DNASU Media Relations Plan

PR Team - Khanh, Lauren & Peyton

Overview
DNASU Plasmid Repository is a non-profit organization funded by the National Institutes of Health that
houses, grows and deposits over 400,000 plasmid samples. Through DNASU’s sustainable methods, the
Repository has become a global resource to help expedite efforts toward advancements in the scientific
community. The Cronkite Agency Public Relations team aims to increase DNASU’s presence in
traditional and social media as well as cultivate a strategic communication strategy.

Goals and Objectives

To achieve our overarching goal, the DNASU Cronkite Agency Team made a list of objectives with
strategies and tactics to complete them. Our first goal is to increase the amount of media mentions by
33.33% by December 1, 2023. The team will utilize a media outreach strategy to achieve this goal by
pitching stories to local and scientific media, drafting press releases about DNASU and their work and
compiling a comprehensive media list. These tactics will attract attention to DNASU and how they are
involved in the community locally and nationally. Some advancements made by DNASU we hope to
highlight include their Valley Fever diagnostic testing and involvement in COVID-19 testing with ASU.

Our second goal to increase brand awareness is to publish six blog posts by December 1, 2023. To
accomplish this, the group will work with the Digital Audiences team to establish a blog platform within
the website. To create a successful blog, the team will identify industry leaders and partners as well as
interview researchers to develop blog content. The goal of the blog is to drive more traffic to the website
and increase awareness of the company to an audience that is not heavily involved in the scientific
community. The blog will allow for more people to understand what DNASU does and the global impact
it has on scientific advancement. Some blog post content includes plasmid 101, the creation of plasmids
and

Our last goal is to have two event campaigns to increase community involvement and awareness of
projects conducted by DNASU. Our first goal is to host a virtual webinar with a panel discussing
plasmids and use for research by December 1, 2023. To do this strategically, the team will identify events,
topics and hosts for the panel to discuss. To gain attraction, the team will pitch the event to professors,
students and pre-med clubs. The purpose of this is to bring attention to DNASU while involving other
members of the community. The second project is to launch the Human ORFeome V 4 Campaign by
December 1, 2023. The team will strategically create a multimedia campaign pitched to our media list
that includes a press release and a video style interview. This will increase overall brand awareness and
create anticipation between customers and DNASU.

Approach
Our media relations approach will focus on building the reputation of DNASU as a trusted expert. We
will pitch stories about the team’s work, its impact on research developments within the scientific
community, and its impact on public health. We will target local and national media outlets depending on
the geographical scope of each pitch. For example, the Valley Fever press release will be sent to local
reporters since the disease is more prominent in the Southwest, especially Arizona. However, news about
the Human Orfeum V4 plasmid collection would be targeted to national scientific newspapers and
magazines. For the Valley Fever story, we will send the pitches in time for Arizona’s Valley Fever
Awareness Week.

Media Targets and Potential Reporters

The story topics in this media plan include Valley Fever and Covid-19. We plan to angle the valley fever
topic on how a valley fever diagnostic test will improve the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment of the
disease. We will target scientific and medical news and magazine outlets, with some examples including
Outsourced Pharma, News Medical, Medical Xpress, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News, and
Cell and Gene. Because medical outlets bring in more scientific jargon, we plan to pitch the aspect that
DNASU holds all coronavirus variants, which makes the ability of diagnostic testing more accurate as
variants and mutations continue to develop. Additionally, we can note how this availability affected
ASU’s creation of the saliva test, the research conducted, and how it will affect the future of epidemic and
infectious disease research. When pitching to local and regional reporters, news outlets will change the
angle from medical to bring in a local appeal. When pitching the story regarding Valley Fever, we will
approach medical and scientific outlets with how DNASU developed the new test and how it will affect
the potential of developing a vaccine. When pitching the Valley Fever story to local organizations, we
will angle the story with a local tie by emphasizing the impact of Valley Fever and the lack of a better,
more accurate test.

Additionally, we will pitch before Valley Fever Awareness Week to bring in an additional newsworthy
element to the pitch. We will also target a larger region of Arizona by positioning this story differently to
include the collaboration of DNASU with an organization in Tucson working on a Valley Fever Vaccine
for dogs. When pitching the local media about COVID-19, we will emphasize the importance of
DNASU’s work in developing the ASU test and as variants arise. We will also integrate the fact ASU’s
testing is still available to students, faculty members, and their dependents. Additionally, we will explain
the impact of developing a test so quickly, how it helped the community recover faster, and the
importance of the various COVID-19 variations as new ones develop and life returns to “normal.”

Reporter Reporter Title Media Outlet Beat

Louis Garguilo Chief Editor Outsourced Pharma Health and Science, Gene
Therapy and
Pharmaceutical Industry

Danielle Ellis Editor News Medical Science and Technology

Delthia Ricks Contributing Writer Medical Xpress Health, Science and U.S.

John Sterling Editor in Chief Genetic Engineering and Health, Science and
Biotechnology News Technology

Erin Harris Editor in Chief Cell and Gene Health and Science

Colleen Sikora Reporter KPNX-TV Phoenix Metro Area

 Lindsey Riggs Anchor and Reporter KUTP-TV Metro Phoenix

Nohelani Graf Anchor and Reporter KNXV-TV Metro Phoenix and Health

Serena O’Sullivan Staff Writer Phoenix News Times Metro Phoenix

Alexis Dominguez Reporter KTVK-TV Metro Phoenix and U.S.

Regional

Nicholas Gerbis Senior Field Correspondent KJZZ-FM Phoenix, Science and U.S.
for Science and Innovation

Media Pitch

Subject: Pitch: New Valley Fever Diagnostic Test in Development at DNASU

Hi Nohelani Graf,

We noticed that you've written about topics concerning Phoenix and Arizona residents, including Valley
Fever such as your article on a team working on a new preventative canine vaccine for Valley Fever and a
broadcast with ABC 15 Health Insider Dr. Shad Marvasti discussing the symptoms and how to
differentiate it from other illnesses. I thought you'd be interested in the work the DNASU Plasmid
Repository at Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute is doing to create a new, more accurate
Valley Fever diagnostic testing. The new diagnostic test is in the third of a four-year project and has
started the beginning phases of human testing. This new test will speed up diagnosis and treatment rates
with better identification and fewer false results and will aid in developing a vaccine for human use.

Valley Fever disproportionately affects those in the southwestern region of the United States, and the lack
of accurate testing poses difficulty when pursuing treatment. Additionally, each year, the Governor's
Office issues a proclamation declaring the first or second week of November as Valley Fever Awareness
Week.

Here’s a link to the press release:Press Release-Valley Fever.docx

Let us know if we can arrange an interview with Mitch Magee, the Assistant Research Professor at
DNASU. Thank you for your consideration.

Thanks,

Lauren Sanders

If you have any questions, you can reach me at this address (lnsande2@asu.edu).
Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: KHANH NGUYEN, PEYTON TOVEY
PR SPECIALISTS
602-496-5051
CRONKITEAGENCY@ASU.EDU

Valley Fever Diagnostic Testing Improves with DNASU

PHOENIX, 2023 - DNASU Plasmid Repository at Arizona State University’s Biodesign Institute
is making rapid advancements to improve the accuracy of Valley Fever diagnostic testing. These
new testing methods being developed will redefine the way one of the most commonly reported
infectious diseases in Arizona is diagnosed.

DNASU is in the beginning phases of human testing, using cloned proteins to hopefully trigger a
protective immune response which will aid in the development of a vaccine for human use
fighting against the harsh symptoms of Valley Fever.

Valley Fever, a fungal disease more prominent in the southwestern region of the United States,
can be simultaneously mistaken for a bacterial infection. While the symptoms between both are
similar, the treatments vary, which, according to the CDC, leaves 60 to 80 percent of patients
initially on the incorrect regimen.

Symptoms of the disease include fatigue, cough, fever, muscle aches, rash and more, appearing
one to three weeks after Valley Fever has entered the body. Groups at risk are residents of hot
and dry weather climates with dusty environments.

Currently in the third year of a four-year project, DNASU is diligently cloning proteins from
plasmid samples to identify whether a patient has antibodies to combat Valley Fever. The
identification of this target will signify if Valley Fever is prevalent in a patient’s body, speeding
up the accurate diagnosis and treatment rate.

“If we have a pure target, it’ll allow us to increase the sensitivity and specificity of the tests,
meaning we’ll have less false results and better identification of the disease,” said Mitch Magee,
assistant research professor at DNASU.

Currently, Valley Fever is commonly diagnosed when other diseases are ruled out after various
trials and medications. The initial diagnosis of the disease is rare due to lack of accurate testing.
“Sometimes it takes one to three months to test for Valley Fever and so the disease progresses
for a while,” Magee said. “We want to be able to diagnose the disease fast, but that means that
we have to educate doctors that there is better testing available.”

###

ABOUT DNASU
The DNASU Plasmid Repository is a global non-profit organization based at Arizona State
University that receives, grows, houses, and distributes over 400,000 clones across the world.
Through DNASU’s efforts, the scientific community will have a sustainable resource to help
expedite efforts toward scientific discovery. Visit https://dnasu.org to learn more.

Content Included With Pitch

- Press release
- Photos of DNASU team or lab

Pitch Angles
- For reporters who have covered Valley Fever: With Valley Fever Awareness Week coming up in
November, there is good news: a more accurate diagnostic test is being developed by DNASU.
- For reporters with health beats: Medical providers will be able to diagnose Valley Fever more
quickly and accurately with DNASU’s new test.
- For reporters who have written about the Valley Fever dog vaccine: The Valley Fever vaccine for
dogs may help DNASU researchers develop a similar vaccine for humans.