MD Anderson teams with Eisbach on precision oncology and with Yingli on a five-year translational research effort. Moffitt inks tie-ups with Dyve and Turnstone.

Whether the astonishing missteps by Sequenom, which earlier this year disclosed it could not support its data for a non-invasive Down Syndrome test, were merely poor management or a reality check for the field of non-invasive prenatal disgnostics, the NIPD opportunity is compelling. But the profession also understandably balks at obtaining information that is not then clinically actionable -- an issue that could further amplify in importance as technologies like microarrays and direct DNA sequencing increase become more prevalent.

Our monthly update on technology transfer deals--licensing agreements between companies and universities or other research institutions--in the fields of life sciences, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, in vitro diagnostics and research/analytical instrumentation and reagents.

There's been a buzz around Sequenom's prenatal diagnostic technology and the anticipated launch next year of a blood based test for Down's syndrome. Although success is far from assured, the development of that assay has done much to resurrect the company's prospects.