Supporting Student Learning and a Growing Biotechnology Industry Simultaneously

STEM Tech, Kansas City MORichard Norris, Director CPLSElizabeth Boedeker, CRO CoordinatorTuesday, October 30, 2012

Bio-Bench Contract Research Organization

What are we?

• Research for hire– Academic institutions– Local area start up companies

• Additional training for our students– Internship opportunities within the CRO

What are we?

Additional training for our students-Internship opportunities within the CRO-Assigned to CRO Partners

Research for hire-Local area start up companies-BRDG Park-HELIX

Benefits are more one sided

• Of more benefit to the company

• Of more benefit to the college– Internal projects

Chaumette Vineyard Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

• Hank Johnson/Oliver Yu

• Biofermentation

• Optimization of yeast culture growth

• Use of facilities and equipment– Provide their own workers

Advantage: company

STLCC Faculty Project• Very interesting

– Not well studied– Rare bleeding disorder

• Potentially could result in several scientific publications

• Development of clinical diagnostic test?

Advantage: college/students

STLCC Aquaponics Project• Combine fish and plant growth

• Health of fish of promenant importance

• Overlaps our BRDG Park and main campus– Fish maintenance at FV– Diagnostics at BRDG Park

• PCR optimization and assay

Advantage: college/students

Benefits are BALANCED

• Company benefits

• College / students benefit

Several Types of CRO Partners• Well-established companies

– Usually small to medium

– Have resources available• Lab facilities• Personnel

Phycal – Algae Company• Provide Internships after convincing!• 1 intern to start• Currently 3 interns• Some funding delays

– Continue with projects– Minimized impact

Advantage: college/students and company!

• Small start-up companies

– Extremely limited resources

– Limited lab facilities if any

– NO $$• Proof of concept

Several Types of CRO Partners

BioGlow

BioGlow

• Lab use agreement

• Example to our students

• Frequently in lab with students

Advantage: Company and students

Electrochaea• Very small start up• Lab use agreement with us

– Only lab space they had• 4 interns trained

– Biotechnology– Engineering

• 1 hired full-time

Advantage: college/students and company!

TrophoMax• Largest impact (both)

• Lab use agreement with us

• Only lab space they had

• Senior Scientist to oversee work (recommend)

TrophoMax -interns• 3 interns assigned initially

– Biotechnology– Horticulture

• Great experience – Deadlines and their importance– Data

• Proper collection• documentation

TrophoMax • Hit milestones they would not have otherwise

• Moving into next phase– Lab space in building– Hiring of intern (1) full time

• Huge advocates for usAdvantage: college/students and company!

Vantage Links• Spin-off company

• ELISA-based

• Human diagnostic testing

• If had student, would assign!!

Orion Systems West• Join in January 2013

• Short microbiology applications

• 6 month, but maybe longer

Laughlin Consulting

• Working to establish

• Need to get a senior scientist to oversee

Helix Center

• Coordinate with core there

• Work to get interns assigned over there

• Need more interns!!

Future directions-all intertwined• Expanding

– Engineering

– Horticulture

– Biotechnology

– BUSINESS