brand.

Beyond its new offerings, Buckhorn Whiskey has a versatile portfolio anchored in its fruit-forward whiskeys including Black Cherry, Peach, Honey, Blackberry and Pineapple, available in select markets at the suggested retail price of $18.99 (750ml; taxes/fees vary by market). For adventures best enjoyed with a ready-to-drink cocktail, Buckhorn also offers Whiskey Lemonades in four flavors — Classic, Blackberry, Peach, and Honey — available nationwide at a suggested retail price for $18.99 (8-can variety pack; taxes/fees vary by market).

Please Drink Responsibly. Buckhorn, Whiskey With Natural Flavors, 32.5% Alc./Vol. Sazerac Company, Louisville, KY.

ABOUT BUCKHORN WHISKEY
Born for the adventurer, Buckhorn Whiskey is a new American whiskey brand from Sazerac that believes good whiskey shouldn’t be complicated. Featuring a no-frills lineup of flavored whiskeys and ready-to-drink (RTD) whiskey lemonades, Buckhorn delivers great taste without the pretense, made for good company and wherever the next adventure leads. Buck tradition. Drink wild. For more information visit: https://buckhornwhiskey.com/or follow @BuckhornWhiskey on social media.

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SOURCE Sazerac

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U.S. Army awards Marconi Technologies production order to modernize TRILOS

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25 minutes ago

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October 29, 2026

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Next-gen Orion radios will provide mobile, long-range, high-capacity backbone communications

MONTRÉAL, Oct. 29, 2026 /CNW/ — The U.S. Army has awarded Marconi Technologies a delivery order for the latest Orion long-range mission packages (LRMP), giving units the organic assets to connect across long distances and rugged terrain, without depending on satellite links. The delivery order makes Marconi responsible for the radio, networking and power components of the Army’s Terrestrial Line-of-Sight (TRILOS) modernization capability, putting the newest generation of systems in warfighters’ hands now, ready for the current fight.

Each LRMP delivers the high-capacity, low-latency connectivity the Army requires across its tactical command and control backbone. That backbone is built around decision speed, collapsing the time between sensing something on the battlefield and commanders acting on it.

“We’ve reinvented the software-defined Orion radio line to continue to carry out the U.S. Army’s most demanding communication missions as we have in the past,” said Alain Cohen, CEO of Marconi Technologies. “This delivery order places the latest and most capable long-range tactical radio in the Army’s hands; it’s also a testament to how well and diligently the U.S. Army team has partnered with industry to push the art-of-the-possible.”

The Orion is a sixth-generation software-defined tactical radio built for high-throughput communications in contested environments. It’s designed for missions demanding frequency agility and survivability, whether on the move or at the quick halt.

About Marconi Technologies 

Marconi Technologies is a veteran-run defense technology company with development and manufacturing operations in Canada, the UK and the USA. Marconi develops and manufactures advanced, dual-use communications systems across the full tactical spectrum, from line-of-sight tactical radios to beyond-line-of-sight troposcatter and satellite communications to empower decision and enable autonomy.

SOURCE Marconi Technologies

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MoneyCon Launches in Las Vegas: Free, at the Venetian, Creating the Gathering Place for Fintech

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October 29, 2026

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The team behind Fintech NerdCon is keeping fintech‘s annual reunion where it has always happened, on Restaurant Row at the Venetian, October 19–21, 2027. No tickets. No booths. No badge.

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MoneyCon, October 19–21, 2027, Restaurant Row at The Venetian, Las VegasFree to attend. No pass, no badge, no registration feeFrom the founders of Fintech NerdCon — Simon Taylor, Joy Schwartz and Colton PondPresented by Nerd Events Media

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A week after the last Money20/20 at The Venetian, the founders of Fintech NerdCon announced MoneyCon, a free, open gathering for the entire fintech and financial services industry on Restaurant Row at The Venetian, October 19–21, 2027.

For more than a decade, this week in Las Vegas has functioned as fintech‘s annual reunion, and much of what made it valuable happened in the hallways, the coffee lines, and the restaurants rather than on the show floor. Thousands of people came to Las Vegas each October without buying a pass, because the industry being in one building was the point.

In 2027 that building changes. The reaction has been consistent: one widely read fintech newsletter reported polling every attendee that its author met at this year’s show and finding a 100% disapproval rating for the move. Another, published this week, argued the industry needed a counter-gathering at The Venetian with cheap tickets and open restaurants.

MoneyCon is that gathering, and it costs nothing for attendees.

“The best conversations in fintech have never happened in a session,” said Simon Taylor, co-founder of MoneyCon and author of Brainfood. “They happen when you run into someone between the coffee shop and dinner at the Venetian. You can’t schedule that, you can’t sell a booth for it, and you shouldn’t need a four-thousand-dollar badge to be part of it.”

“We built Fintech NerdCon because the industry craved something different, and 1,500 operators showed up in Year 1,” said Colton Pond, co-founder of MoneyCon. “MoneyCon is a different promise. Come connect with the entire fintech and financial services industry, because building together drives increased innovation to move our industry forward.”

“Free doesn’t mean unprogrammed,” said Joy Schwartz, co-founder of MoneyCon. “We’re running three days of content, conversations and side events built the way operators actually want to spend their time, with the same team and the same standard we hold at NerdCon.”

MoneyCon is the second event from the team behind Fintech NerdCon, which launched in 2025 and returns to San Diego November 19–20, 2026 for its second year. NerdCon is built on a deliberate rejection of the expo-hall model, no sales booths, no badge scanning, no forced meetings, and draws operators from JPMorgan Chase, Stripe, Visa, Capital One, Block, Nubank, Revolut, Chime, Plaid, and Coinbase, with speakers including the CTO of Plaid, executives from Nubank, the CEO of Revolut U.S., and co-founders of Chime, Gusto and Modern Treasury.

MoneyCon applies the same principle at a different scale: bring the industry together, remove the gate, and let the restaurants and hallway be the venue.

Sponsorship is open to a limited number of partners. Details and the waitlist are at fintechnerdcon.com/moneycon.

About MoneyCon
MoneyCon is a free, open gathering for the entire fintech, payments and financial services industry, held on Restaurant Row at The Venetian in Las Vegas, October 19–21, 2027. No badge required. Presented by Nerd Events Media.

About Fintech NerdCon
Fintech NerdCon is the fintech conference by operators, for operators, founded by Simon Taylor, Joy Schwartz and Colton Pond. Its second edition takes place in San Diego, November 19–20, 2026. Learn more at fintechnerdcon.com.

Media Contact
Colton Pond, Co-Founder of Nerd Events Media, colton@fintechnerdcon.com 

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SOURCE Nerd Media

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