GSK’s vaccine, Arexvy, is based in part on structural biology work conducted more than a decade ago at the Advanced Photon Source, located in DuPage County at Argonne National Laboratory.

Press Release from Argonne National Laboratory

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a highly contagious disease that affects millions of people each year around the world, resulting in an estimated 160,000 deaths. In the United States, severe RSV causes 6,000 to 10,000 deaths among people 65 years of age or older.

On May 3, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Arexvy, an RSV vaccine developed by pharmaceutical company GSK plc, formerly GlaxoSmithKline plc. It is the first RSV vaccine to be approved in the United States, and according to GSK’s press release, the first for older adults to be approved anywhere in the world. This is a crucial step toward improving preventative care for this deadly disease.

Although Arexvy has recently been approved, its origins date back more than a decade. GSK’s vaccine is based in part on data collected at the Advanced Photon Source (APS), a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facility at DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory, starting in 2009. Those data were collected by Jason McLellan, now a professor at the University of Texas at Austin; Peter Kwong, chief of the structural biology section at the National Institutes of Health (NIH); and Barney Graham, who retired from NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in 2021. (Graham is now the senior advisor for global health equity at Morehouse School of Medicine.)

McLellan was a postdoctoral researcher in Kwong’s lab at NIH from 2008 to 2013. The key to the RSV vaccine he, Kwong and Graham developed was a stronger understanding of the F protein, which sticks out from the surface of the virus and makes first contact with human cells, infecting them. The protein has two conformations: prefusion, a smaller form that first makes contact with cells, and postfusion, an extended form that the protein adopts once it has finished helping the virus into those cells.

Since infection depends on the F protein achieving its postfusion mode, McLellan, Kwong and Graham focused their efforts on stabilizing the protein in its prefusion form. This would provide a target for the immune system, helping it develop neutralizing antibodies against the virus. The researchers created more than 100 different variants of the F protein before they achieved success, and parts of that work were performed at the Southeast Regional Collaborative Access Team (SER-CAT) beamline at the APS, operated by the University of Georgia.

“The structures we determined at the APS played an important role in the development of this vaccine,” McLellan said. ​“The availability of light source facilities such as the APS meant that we could try multiple variants until we hit on the most stabilized antigen.”

In May 2013, McLellan, Kwong, Graham and their colleagues reported success, publishing their work in Science. In November 2013, they reported a vaccine candidate for RSV that was based on a prefusion-stabilized form of the F protein. When injected into animals, that vaccine candidate elicited exceptionally high levels of neutralizing antibodies. That paper was also published in Science, and included structural work performed at SER-CAT.

“SER-CAT is honored to have played a small but important part in building the groundwork for this momentous lifesaving vaccine,” said B.C. Wang, SER-CAT director. ​“This work illustrates the importance of making state-of-the-art resources such as SER-CAT available to the nation’s scientists.”

Since then, various permutations of that vaccine have undergone clinical trials. Arexvy is based in part on the vaccine candidate developed by McLellan, Kwong, Graham and their fellow researchers.

In its main clinical trial, Arexvy was administered to approximately 12,500 patients age 60 or older. The vaccine was shown to reduce the risk of developing lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD), a common RSV-related illness, by 82.6 percent, and severe LRTD by 94.1 percent.

 ​“I’m very pleased to see our hard work pay off with an approved vaccine for RSV,” McLellan said. ​“Vaccine development and approval takes time, but knowing that our research will result in lives saved and severe illnesses avoided is immensely gratifying.”

Since 2013, McLellan and Graham have turned their attention to coronaviruses, applying the same technique they developed for RSV to the infamous spike protein found on coronaviruses. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, they joined with other colleagues to apply their method to inhibit the spread of the disease. They discovered that the same principle applied to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and the mutations they developed were incorporated into both Pfizer’s and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines.

“The COVID-19 vaccines were developed and approved quickly, but it was this structural biology work by McLellan and his colleagues on other viruses, such as RSV, over more than a decade that helped make them so effective,” said Bob Fischetti, Argonne group leader and life sciences advisor to the APS director. ​“It’s great to see the work come full circle and result in an approved RSV vaccine. It underlines the continuing public health benefits of basic research occurring at the APS and other light sources worldwide.”   

About the Advanced Photon Source

The U. S. Department of Energy Office of Science’s Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory is one of the world’s most productive X-ray light source facilities. The APS provides high-brightness X-ray beams to a diverse community of researchers in materials science, chemistry, condensed matter physics, the life and environmental sciences, and applied research. These X-rays are ideally suited for explorations of materials and biological structures; elemental distribution; chemical, magnetic, electronic states; and a wide range of technologically important engineering systems from batteries to fuel injector sprays, all of which are the foundations of our nation’s economic, technological, and physical well-being. Each year, more than 5,000 researchers use the APS to produce over 2,000 publications detailing impactful discoveries, and solve more vital biological protein structures than users of any other X-ray light source research facility. APS scientists and engineers innovate technology that is at the heart of advancing accelerator and light-source operations. This includes the insertion devices that produce extreme-brightness X-rays prized by researchers, lenses that focus the X-rays down to a few nanometers, instrumentation that maximizes the way the X-rays interact with samples being studied, and software that gathers and manages the massive quantity of data resulting from discovery research at the APS.

This research used resources of the Advanced Photon Source, a U.S. DOE Office of Science User Facility operated for the DOE Office of Science by Argonne National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357.

Argonne National Laboratory seeks solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology. The nation’s first national laboratory, Argonne conducts leading-edge basic and applied scientific research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne researchers work closely with researchers from hundreds of companies, universities, and federal, state and municipal agencies to help them solve their specific problems, advance America’s scientific leadership and prepare the nation for a better future. With employees from more than 60 nations, Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://​ener​gy​.gov/​s​c​ience.

Mental Health in the Workplace

DuPage County business leaders gathered on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at CBRE in Oak Brook for an important, roundtable discussion about mental health in the workplace. A variety of businesses and organizations throughout DuPage engaged in meaningful conversations about the resources available in DuPage County and what employers can do to help remove stigmas and support workforce. The discussion was led by Lori Carnahan, LCPC, Deputy Director of Behavioral Health at the DuPage County Health Department and Chris Hoff, MPH, Director of Community Health Resources at the DuPage County Health Department.

To open discussion, The Hon. Deborah Conroy, Chair of the DuPage County Board, shared that almost 50 million American adults experienced mental illness in 2019 (before COVID). And 15% of American youth has reported a major depressive episode in the past year.

“The plain fact is that demand is great, especially, among our youth. But I believe that getting the right people on the team, using the resources we have, and those we will pursue, we can make a difference. I know we will change and even save lives,” said Chair Conroy.

24/7 Urgent Crisis Resources

Lori Carnahan, LCPC shared the resources available through the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD), including calling or texting 988 to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Prevention Hotline. DCHD is a local center within the national hotline and can provide support, prevention, and resources 24/7. They also have a mobile response team that can meet someone at their location.

The blue button below can be downloaded for employers to use and should link to DCHD’s 24/7 Urgent Crisis Resources.

Creating Workplace Environments that Support Health & Well-Being

To kick off a discussion about how employers can help support mental health, Chris Hoff, MPH shared an excerpt from the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being.

“When people thrive at work, they are more likely to feel physically and mentally healthy overall, and to contribute positively to their workplace… This creates both a responsibility and unique opportunity for leaders to create workplace environments that support the health and well-being of workers.”

The Five Essentials for Workplace Mental Health & Well Being include:

Protection from Harm

• Prioritize workplace physical and psychological safety
• Enable adequate rest
• Normalize and support mental health
• Operationalize Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility norms, policies, and programs

Connection & Community

• Create cultures of inclusion and belonging
• Cultivate trusted relationships
• Foster collaboration and teamwork

Work-Life Harmony

• Provide more autonomy over how work is done
• Make schedules as flexible and predictable as possible
• Increase access to paid leave
• Respect boundaries between work and non-work time

Mattering at Work

• Provide a living wage
• Engage workers in workplace decisions
• Build a culture of gratitude and recognition
• Connect individual work with organizational mission

Opportunity for Growth

• Offer quality training, education, and mentoring
• Foster clear, equitable pathways for career advancement
• Ensure relevant, reciprocal feedback 

DuPage Employers in Action: Real World Examples

Throughout the discussion leaders from a variety of industries and organizations shared what they are doing to support mental health, remove stigmas, and create healthier workplaces.

Examples include:

• Creating employee recognition programs.
• Designating spaces for meditation and mindfulness.
• Offering outdoor amenities such as gardens, sports and recreation, walking paths, etc.
• Hosting social events that foster a positive culture.
• Bringing pets to work.
• Supporting physical fitness through contributions to gyms and fitness memberships.

Breakfast with the Chair events are hosted by Choose DuPage, with Hon. Deborah Conroy, DuPage County Board Chair. This series of events is an opportunity for local business leaders to connect, learn and discuss important topics effecting DuPage County. Special thanks to CBRE for hosting us in their Oak Brook office.

For more information about the DuPage County Health Department, visit their website.

Calamos Real Estate LLC recently announced it has entered into a lease agreement with Koru Group, PLLC, a development services firm, to relocate its headquarters to CityGate Centre in Naperville. Koru will occupy 7,752 square feet of Class-A office space at 2135 CityGate Ln. The lease will commence on March 1 of this year.

Koru Group was incorporated in Geneva, Illinois in 2022 by merging longstanding firm Craig R Knoche Civil Engineers and Surveyors, owned by Steven Kudwa, with ECA Architects and Planners, owned by Eric Carlson, to create a seamless and holistic design process.

“Coming together as a new entity, we are excited to move to a new space that not only accommodates growth, but also is in an exceptional environment that reflects our brand,” said Kudwa. “Eric and I work diligently to maintain the highest level of quality but it’s our true commitment to serving our clients that sets us apart from other design firms.” 

Koru Group serves clients in more than 15 states specializing in private land development projects by bringing together a robust design team of architects and engineers to create projects that fit their client’s needs.  

“Many of our clients have shared that while they can’t tell the difference between an ‘A’ set of plans or a ‘B’ set of plans, they can certainly tell the difference between ‘A’ level of service and ‘B’ level of service,” said Carlson. “We are committed to providing both at all levels of our organization.”

At CityGate Centre, the best attributes of an urban neighborhood – walkable access to fine dining along with casual fare; green space; a Forbes-rated, AAA Four Diamond hotel; healthcare, spa & fitness facilities; new, luxury apartments; and easy access via the state and interstate highway systems – are together in a pristine, suburban setting. The mixed-use campus provides ample parking, food options, workout facilities and more that tenants are looking for.

Calamos Real Estate LLC, a subsidiary of Calamos Property Holdings LLC, is focused on real estate activities throughout the United States, including acquisitions, development opportunities and joint ventures. The firm’s flagship development, CityGate Centre in Naperville, is a unique mixed-use development offering superior leasing opportunities for corporate and commercial tenants, as well as property management services of the highest caliber.

Shining the Light on the Skilled Trades, PowerForward DuPage Hosts Trade Apprenticeship Expo

PowerForward DuPage recently announced the return of the DuPage County Trade Apprenticeship Expo. The event features interactive, hands-on demonstrations by the county’s building trade organizations as well as opportunities to meet with instructors to learn more about each individual apprenticeship program.

“It’s our opportunity to throw open the doors and invite everyone to come in – residents, students, post-graduates, parents, guidance counselors, teachers – to learn what each trade is about,” said PowerForward DuPage Executive Director Karyn Charvat. The expo, sponsored by the DuPage County Building & Construction Trades Council and Construction Industry Service Corporation, will be held at the IBEW Local 701 Union Hall, home to PowerForward DuPage.

The expo started in 2018 when Charvat noticed a gap forming in the construction trade industries.

“With the baby boomers retiring, they are really leaving quite a gap in the workforce,” she said. “And realizing younger generations don’t necessarily have the interest in the trades that other generations before them once did, we knew there needed to be some external effort, on behalf of all the trades.”

The event is free to attend but requires online registration at PowerForwardDuPage.com.

WHO: DuPage residents, students, post-graduates, parents, guidance counselors, teachers

WHEN: Thursday, November 10^th, 3:30pm – 6:30pm

WHERE: IBEW Local 701 Union Hall 28600 Bella Vista Parkway Warrenville, IL 60555

About PowerForward DuPage

PowerForward DuPage acts as a professional partner for businesses, developers, contractors, individuals and municipalities to further excellence and growth in the electrical contracting industry. Visit powerforwarddupage.com for more information.

 Electric utility ranked among top 1 percent of all American utilities for reliable and clean energy infrastructure 

 ComEd has been recognized again for its leading role in supporting economic growth and job creation across northern Illinois, according to new rankings by Site Selection Magazine, which named ComEd as one of the Top 20 utilities in economic development. Selected from more than 3,300 electric companies across the country, ComEd is among the top 1 percent of all utilities in attracting new businesses, jobs and investments. 

“Companies continue to invest in northern Illinois thanks to the unparalleled access to clean, affordable and reliable power that is essential for meeting the demands of today’s digital economy,” said Gil C. Quinones, CEO of ComEd. “With industry-leading reliability fueled by our investments in grid modernization, ComEd’s service territory is attracting investment from some of the most innovative and exciting industries in the nation. We are committed to continuing the grid investments needed to transition to a clean energy future and power growth of Illinois companies that bring jobs and opportunity into the communities we are proud to serve.” 

This marks the ninth year ComEd has earned the recognition – a testament to the company’s strong record in delivering clean, reliable and affordable power for 9 million people and businesses in the region, including some of the world’s largest companies. Last year alone, ComEd helped launch 16 new commercial projects – with commitments to invest $3 billion locally and create 4,700 new jobs. 

 “Just as utilities’ generation and distribution portfolios turn toward renewables and smart technologies, the economic developers at Top Utilities like ComEd are helping their communities pursue sustainable growth by cultivating the flow of smart capital and talent,” said Adam Bruns, managing editor of Site Selection. 

The magazine attributes ComEd’s investments to enhance grid infrastructure and promote reliable, clean energy service as key factors that are driving jobs and new business to Illinois. This includes: 

Reliability

ComEd has a key role to play in powering business, as it continues to make the investments necessary to enhance resiliency in the face of climate change, improve safety, and achieve new technology needs in an increasingly clean energy economy. These investments are paying off: ComEd’s overall reliability has improved 79 percent since investments began in 2011, avoiding more than 18.6 million customer interruptions and producing more than $3 billion in savings, including avoided business losses. ComEd’s industry-leading reliability performance continues in 2022, with the company providing its highest reliability on record for the first half of the year, and record storm restoration time amid an uptick in severe storms. 

Clean Energy Access

In support of Illinois’ goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2050, ComEd is working closely with a growing developer community to increase access to clean and affordable solar energy in the residential and commercial and industrial (C&I) sectors. Since the community solar program launched, subscribers have grown substantially – from 700 in 2016 to nearly 30,000 residential customers today. 

ComEd offers C&I customers a Distributed Generation (DG) Rebate of $250 per kilowatt of installed solar energy, which helps offset the out-of-pocket costs of installing a qualified renewable energy generating system. In the past four years, ComEd has provided close to $94 million in DG rebates to expand solar projects in northern Illinois. 

EV Expansion

ComEd has also proposed a Beneficial Electrification (BE) plan which commits $300 million over the next three years to help remove barriers to beneficial technologies, including electric vehicles (EVs). A mix of rebates and programs will help communities and customers advance toward clean transportation goals as outlined by the State of Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) law, which seeks to put 1 million vehicles on the road by 2030. The plan also includes technical assistance for businesses with customized fleet assessments, and a new rate delivery class that would help large business customers offset the upfront costs of installing EV charging infrastructure at scale. 

Affordability

ComEd continues to expand programs that help customers save on energy, while keeping monthly bills among the lowest in the nation. ComEd customer bills today are in line with the past several years, and next year’s average bills are expected to remain below those of the 10 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. Recently, ComEd’s energy efficiency program hit a critical milestone, saving northern Illinois communities a total of over $7 billion on their electric bills – including nearly $3 billion in savings for businesses – since 2008. 

Workforce Development

To prepare communities for a clean energy future, ComEd is expanding workforce training programs that prepare more diverse, local workers with clean technology skills. Last year, more than 1,700 local residents participated in job training programs sponsored by ComEd, including programs to prepare residents for overhead electrical, construction and solar careers. These programs have a strong job placement rate, with close to 75 percent or more hired upon completion. 

“Access to reliable, affordable, and increasingly sustainable energy is key to companies making location decisions,” said Intersect Illinois CEO Dan Seals. “We’re pleased to see ComEd recognized for its commitment to economic development in Illinois.” 

“We congratulate ComEd on news that it is recognized as a national leader in economic development by Site Selection Magazine,” said Michael Fassnacht, President & CEO, World Business Chicago, Chief Marketing Officer, City of Chicago. “This recognition is well deserved and testament to ComEd’s long-term commitment to the Chicagoland region, strong performance and innovative energy efficiency programs, all of which are vital to helping local businesses thrive.” 

“ComEd’s track record on reliability, resiliency and affordability has been vital to the growth of our region, and will play a key role in driving economic investment and jobs here for many years to come,” said Will County Center for Economic Development CEO, Doug Pryor. “Businesses know that ComEd provides industry-leading reliability, low and stable pricing, business-focused energy efficiency programs and renewable energy solutions that are critical to businesses aiming for long term sustainability. This provides businesses confidence knowing that when they choose Will County and northern Illinois, they’ll remain competitive in an ever-changing climate.” 

ComEd’s year over year investments in grid modernization continue to drive new business to the area. This includes strong growth by sectors like data centers, logistics and manufacturing, all of which depend on a high volume of clean energy to power local operations and customers served around the world. 

To read the 2022 Top Utilities Ranking story by Site Selection magazine, click here. 

Choose DuPage is pleased to announce Crown Castle has joined the Choose DuPage board of directors. Crown Castle, located in Downers Grove, designs and builds solutions for their clients’ unique connectivity needs. They own, operate and lease more than 40,000 cell towers and approximately 85,000 thousand miles of fiber supporting small cells and fiber solutions across every major U.S. Market.

“Joining the board of Choose DuPage is a commitment to advancing our region,” said Greg Bedalov, president and CEO of Choose DuPage. “We are excited to work with Crown Castle and our other private and public-sector leaders to promote DuPage as a premier global business location and support our local business climate.”

“We are thrilled to be joining Choose DuPage and their mission to make DuPage County a premier location for those who both work in and call the area home,” said Crown Castle Public Affairs Manager Renee Morales. “Our infrastructure connects communities to essential data, technology, and wireless service – bringing information, ideas and innovations to the people and businesses that need them. As new technologies continue to advance, we look forward to bringing connectivity to the region, ensuring DuPage County remains a strategic location for businesses to thrive.”   

Click here to view a full list of board members.