Quick Buzz Feed
The Tiny Cargo Co. opens new space for clean room manufacturing, and a scratch-built website and app debuts, focused on Roanoke-area events.
A panel of Virginia Tech experts, including Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) Research Director Eric Burger, integrated security professor Wade Baker, CCI Executive Director Luiz DaSilva, and Virginia Tech National Security Institute Associate Director William “Chris” Headley, have provided a comprehensive forecast of major cybersecurity threats for 2026. They collectively highlight how advancements in technology, especially artificial intelligence and prevalent wireless devices, are not only driving innovation but also creating sophisticated avenues for malicious actors. Eric Burger specifically warns of an 'explosion' in illegal robocalls and associated scams, attributing this surge to potentially relaxed regulations and more aggressive, technologically advanced scammers. Wade Baker emphasizes the economic dimension of cyber defense, noting that larger companies with greater financial muscle will inherently be better equipped to identify and address digital vulnerabilities compared to their smaller counterparts. Luiz DaSilva points to the increasing sophistication of AI tools, which hackers are expected to leverage to develop more advanced and effective cyberattacks, blurring the lines between traditional and AI-powered threats. Lastly, William 'Chris' Headley draws attention to a critical yet often overlooked aspect of wireless security: electronic emanations. He explains that everyday devices, such as monitors and keyboards, can unintentionally emit electronic signals that could inadvertently leak secure information. Detecting and neutralizing these 'silent' data leakages is deemed the next crucial frontier in safeguarding digital security. This collective expert analysis paints a picture of a challenging and evolving cybersecurity landscape in the coming year, urging increased vigilance, investment in defense, and adaptive strategies to counteract diverse and increasingly complex digital threats.
The Tiny Cargo Co., a groundbreaking biotech enterprise spun off from the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, is preparing for the grand opening of its new clean room manufacturing facility in Roanoke. This event, scheduled for Thursday, signifies a pivotal achievement for the company and a substantial boost for the Roanoke region's aspirations in advanced life sciences, research commercialization, and high-tech manufacturing. The newly established plant encompasses 7,000 square feet of renovated space located on Fugate Road Northeast, featuring critical clean room environments, office spaces, and dedicated areas for storage and shipping. The 2,000-square-foot clean room is designed to provide an impeccably controlled, contamination-free setting essential for sensitive biological work. Co-founder Spencer Marsh has indicated potential plans for adding a second clean room in the future to expand capacity. A key operational detail is the company's collaboration with Franklin County’s Homestead Creamery, from which Tiny Cargo will procure up to 250 gallons of unpasteurized milk weekly. This partnership, which has been ongoing for approximately five years, has now scaled up significantly. Marsh and co-founder Rob Gourdie, along with their team, focus on extracting exosomes from these milk cells. Exosomes are naturally occurring vesicles that cows use to transfer proteins essential for immunity, growth, and other benefits to their calves. The company's innovative research aims to repurpose these exosomes for human therapeutic applications, specifically as delivery vehicles for peptides to develop new cancer and cardiac medicines. This initiative underscores the region's growing role in biomedical innovation and its capacity for high-tech production.
Residents and visitors seeking information on local happenings in the Roanoke Valley now have access to a brand-new, "built-from-scratch" online platform called 'supnoke.com.' This website, also available as a smartphone application, offers free services to both users and event organizers, aiming to be a comprehensive and centralized resource for local event information. Notably, Craig Dennis, a professional software developer and serial entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience, personally crafted the platform over 18 months of dedicated work outside regular hours, emphasizing its unique, non-template-based development (no WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace was used). The platform is user-friendly, allowing individuals to browse events by various categories. Key features include the ability for users to save favorite events, set reminders for upcoming activities, and seamlessly share event details with others. To ensure accuracy and streamline the user experience, all event listings are directly linked to the official venue and ticketing pages. This initiative, co-founded by Dennis and Marissa Lorenz, aims to address the common challenge of fragmented event information in the community, providing a 'single source of truth' that simplifies event discovery and participation. By consolidating diverse local events into one accessible platform, 'supnoke.com' is set to enhance community engagement, support local venues, and promote cultural and recreational activities across the Roanoke Valley, fostering a more connected and informed community.