Vecna Technologies : News Release

News Release

Vecna Assists Northrop Grumman with NIAID Bioinformatics Resource Center Contract

College Park, MD, Sep 09, 2004 - Vecna Technologies, Inc. today announced that it will help Northrop Grumman develop a comprehensive database for pathogens to combat bioterrorism and to promote public health. The web-based database, called BioHealthBase, will enable the scientific community to store, query, display, and analyze genomic and other related data. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is part of the National Institutes of Health, awarded Northrop Grumman a five-year, $16.9 million contract for developing the bioinformatics resource center database.

"The purpose of BioHealthBase is to provide the scientific community with research resources to help advance the understanding of these pathogens and accelerate the cure and prevention of these diseases," said Debbie Theobald, CEO of Vecna Technologies, Inc. "The objectives will help address both biodefense as well as public health concerns."

Six pathogens were selected to be included in the database: Giardia lamblia (giardiasis) parasites, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) bacteria, the influenza (flu) virus, Entamoeba histolytica (amoebiasis) parasites, Microsporidia (eight genera) parasites, and the Ricinus communis (castor bean) plant. These pathogens were chosen for their potential as bioterror agents and as emerging diseases. They also represent major classifications of microorganisms - bacteria, viruses, and parasites.

Vecna's contributions to the database will include establishing and maintaining resources for analysis, such as data mining technology and advanced algorithms for predicting gene identification and function. "The development of new and improved analytical tools for scientists will be a key aspect of BioHealthBase," said Michele Kang, vice president of Health Solutions for Northrop Grumman IT's Federal Enterprise Solutions business unit.

Work on the BioHealthBase will be performed at the Northrop Grumman facility in Rockville, MD, and at the Vecna facility in College Park, MD. Other team members include University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (USTMC) in Dallas, TX, and AMAR-International, Inc. in Fairfax, VA.

About Vecna
Vecna Technologies, Inc., headquartered in College Park, MD, delivers to its clients technology-based solutions designed to meet today's business management challenges. Vecna surpasses customer expectations with expert, cost effective management and information systems consulting. Key services include enterprise architecture consulting, system integration and interfacing, and enterprise application development. Key areas of research include medical informatics, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, robotics, and clinical solutions. For more information, visit www.vecna.com.

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