A local ag tech firm recently raised $5.78 million in seed round funding. 

Chonex will use the funds to expand production capacity and meet rising demand as well as to file patent applications for its proprietary process. Funding was led by undisclosed Alabama finance, manufacturing and engineering leaders.

Read full article HERE.

Astound, a Birmingham-based startup, has successfully secured $1m in seed funding to develop the first marketplace to allow research institutions and universities to easily find corporate sponsors for important scientific research.

Read the full article here.

Reverse pitch event proves big success for BIO Alabama

https://techtransfercentral.com/reprints/uiea/522-reverse-pitch-event-proves-big-success-for-bio-alabama/

BIO Alabama focusing on future of bioscience industry in state

https://alabamanewscenter.com/2022/04/29/bio-alabama-focusing-on-future-of-bioscience-industry-in-state/

Madison Core Laboratories Announces Huntsville Laboratory Expansion

 

HUNTSVILLE, AL - Madison Core Laboratories (“MCL”) is pleased to announce the expansion of its clinical laboratory in Huntsville, Alabama. “This expansion increases our laboratory space by approximately 50 percent and will allow MCL to enhance its comprehensive diagnostic testing product lines and launch additional innovative services to better the lives of the patients we serve,” commented Carlo Crespo, MD, Chief Executive Officer.

 

Phase 1 of the Huntsville Lab expansion will be the integration of core laboratory services currently being performed in the Madison facility. These services include chemistry, hematology, coagulation, and urinalysis testing. By integrating these laboratory services into the Huntsville location, MCL will be able to achieve greater efficiencies and provide its clients and patients with expanded high-quality testing with faster turnaround times. The expanded laboratory footprint allowed for the immediate addition of several new instrumentation systems. Further automated instrumentation platforms will be added in the coming months.

 

This phase will also provide a new and larger area for specimen receipt, accessioning, and processing, and more space to support the growth of the Company’s onsite phlebotomy services. Current facility development also underway is the addition of administrative offices and a new streamlined laboratory storage system.

 

“Having our core laboratory team under the same roof as our molecular, microbiology, and toxicology teams will also provide a better work environment for our employees that supports greater communication, increased team collaboration, and opportunities for cross-training, and sharing collective intelligence. An added benefit is that our mobile phlebotomy team and courier services will now have a single specimen drop off-site instead of multiple locations. Increasing the capacities of our laboratory not only supports our geographic market expansion and testing services growth but with the expanded laboratory facility, MCL is positioned to participate in additional research and development opportunities as we will have research space and are near the Cummings Research Park,” Crespo stated.

 

Phase 1 of the Huntsville Lab expansion and Madison integration will be completed by the end of April. Phase II, the addition of administrative offices, is to be finalized by mid-to-late summer 2022.

 

MCL started patient testing in January 2016 in its Madison, Alabama location with a focus on meeting the laboratory needs dedicated to the elderly and long-term care patients. The Company acquired a pharmacogenomics lab in Huntsville in 2018 to expand its lab test menu and quickly pivoted to comprehensive pathogen detection using state-of-the-art molecular technologies. Over the past three years, MCL has rapidly become a major local/regional laboratory through diverse test offerings.

 

Madison Core Laboratories would like to thank the City of Madison for supporting a small business during its growth and looks forward to continuing to serve its community from the Huntsville Lab location at 2705 Artie Street SW in Huntsville, Alabama. Construction and move activities are planned to ensure no disruption in testing services will occur.

 

About Madison Core Laboratories

Madison Core Laboratories is one of the leading independent laboratories in Alabama. We provide extensive laboratory services using state-of-the-art testing equipment to provide our clients with the latest innovations in the laboratory spectrum. Our clients include physician offices, long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, homebound patients, and industrial/corporate testing needs. MCL is the only independent reference laboratory in the State of Alabama that offers mobile phlebotomy, molecular diagnostics, routine blood, urine, and toxicology testing all under one organization. The Company was recently recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the Fastest-Growing Private Companies in the Southeast Region.

Learn more at www.MadisonCoreLabs.com. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter @MadisonCoreLabs.

Company Contact:

Madison Core Laboratories, LLC

Martha Donze

Vice President, Strategy and Business Operations

MDonze@MadisonCoreLabs.com

 

gener8tor and HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology have launched a new startup business accelerator focused on advancements in the agriculture technology sector. 

The accelerator program will provide agriculture technology innovators with the coaching, capital and connections to take their ideas to new heights by investing in startups selected for the program through a fund managed by gener8tor.

The HudsonAlpha AgTech Accelerator Powered by gener8tor leverages HudsonAlpha’s deep experience in agriscience; specifically agriculture genomics, plant breeding and crop diversity; with gener8tor’s national network of mentors and investors, and Huntsville’s innate strengths as a technology hub. The program invests in the best and brightest startups tackling the challenges of sustainably feeding and powering a growing planet.

You can apply before July 16th here.

BIO Alabama is so excited to welcome one new director and three new executive committee members. 

Our new board director is Roger Graben, PhD. 

Roger Graben is a 35-year veteran of the pharmaceutical industry with a broad range of experience across all disciplines. He is currently the President of Vitruvias Therapeutics Inc., (www.vitruvias.com) a 9-year-old specialty company focused primarily on difficult Rx generic products. Roger’s industry experience includes board membership, corporate management, operations management, business development, and the list goes on! We know he will be a great asset to BIO Alabama.

Vivek Lal, MD; Michael Lynch; and Amy Sturdivant will join the executive committee.

Dr. C. Vivek Lal, M.D. is a physician, a scientist, and an entrepreneur based in Birmingham, AL. He is an Associate Professor of Neonatology, in the Department of Pediatrics at University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL (UAB), and the Director of UAB’s Pulomonary Microbiome Lab. He is the founder, CEO, and CSO of ResBiotic, Inc., and its subsidiaries. 

Michael Lynch is the CEO and cofounder of CHONEX, which helps farmers improve their soil and crop health. Most of his career has been spent developing solutions for rural communities, focusing on education, healthcare, and leadership development. He is Chair of the South Highland Presbyterian Church’s Mental Health Outreach Program and serves on the Oakworth Capital Market Board.

Currently serving as Managing Director for 58 INC | Shelby County EDC, Amy has more than 20 years of public and private sector work with communities in Alabama and Illinois. Her 5 years working to help attract and grow companiesat HudsonAlpha’s biotech campus in Huntsville ignited her passion to help Alabama economic developers grow the important biotech sector and the ecosystem to bolster its success.

BIO Alabama is poised to be a key player in state’s innovation economy

by Michael Tomberlin

Access the article here.

Video here.

HudsonAlpha Expands Executive Leadership Amid Rapid Growth

Dr. Neil Lamb to serve as President, Dr. Rick Myers to serve as Chief Scientific Officer

HUNTSVILLE, Ala — As HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology continues its rapid economic growth and advancements in genomics and life science research, the HudsonAlpha board of directors announced today the expansion of its executive leadership team. Richard Myers, PhD, current President and Science Director, will serve as HudsonAlpha’s new Chief Scientific Officer and President Emeritus. Neil Lamb, PhD, current Vice President for Educational Outreach, will serve as the new President of the Institute, effective July 1, 2022. 

Momentum from growth and campus expansions have driven the need for an expanded executive team to intelligently manage the workload, maintain the vision, and prime the organization for continued success in the future. The Institute is a global leader in using advanced genomic technologies to solve challenges related to human health and modern agriculture, while simultaneously engaging and preparing tomorrow’s bioscience workforce. According to a recent study, HudsonAlpha has generated $3.2 billion economic impact for the state of Alabama between 2006 and 2020, with an increase of $750 million during 2019-2020. The campus is home to more than 1,100 employees and 48 associate life science companies.

 

“Rick Myers and Neil Lamb have been critical to the success, innovation, and growth we’ve seen since Lonnie McMillian and I first launched HudsonAlpha,” said Jim Hudson, HudsonAlpha co-founder and chairman of the board. “With Neil’s vision and work ethic leading the organization along with the innovative research led by Rick, we are truly poised to amplify our work as HudsonAlpha’s reach and impact continue to grow.”

Dr. Rick Myers has been with HudsonAlpha since its doors opened in 2008, serving as President and Science Director, and as the M. A. Loya Chair in Genomics since 2020. Dr. Myers came to HudsonAlpha from Stanford’s Human Genome Center, where he led a team that was a major contributor to the Human Genome Project—the international research effort that sequenced the entire human genome. Today at HudsonAlpha, researchers under Dr. Myers’ leadership apply genomic technology to uncover the causes of human diseases and accelerate discoveries in plants and agriculture. As Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Myers will devote his focus to scientific discovery, achievement, and momentum while providing strategic support and guidance to Dr. Lamb.

“At HudsonAlpha, our team is creating improvements for humankind everyday through research-based discoveries,” said Dr. Myers. “As we take our organization to the next level, it’s critical that we have the tools, resources, and team to continue advancing our research and applying our discoveries in the real world. It is this growth that drives my passion, gives me daily purpose, and excites me for our future. I truly believe the best is yet to come for HudsonAlpha.”

Dr. Neil Lamb came to HudsonAlpha in 2006 with a calling to share his passion for human genetics and biotechnology with others through education. He has led HudsonAlpha’s educational outreach team from conception, creating innovative teacher training and toolkits, student experiences, public enrichment, and digital resources that have reshaped how science education is now delivered. Throughout his tenure as Vice President for Educational Outreach, Dr. Lamb has been a public ambassador for HudsonAlpha and a strategic internal advisor helping guide the Institute’s growth. As President, he will now drive the strategic vision and lead day-to-day operations for the entire organization.

"Rick Myers is not only a close friend and mentor, but the person who introduced me to Jim Hudson and co-founder Lonnie McMillian in the early days of HudsonAlpha," said Dr. Lamb. “I would not be here if it weren't for Rick. He has positioned HudsonAlpha for continued growth and success, and I share his vision and excitement for the possibilities of the future. This expansion of our executive team will allow us to focus more resources on our mission and expand our local, regional, and global impact for years to come.”

HudsonAlpha and resident associate companies co-located on the biotech campus in Cummings Research Park (CRP) have continued to expand their footprint in multiple sectors across the biosciences including research, testing and medical labs, pharmaceuticals, agriculture feedstock and chemicals, technology development and medical devices and equipment. The HudsonAlpha campus continues to expand, with new construction underway on a 13,000 square foot agricultural space and a 96,000 square foot global headquarters for resident associate company Discovery Life Sciences.

With this executive expansion, HudsonAlpha will be seeking a new Vice President for Educational Outreach. Find more information in the coming days at www.hudsonalpha.org. 

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About HudsonAlpha: HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is a nonprofit institute dedicated to developing and applying scientific advances to health, agriculture, learning, and commercialization. The HudsonAlpha biotechnology campus consists of 152 acres nestled within Cummings Research Park, the nation’s second largest research park. The state-of-the-art facilities co-locate nonprofit scientific researchers with entrepreneurs and educators. HudsonAlpha is a national and international leader in genetics and genomics research and biotech education and fosters more than 48 diverse biotech companies on campus. To learn more about HudsonAlpha, visit hudsonalpha.org.

BIO Alabama's CEO, Rachel Lane, PhD was appointed to the University of Alabama's Center for Convergent Bioscience and Medicine (CCBM) Scientific Advisory Board. 

CCBM is dedicated to the convergence of bioscience and medicine with chemical, biological, physical, mathematical, and engineering disciplines. This collaborative approach will overcome obstacles in drug development to bridge the preclinical and clinical divide. 

"I am honored to be a member of this advisory board and to serve with such distinguished scientists who represent various disciplines but one goal: a collaborative approach to improving the human condition through science," said Lane. "Alabama in general, and the University of Alabama specifically, are fortunate to have the vision and energy of Ravi Kumar, PhD leading this charge in our state."