Washington, DC - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Tafinlar (dabrafenib) and Mekinist (trametinib), administered together, for the treatment of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) that cannot be removed by surgery or has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic), and has a type of abnormal gene, BRAF V600E (BRAF V600E mutation-positive).

Washington, DC - Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have combined derivatives of two surplus materials—wood pulp and dried-up pieces of an invasive exotic pest—to form a new composite material that is flexible, sustainable, nontoxic and UV light-reflective. The material, described in a new paper (link is external) published in Advanced Functional Materials, could soon be used in a wide variety of applications, including food packaging, biomedical devices, building construction and the design of cars, trucks and boats.

Sacramento, California - Tuesday morning, Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella), Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife will host a Salton Sea Oversight Hearing in order to ensure the successful implementation of the Salton Sea Management Plan.

Washington, DC - Americans are active shoppers. Whether purchasing a car, a dishwasher, or a jar of salsa, we rarely buy anything without comparing the price and quality of available options. These days, shoppers have access to a wide array of tools online to inform our quest for value. Our demand for value is the engine that drives competition which, in turn, lowers prices and inspires innovation to improve the quality of the products we purchase.

Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced four funding opportunities totaling up to $78 million to support early-stage bioenergy research and development under the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office.

Washington, DC - Technology is easy to take for granted, but it has an incredible impact. Computers, for instance, are commonplace, but they give us extraordinary capabilities. And we may only be seeing the beginnings of their potential.