By Kevan Goff-Parker
Copyright ©2019, The Oklahoman
PHILADELPHIA — More than 40 Oklahoma bioscience and industry experts from a wide array of fields are busy telling global industry leaders about the state’s successes in the bioscience sector during the BIO International Conference held Tuesday through Thursday at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.
Manu Nair, vice president of Technology Ventures at Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, said that while sharing Oklahoma’s progressive statewide message about the bioscience sector, the opportunity for Oklahoma’s industry leaders to meet with potential business partners and customers has proven invaluable for attendees.
“Most of our intellectual property and technologies are either in therapeutics, diagnostics or biomedically related, life sciences or health care related. That’s basically what we specialize in,” Nair said. “This conference is actually one of the biggest events for us with regards to finding new partners in commercializing our technologies. … We try to find technologies to bring into Oklahoma to work with our scientists.
“We also have specific expertise that companies might not have in house, and this is actually a place where we can talk about that expertise and introduce those to pharmaceutical companies, as well as diagnostic companies and bring them into Oklahoma to join us in collaboration.”
With his focus on the development and commercialization of OMRF’s intellectual properties and technologies, Nair said the Bio International Conference helps him develop relationships with bio-industry collaborators that benefit OMRF’s research capabilities.
On Tuesday, members of the Oklahoma bioscience sector met with business leaders, scientists, economic development officers and educators worldwide to discuss opportunities and potential investment and collaboration.
The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 1,200-square-foot Oklahoma Bioscience Pavilion under the banner of the Oklahoma Bioscience Association (OKBio). Members of the delegation are meeting in special private offices during the conference while touch-screen monitors feature the state’s bioscience companies.
The state’s bioscience delegation includes representatives from OCAST, Agric-Bioformatics, ARL BioPharma/DNA Solutions, Ascend BioVentures, Biolytx Pharmaceuticals, COARE Biotechnology, Cytovance Biologics, i2E, Kirrhos Pharmaceuticals, Moleculera Labs, Nature Technology Corporation, Norman Economic Development Coalition, OCA Ventures, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, Oklahoma State University, OneNet, OU Health Sciences Center, Progentec Diagnostics, Tulsa Regional Chamber and the University of Oklahoma.
The OKBio delegation also hosted an evening reception for potential clients on Tuesday while in Philadelphia.
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