What 8 Oregon Bioscience Companies and 8 Life Science Researchers Have in Common

Emerging bio companies and researchers are selected to present, showcasing leading thought in bioscience innovation at Oregon Bio 2019: Innovating and Scaling for our Region’s Growth – the conference created for investors, start-up entrepreneurs, executives, researchers and policymakers, happening Oct. 29 in Portland. #OregonBio2019

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Oregon Bioscience Association announced the eight regional bioscience companies, representing the device, diagnostic, digital health and therapeutics sectors, selected to participate in the Company Pitch Fest at its Oct. 29 Oregon Bio 2019: Innovating and Scaling for our Region’s Growth conference:

A panel of judges selecting the winning firm will award prizes including $5,000 cash, entry into an upcoming Oregon Bio event, access to 16 hours’ BioPro class time and legal counsel. Audience polling will deliver a People’s Choice winner.

With six slides and three minutes, emerging fields of study and discovery will be featured during the Research Fast Pitch session to the more than 150 bioscience professionals, industry experts, enthusiasts, and judges in attendance. The eight selected academic research projects are:

• Towards Wearable Chemical Sensors: Development of a Smart Bandage for Monitoring Wound-Healing
• Fruit Fly Gender-Specific Gene Activity in the Presence of Environmental Toxins
• Genome-wide Analysis of Lateral Gene Transfer in Chlamydia Trachomatis
• Developing a Paper-Based Phenylalanine Diagnostic for Home Use
• Expression of ‘Click-Ready’ β-Glucosidase for Bioactive Coatings by Genetic Code Expansion
• Studying the Impact of Stem Cell Therapy on Intervertebral Discs Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Kidney Organoids as a Model for CPA Toxicity
• Bio-Adhesive Mesh System for Hernia Mesh Fixation

The winning researcher will receive $1,000 in cash, entry into an upcoming Oregon Bio event, 16 hours’ BioPro class time and legal counsel. Experts from Oregon Health & Science University, University of Oregon, Providence Health & Services and the company Lonza will judge.

A broad base of attendees will include executives; investors; business and startup entrepreneurs; economic development and life science professionals; researchers; vendors; STEM students and industry watchers. Workforce Engagement Stations and Meetup opportunities will abound with topics including Meet the influencers; Fostering diversity and inclusion among your team; Quality and regulatory for R&D and startups; Data integrity; Scientist to CEO: How to move from lab to leadership; and Regional Meetups for Southern Oregon, Willamette Valley, Central Oregon, and Southwest Washington.

The day’s program will conclude with an awards ceremony and cocktail reception honoring the People’s Choice and Judges’ Choice for the winning researchers and companies.

“We are excited to host these eight startup companies who are thriving in the digital health, agribio, diagnostics/therapeutics and medical device development sectors,” said Liisa Bozinovic, executive director of Oregon Bioscience Association. “And, the selected research projects highlight emerging understanding about the human genome, cellular behavior, biosensors, potential diagnostics and therapies, and device development, and are advancing science in new and exciting ways. Influencers will find the content stimulating and representing significant contributions to Oregon’s economy and the health of our world.”

The Oregon Bio 2019: Innovating and Scaling for our Region’s Growth event partners include OTRADI/Oregon Bioscience Incubator, Genentech, Biogen and BIO.

About Oregon Bio

The Oregon Bioscience Association seeks to create opportunity through advocacy, cultivation, education and group purchasing discounts for its members and the sector. Oregon Bio promotes the growth and quality of the bioscience industry in the region and continually seeks ways to support sustainability, acceleration and growth in the life science, bioscience, biotechnology and device manufacturing industries. Oregon Bio, a nonprofit membership association, affiliates with the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), and the Advanced Medical Technology Association.

The region’s most current bioscience economic impact study showed in 2017 Oregon’s growing bio footprint reached $10.7 billion, creating 47,238 jobs for $1.5 billion in wages across 820 business establishments. Between 2002-2017, total bioscience employment in Oregon jumped 72 percent among the five industry subsectors. Health-related R&D at Oregon hospitals and universities generated $669 million in economic activity in 2017. In 2015, federal research funding to Oregon institutions totaled more than $363 million. Venture capital investments in Oregon’s bioscience-related companies have increased in recent years and between 2014 to 2017, totaled $76.5 million.

Also growing is Oregon’s share of NIH funding. A 2018 report released by BIO shows Oregon attracted 1,274 bioscience and related patents. The study also found Oregon is emerging in several bioscience areas, with job growth in four of the five major subsectors from 2007 to 2016.

For more information about Oregon Bioscience Association, please visit www.oregonbio.org. Connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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