TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – June 19, 2012

Seth Ablordeppey, a Florida A&M University (FAMU) professor in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, has received a United States patent (No. 8,158,646) for extensive modifications to the drug Cryptolepine. Preliminary tests indicate the drug will be effective at treating infections commonly found in HIV/AIDS, chemotherapy, and organ transplant patients. In addition, it has fewer side effects than several currently used drugs.

“This research has been in the works for more than a decade and I am grateful to FAMU for providing the environment and opportunity for this discovery,” said Ablordeppey. “With the discovery of these new agents we hope to deal one more blow to the opportunistic infections that continue to wreak havoc in our communities.”

Cryptolepine is a series of compounds derived from a native plant of Ghana, West Africa. According to the Center for Disease Control, opportunistic infections that attack weakened immune systems have become increasing problematic in the United States. When compared to drugs currently on the market, the high potency and fewer side affects associated with Cryptolepine could ultimately combat this problem.

“I am so very proud of Dr. Ablordeppey and the contribution he has made to FAMU’s patent portfolio. Because of his work, FAMU now has a diverse portfolio of pharmaceutical compounds that treat various diseases that disproportionately affect African Americans,” said Tanaga Boozer, director for FAMU Office of Technology Transfer, Licensing and Commercialization. “His patent demonstrates the talent and commitment among FAMU researchers to develop novel drugs, methods, and medical devices that address health disparities in underrepresented populations.”

This is the Ablordeppey’s second patent in two years. In 2010, he received a patent for developing the “Haloperidol Analog,” a method for treating mammals suffering from psychosis.

For more information, contact Seth Ablordeppey at (850) 599-3834. To learn more about licensing technologies available at FAMU, contact Tanaga Boozer at (850) 412-7232.

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June 19, 2012

City of Tallahassee News Release:

Congratulations Tallahassee!
Tallahassee Named #1 Public Utility in America!
City wins two prestigious national awards from American Public Power Association

The City of Tallahassee Utilities was honored in Seattle, WA, today by the American Public Power Association (APPA) for receiving the prestigious 2012 E. F. Scattergood System Achievement Award. This national designation recognizes the top public utility in the country for enhancing the prestige of public power utilities nationwide through sustained achievement, exemplary leadership and customer service excellence.

The City also received APPA’s 2012 Energy Innovator Award for its innovative and highly successful Neighborhood REACH program along with active community involvement. This national honor recognizes a utility that has demonstrated advances in the development and application of creative, energy-efficient technologies, customer service enhancements and operational efficiencies.

Out of thousands of utility systems throughout the nation, the City of Tallahassee has become a leading authority on smart grid innovation and adaptive strategies to meet rapidly changing customer needs. “These awards bring national attention to our city again and they show what we’ve known all along--that Tallahassee is a great place to live and do business,” said Mayor John Marks, pointing out the enhanced economic development opportunities that national recognition brings.

The City of Tallahassee provides customers with electric, natural gas, water, sewer, stormwater management and solid waste services. The City’s electric system alone serves about 113,000 customers within a 221-square-mile service territory. Its gas and water utilities serve approximately 27,000 and 83,000 customers, respectively.

The awards also recognized the effectiveness of the City’s Energy Smart Plus (e+) initiatives including Neighborhood REACH, which promotes conservation and cost savings by helping residents become actively engaged in managing their home energy and water use. Using a whole neighborhood, door-to-door approach, REACH teams provide customers with in-home energy assessments, free energy- and water-saving products and services and hands-on education on ways to reduce their home energy costs.

“This is a great honor and reflects our innovative practices, environmental commitment and high-quality utility services, all of which helped Tallahassee be named the #1 Public Utility in America,” said City Commissioner Nancy Miller, lead commissioner on the Environmental and Energy Resources target issue committee. Commissioner Miller, Utility Marketing Manager Sandra Manning and Electric Utility General Manager Rob McGarrah are in Seattle to accept the awards.

This award recognizes the City of Tallahassee for being one of the first utilities in the country to have a combined electric, gas and water smart grid system. Tallahassee continues to receive national recognition for its modernized infrastructure and broad, holistic approach to helping customers save energy, water and money.

To commemorate the award, the City will hold a special ceremony at the June 27 regular City Commission meeting as well as a community celebration at Tom Brown Park in September. City utility customers will be sharing their personal e+ success stories at these and other events as well.

While the City has provided electricity to residential and commercial customers for more than 100 years and technology has transformed the industry, the focus has always been on the customer. Innovative programs and community outreach activities have improved efficiency, stimulated the economy and provided new business opportunities.

Most importantly, these efforts have empowered customers with greater flexibility, choices and control in managing their home and commercial energy usage. Through its Energy Smart Plus (e+) initiative, the City offers a wide variety of products, services and interactive tools, including variable pricing plans and mobile applications tailored to each customer’s lifestyle.

The City’s myriad e+ programs helped garner the Most Livable City in America Award in 2011 from the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The utilities also served as a case study and key contributor to the Executive Office of the President of the United States for the White House Grid Modernization Summit in 2011. For more information about City of Tallahassee Utilities, please visit Talgov.com/YOU.