Category: Africa

• Dr. Santiago Munné, a pioneer in preimplantation genetic diagnosis, presented the new test at the PGDIS Conference
• The novel laboratory test will not only detect genes inherited from parents, but will also reveal new mutations that could lead to ‘de novo’ diseases such as autism

PARIS, April 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dr. Santiago Munné, a pioneer in preimplantation genetic diagnosis, presented the first whole genome sequencing test in embryos before delegates at the 20th Conference of the Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis International Society (PGDIS), held this week in Paris.

In his plenary address attended by over 300 experts, Dr. Munné, an internationally recognized trailblazer in reproductive genetics, presented validation data for GenomeScreen, the test developed by the research team he leads at the biotechnology firm GenEmbryomics.

“We have known since we started working with embryo diagnostics back in 1993 that embryo selection would be key to pregnancy, especially in older patients. Over the last 30 years, our work has been focused on improving genetic embryo selection, though the definitive diagnostic approach—the one that provides the most information and the best outcomes—will doubtless be this one: whole genome sequencing of the embryo using just a few cells obtained from a biopsy. This test will open doors that we never knew existed,” says Munné of the work done at GenEmbryomics.

To understand the genome is to know everything about an embryo before transfer
GenomeScreen is a revolutionary new whole genome sequencing test for IVF embryos that has been described as “the most complete genetic test in IVF” by authorities at the PGDIS forum.

The test provides highly precise information on the genome sequence of the embryo and the genetic parents, offering families key preimplantation insights on embryo health and reproductive prognosis that can inform their decisions. Furthermore, this information will be invaluable to individuals born from IVF, as it will provide input on nutrigenomics or guidance on which medicines are most genetically suited to the patient.

“When we first started our research on embryo sequencing, our goal was to create a powerful, comprehensive tool that could equip fertility physicians with exhaustive data for precision screening,” recalls Dr. Nick Murphy, founder of GenEmbryomics. “Now that we have this tool and use it with 99% reliability, we are aware that this diagnosis not only provides information, but also substantially enhances the success of reproductive medicine,” adds Murphy.

Embryo sequencing will increase IVF success rates

Professor Munné, whose career as a leader in reproductive genetics spans over 20 years, has made enormous contributions to embryo selection and IVF treatment. With this test, he and his team of researchers solidify the role of genetic testing within reproductive medicine, increasing treatment success.

“The findings presented at the conference are the validation data for a test that will change embryo selection as we know it,” according to Munné. “Preimplantation genetic analysis with whole genome sequencing is a giant step forward: among other things, it will tell us which embryo will implant successfully, because we will know beforehand which one is truly healthy—the one that is free of diseases inherited from the parents or de novo illnesses, such as autism,” he concludes.

About GenEmbryomics
Founded by Dr. Nick Murphy in 2019, GenEmbryomics is a cutting-edge biotech company specializing in the genomic analysis of embryos to determine the most viable candidates for IVF implantation. Their work will lead to higher success rates in IVF cycles, thanks to their proprietary algorithms offering more accurate and efficient embryo selection based on each embryo’s whole genome.

For more information
Dulce Iborra Candela
+34 647942875
dulce@laembajadora.es

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8810850

Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., April 17, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global sweetness and flavor innovator, Sweegen announced today the launch of Sweetensify Flavors, its newest flavor tool for food and beverage producers, to create better-for-everyone products. Powered by Sweegen’s novel sweet protein technology that includes brazzein, thaumatin II, and other unique proteins, Sweetensify Flavors improve and modulate sweet flavor, creating a sugar-like experience, thereby pushing the boundaries of healthier product innovation.

“Sweetensify Flavors will change how product developers think about reducing or eliminating sugar in beverages and foods,” said Casey McCormick, vice president of global innovation at Sweegen. “The flavor expression enabled by Sweetensify Flavors optimizes the sensory experience and enables a more sugar-like taste. It is substantially better than any previous technology. We target taste receptors on a biochemistry level that others simply cannot.”

Sweegen’s Sweetensify Flavors debuts brazzein, the company’s highly sought-after sweet protein, as well as thaumatin II. At the time of the Sweetensify announcement, Sweegen’s thaumatin II received the Flavor Extract Manufacturer’s Association (FEMA) GRAS status.

“Our regulatory vision is to open global markets and enable brands to access unique ingredients that will support their food and beverage creativity while delivering on health and wellness,” said Hadi Omrani, senior director of technical and regulatory affairs at Sweegen.

Sweet proteins like brazzein have an affinity for different taste receptors on the tongue, especially the receptor known as T1R3, which is associated with both umami and sweetness perception. Leveraging this unique attribute, Sweetensify Flavors will enable product developers to reduce the amount of sugar they use in products while maintaining the quality of characteristic flavors and sweetness.

Thaumatin II belongs to a family of sweet-tasting proteins called thaumatins. Thaumatin II is a variant of the original thaumatin protein with a similar structure and sweetness profile. Thaumatins are known for their intense sweetness, several times greater than sucrose (table sugar). Brazzein is also several thousand times sweeter than sugar, making it a cost-effective tool for brands on a large scale. Thaumatin II is considered safe for consumption by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The entire collection of Sweetensify Flavors has a wide range of benefits across sweet and savory applications, including enhancing flavor tonalities, blocking bitterness, reducing astringency and sweet linger, eliminating unwanted aftertastes, reducing sugar use, and blocking the burn from alcohol.

“Our product development teams are finding incredible synergies between Sweetensify Flavors and Sweegen’s state-of-the-art stevia systems,” said McCormick. “Ultimately, our solutions challenge the taste and cost of artificial sweeteners currently on the market.” McCormick further states, “Our customers are excited about the cross-application utility of the flavor collection enabled by the great pH and heat stability we see for these flavors along with high solubility.”

Sweegen’s Sweetensify Flavors are available for use in countries that allow flavors approved by the FEMA GRAS protocol. The company plans to expand its global availability rapidly.

To scale brazzein and thaumatin II sustainably, Sweegen uses a proprietary precision fermentation process, a technology that produces clean and sustainable ingredients. This allows for cost-effective commercial production of highly-sought after ingredients in global sugar reduction solutions. Sweegen’s innovation and strategic partner, Conagen, developed brazzein and thaumatins I and II with its proprietary protein and peptide production platforms and announced the development of the sweet proteins in 2021.

“We are the only company that has successfully scaled brazzein,” said Luca Giannone, senior vice president of global sales at Sweegen. “The launch of Sweetensify Flavors is one more example of how Sweegen brings to market the industry’s very best ingredient platforms and tools for enabling sugar reduction for health and wellness. This is our mission and our promise to our customers.”

Within one year of Sweegen announcing its ability to commercialize brazzein, it has received great interest in its proprietary sweet protein-based solutions. It has collaborated with several large food and beverage companies on sensory reformulations and new product developments.

“We look forward to the sensory results and feedback from our customers in anticipation of brazzein joining thaumatin II’s FEMA GRAS status,” said Giannone. “Sweegen is forging a path for better health and wellness in food and beverages with stellar ingredients. We are preserving Sweegen’s ability to continue perfecting these unique solutions with patents issued or pending worldwide.”

About Sweegen

Sweegen provides sweet-taste solutions for food and beverage manufacturers around the world.

We are on a mission to reduce sugar and artificial sweeteners in the global diet. Partnering with customers, we create delicious zero-sugar products that consumers love. With the best modern sweeteners in our portfolio, such as Bestevia® Rebs B, D, E, I, M, and N, and sweet proteins brazzein and thaumatin, along with our deep knowledge of flavor modulators and texturants, Sweegen delivers market-leading solutions that customers want, and consumers prefer. Well. Into the Future.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1996. Sweegen’s actual results may differ from the estimates, assumptions, and other illustrative material contained herein, and consequently, a reader should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, illustrative information regarding Sweegen’s bottom-up assumed market potential, assumed hit rate, and the resulting revenue based on these model inputs. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results.

Industry, Market, and Other Data

In this press release, we rely on and refer to information and statistics regarding market participants in the sectors in which Sweegen competes and other data. We obtained this information and statistics from our own internal estimates and third-party sources, including reports by market research firms and company filings. We do not expressly refer to these sources. All of this information involves a number of assumptions and limitations, and the sources of such information cannot guarantee accuracy or completeness of such information. The industry in which Sweegen operates is subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of important factors, any of which could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the estimates made by Sweegen or third parties.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, among other statements, statements regarding the future prospects for Reb M stevia leaf sweetener, brazzein, and thaumatin. These statements are based on current expectations but are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and beyond Sweegen’s control.

Relevant risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements and, therefore, should be carefully considered. Sweegen assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events or developments.

Attachments

• Sweetensify, the newest flavor tool for food and beverage producers.
• Sweegen’s Sweetensify Flavors feature sweet protein brazzein.

Ana Arakelian, Head of Public Relations and Communications
Sweegen
+1.949.709.0583
ana.arakelian@sweegen.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8809463

Deal strengthens ZeroFox’s External Cybersecurity Platform with industry-leading attack surface management (EASM) and threat intelligence capabilities

WASHINGTON, April 17, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, ZeroFox (Nasdaq: ZFOX), an enterprise software-as-a-service leader in external cybersecurity announced a definitive agreement to acquire LookingGlass Cyber Solutions, Inc., a leader in external attack surface management and global threat intelligence. In today’s digital-first world, the rapidly expanding external attack surface has become a veritable playground for cybercriminals and nation-state actors alike, posing an ever-growing threat to enterprise and public sector organizations worldwide. Integrating LookingGlass’s industry-leading attack surface and threat intelligence capabilities into the ZeroFox External Cybersecurity Platform will enable our customers to build a robust security posture by providing world-class visibility into external attack surface assets and vulnerabilities, including improved actionable intelligence to disrupt emergent threats.

As organizations embrace digital transformation, the same externally-available digital platforms these organizations use to do business are equally available to malicious actors, creating new opportunities for exploitation. This escalating threat landscape underscores the urgent need for organizations to adopt comprehensive security strategies emphasizing proactive monitoring, continuous assessment, and remediation of their public attack surface vulnerabilities to defend against the mounting challenges of persistent cyber adversaries.

“The acquisition of LookingGlass is a natural extension of our strategy to provide our customers with a single end-to-end platform for protecting their external attack surface from increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks,” said James C. Foster, Chairman and CEO of ZeroFox. “We are bringing together passionate teams that have been partners for years, and proven world-class capabilities across attack surface management, digital risk protection, threat intelligence and breach response to continue our leadership in external cybersecurity.”

With one of the most comprehensive internet-facing attack surface intelligence data lakes, LookingGlass empowers public sector organizations, large enterprises, and industry security alliances at scale by providing extensive discovery, intelligence and cyber defense capabilities. These unique capabilities allow organizations to identify and assess threats in support of remediation strategies against the most sophisticated cyberattacks. The combination of intelligence and action enables some of the world’s largest organizations to inform their security teams about cyber risks ahead of full-fledged attacks.

“The mission at LookingGlass is to protect our customers by providing unmatched attack surface intelligence for global threat visibility and cyberattack disruption,” said Bryan Ware, CEO of LookingGlass. “Joining ZeroFox allows us to expand the capabilities we provide security teams to defend against cybercriminals and nation-state actors.” Ware, a cybersecurity industry veteran, former Assistant Director of CISA at the Department of Homeland Security, the Nation’s cyber defense operations lead, will join the ZeroFox executive team as part of the transaction.

Transaction Details

Under the terms of the agreement, ZeroFox will acquire LookingGlass for approximately $26 million, primarily in stock (9.4 million shares), combined with convertible debt and cash, subject to purchase price adjustments and performance earnouts. The acquisition is expected to close within the next 30 days. ZeroFox will provide additional guidance during the Q1 FY24 earnings call.

Stifel Financial Corp. served as exclusive financial advisor to ZeroFox on the transaction.

Investor Conference Call Information

ZeroFox will host a conference call to discuss the acquisition today April 17, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. To access this call via webcast, please use this link: ZeroFox Business Update. The live webcast and a webcast replay of the conference call can be accessed from the investor relations page of ZeroFox’s website at https://ir.zerofox.com.

Learn More

To learn more about ZeroFox solutions, visit our website. Bookmark the ZeroFox Blog to keep up with our expert coverage on the latest in External Cybersecurity.

About ZeroFox

ZeroFox (Nasdaq: ZFOX), an enterprise software-as-a-service leader in external cybersecurity, has redefined security outside the corporate perimeter on the internet, where businesses operate, and threat actors thrive. The ZeroFox platform combines advanced AI analytics, digital risk and privacy protection, full-spectrum threat intelligence, and a robust portfolio of breach, incident and takedown response capabilities to expose and disrupt phishing and fraud campaigns, botnet exposures, credential theft, impersonations, data breaches, and physical threats that target your brands, domains, people, and assets. Join thousands of customers, including some of the largest public sector organizations as well as finance, media, technology and retail companies to stay ahead of adversaries and address the entire lifecycle of external cyber risks. ZeroFox and the ZeroFox logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of ZeroFox, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Visit www.zerofox.com for more information.

About LookingGlass Cyber Solutions, Inc.

LookingGlass is the global cybersecurity leader enabling national, industrial, and enterprise-scale decisions with unparalleled, curated intelligence on critical assets, risks, and sectors. For more than a decade, the most advanced organizations in the world have trusted LookingGlass to help them protect their economic and national security interests. Find out how we can help your organization at https://lookingglasscyber.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are “forward-looking statements” under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that we expect, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future, including statements related to benefits from the transaction, including expected from revenues and accretiveness of the transaction, and the ability of ZeroFox to achieve its objectives and plans with the acquisition of LookingGlass are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements. The inclusion of any statement in this press release does not constitute an admission by ZeroFox or any other person that the events or circumstances described in such statement are material. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: our ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the transaction; the ability of ZeroFox and LookingGlass to consummate the transaction as expected; defects, errors, or vulnerabilities in the ZeroFox platform, the failure of the ZeroFox platform to block malware or prevent a security breach, misuse of the ZeroFox platform, or risks of product liability claims that would harm our reputation and adversely impact our business, operating results, and financial condition; if our enterprise platform offerings do not interoperate with our customers’ network and security infrastructure, or with third-party products, websites or services, our results of operations may be harmed; we may not timely and cost-effectively scale and adapt our existing technology to meet our customers’ performance and other requirements; our ability to introduce new products and solutions and features is dependent on adequate research and development resources and our ability to successfully complete acquisitions; our success depends, in part, on the integrity and scalability of our systems and infrastructure; we rely on third-party cloud providers to host and operate our platform, and any disruption of or interference with our use of these offerings may negatively affect our ability to maintain the performance and reliability of our platform which could cause our business to suffer; we rely on software and services from other parties; we have a history of losses, and we may not be able to achieve or sustain profitability in the future; if organizations do not adopt cloud, and/or SaaS-delivered external cybersecurity solutions that may be based on new and untested security concepts, our ability to grow our business and our results of operations may be adversely affected; we have experienced rapid growth in recent periods, and if we do not manage our future growth, our business and results of operations will be adversely affected; we face intense competition and could lose market share to our competitors, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations; competitive pricing pressure may reduce revenue, gross profits, and adversely affect our financial results; adverse general and industry-specific economic and market conditions and reductions in customer spending, in either the private or public sector, including as a result of inflation and geopolitical uncertainty such as the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, may reduce demand for our platform or products and solutions, which could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations; the COVID-19 pandemic could adversely affect our business, operating results, and financial condition; if we fail to adapt to rapid technological change, evolving industry standards and changing customer needs, requirements or preferences, our ability to remain competitive could be impaired; one U.S. government customer accounts for a substantial portion of our revenues; and we rely heavily on the services of our senior management team.

Additional information concerning these, and other risks, is described under the “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of ZeroFox”, and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of IDX” sections of our final prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 on April 12, 2023, in connection with our registration statement on Form S-1 and in subsequent reports that we file with the SEC. We expressly disclaim any obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law.

ZeroFox Contacts:

Media Inquiries
Malory Van Guilder
zerofox@skyya.com

Investor Relations
Marc P. Griffin, ICR
investor@zerofox.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8808801

The employee communication and engagement platform will give Zoom customers new ways to keep employees informed, engaged, and connected in today’s hybrid work model

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Behind work are workers. Real everyday people. People who work to live, not live to work. People who need a sense of belonging. It’s a simple concept that often gets forgotten as priorities and demands take over the workday.

With workforces looking much different than they did just a few years ago, leaders need to think differently to retain talent and maintain company culture. Today’s workforce is hybrid and distributed – with people working from home, in an office, at a remote location, on the frontlines of a retail floor or warehouse, as a pilot or flight attendant in an airplane, a nurse in a healthcare clinic, or anything in between. In fact, 70% of US employees are frontline workers. They are people who want to feel connected to their colleagues and leaders – no matter where they work. Engaging employees and driving culture through connection is no longer a ‘nice to have’ – it’s imperative for success in today’s business environment.

Zoom is excited to announce the acquisition of Workvivo to extend Zoom’s platform and offer its customers new ways to keep employees informed, engaged, and connected.

Founded in 2017, Workvivo provides a modern, feature-rich employee experience platform, combining advanced internal communication and engagement tools, a social intranet, and an employee app, all blended into one central hub, forming the heart of a company’s digital ecosystem. Workvivo’s best-in-class offering has seen triple-digit growth in the last three years and is used and trusted by hundreds of customers worldwide, from SMBs to some of the world’s most well-known brands, including Liberty Mutual, Lululemon, Ryanair, Madison Square Garden, and Wynn Resorts.

“We are excited to welcome the Workvivo team to Zoom. The power of Workvivo employee experience platform, with its robust communications and engagement offering combined with Zoom’s all-in-one collaboration platform, allows organizations to fully unlock the potential of their employees and evolve their company culture in a hybrid world,” said Kelly Steckelberg, chief financial officer at Zoom. “Workvivo has set the standard for employee communications, helping businesses reach and engage millions of employees worldwide. Workvivo prioritizes ease-of-use and simplicity of design, offering the best user experience which is a perfect match to Zoom’s DNA.”

“Zoom’s rapid pace of innovation and the persistent dedication to building products with a human-first mindset is why we are most excited about joining the team,” said John Goulding, CEO and co-founder at Workvivo. “Our platform replaces outdated, clunky, internal communications tools with a vibrant, familiar social experience, and has a proven history of unparalleled levels of adoption. With Zoom, we can build great things together, make teamwork more meaningful, and extend collaboration beyond knowledge workers, allowing us to reach employees who have historically felt disconnected from the company.”

Workvivo UI

With this acquisition, Zoom continues its evolution to provide the best end-to-end collaboration platform focused on enabling modern work and powering the digital-first workplace.

Following the close of the transaction, Zoom plans to incorporate Workvivo’s capabilities into its platform to deliver a best-in-class, employee experience. Workvivo’s founders John Goulding and Joe Lennon, and the entire Workvivo team, will be instrumental in driving employee experience innovation strategy.

The transaction is expected to close in Q1 FY2024. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Zoom
Zoom is an all-in-one intelligent collaboration platform that makes connecting easier, more immersive, and more dynamic for businesses and individuals. Zoom technology puts people at the center, enabling meaningful connections, facilitating modern collaboration, and driving human innovation through solutions like team chat, phone, meetings, omnichannel cloud contact center, smart recordings, whiteboard, and more, in one offering. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Get more info at zoom.com.

About Workvivo
Workvivo is an employee experience platform designed to inform, engage and connect employees everywhere. Workvivo works with organizations globally across multiple industries, including Bupa, TELUS International and Everton FC. Read more at www.workvivo.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking information related to Zoom and Workvivo and the acquisition of Workvivo by Zoom that involves substantial risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Forward-looking statements in this communication include, among other things, statements regarding the potential benefits of the proposed transaction for Zoom, Workvivo and their respective customers, Zoom’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions with respect to the proposed transaction, Zoom’s ability to offer the best end-to-end collaboration platform, the financial condition, results of operations and business of Zoom, and the anticipated closing of the proposed transaction. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “project,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “can,” “predict,” “potential,” “target,” “explore,” “continue,” or the negative of these terms, and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. By their nature, these statements are subject to numerous uncertainties and risks, including factors beyond our control, that could cause actual results, performance or achievement to differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the statements, including: risks related to the ability of Zoom to consummate the proposed transaction on a timely basis or at all, Zoom’s ability to successfully integrate Workvivo’s operations and personnel, Zoom’s ability to implement its plan, forecasts and other expectations with respect to Workvivo’s business after the completion of the transaction, the ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction, and continued uncertainty regarding the extent and duration of the impact of COVID-19 and the responses of government and private industry thereto, including the potential effect on Zoom’s user growth rate as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic tapers. Additional risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements described under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere are in Zoom’s most recent filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2023. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made and are based on information available to Zoom at the time those statements are made and/or management’s good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events. Zoom assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, except as required by law.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ed1d522c-0c14-4cdf-9ace-60dedc4803fe

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c5bf41ea-2326-4305-a9a5-df5fa9bc89d5

Zoom Public Relations
Candace Dean
press@zoom.us

Solvvy Public Relations
Eleanor O’Mahony
eleanor.omahony@workvivo.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8808322

Houston, Texas, April 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — You may have heard the motto, “Those who dare to teach must never cease to learn.” This principle strongly applies to two Houston-area educators who, through Centro Semillero at University of St. Thomas-Houston (UST), have confirmed their callings as teachers and fortified their faith. Moreover, they are applying the academic program’s four pillars — kindness, discipline, knowledge, and community — to everything they do.

Angel de Jesus Garcia, Current Master’s Student

One of them is Angel de Jesus Garcia, a college advisor at Houston Independent School District and currently enrolled in Centro Semillero’s Master of Sacred Scriptures Program.

“When my friends told me that St. Thomas was about to launch a master’s degree program in Spanish, I went to orientation and decided to give it try,” Garcia said. “That’s how I became part of the first generation of Spanish-speaking theology students, and I thank God for that decision.”

Garcia made this decision because it perfectly supported both his profession as an educator and his after-work role as a leader at his parish’s youth ministry where he attends pastoral meetings, plans retreats, and creates Christian formation programs.

About Centro Semillero

Centro Semillero was created in 2019 as a graduate studies program in pastoral and biblical studies theology at the UST School of Humanities. Offered online and 100% in Spanish, Centro Semillero offers two postgraduate programs: a Master’s in Pastoral Theology and a Master’s in Sacred Scriptures.

“Centro Semillero,” according to its director Father Dempsey Rosales Acosta, “is inspired by the book of Proverbs 2:2-3 when fulfilling the invitation to incline our hearts to the understanding and study of God to grow in his love. Our center offers the opportunity to fulfill this goal of personal and professional growth by obtaining a postgraduate degree in pastoral or biblical studies at UST from the comfort of your home with our 100% online programs.”

Iris Lai Nayas, MAPT ‘21

For Iris Lai Nayas, a 9th-grade Spanish teacher at Pasadena Independent School District, and a graduate of the Pastoral Theology program in 2021, the concepts she learned have opened a door for dialogue with colleagues from other religions.

Nayas said, “The program has helped me find pastoral strategies for interacting with my colleagues, who are not necessarily Catholic. The strategies enable me to dialogue with all of my colleagues and live experiences of faith without losing the essence of mine.”

Most importantly, the program has made her realize that through her interactions with her students and peers, she can be a testament to God’s presence.

“Today, schools they have taken God out of the classroom but thanks to this program, I understand that God has never been outside, and it is up to me to present him, through values, justice, love, prudence, prayer, and faith,” adds Nayas.

Thanks to her graduate degree, Nayas is also a facilitator in the Small Communities of Salt and Light of Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers.

How to Enroll

Centro Semillero has open enrollment for new students. To learn more about Centro Semillero click here.

Attachments

• Angel de Jesus Garcia
• Iris Lai Nayas, MAPT ’21

Sandra Soliz
University of St. Thomas - Houston
713-906-7912
solizs@stthom.edu

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8807777