Bioscience Forum discusses role and future of industry
On August 9, nearly 300 people attended an educational event hosted by the Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) to learn about the bioscience industry in Colorado. The forum, held in Research Complex 1 at the University of Colorado Denver’s Fitzsimons campus in Aurora, brought together federal and state lawmakers, leading life science executives, university officials, patient group representatives and news media.
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| CU President Hank Brown sat on an academic panel during the forum, to discuss the university role in technology transfer and commercialization. |
Bioscience in Colorado has been recognized by numerous national research organizations as a fast growing portion of the state’s economic vitality. The industry is creating thousands of jobs, both within company ranks and with supplier companies that collectively benefit from the sale of research equipment, building construction and support services.
Opening remarks from Ed Wood, CBSA chairman; Jay Gershen, executive vice chancellor, UCD; and Eric Bergeson, vice president of Amgen Colorado, discussed the major role bioscience plays in the state’s job creation and the extraordinary healthcare and agricultural promises of the future.
Keynote speakers featured BIO President Jim Greenwood, U.S. Congressman Bob Beauprez (R-CO), and Speaker of the Colorado House Andrew Romanoff (D). Discussion focused on other states/regions efforts to build biotech clusters in comparison to Colorado, which has proven it has the necessary components to usher in a new era of medicine, agriculture and manufacturing.
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| Left to right: Executive Vice Chancellor Jay Gershen, DDS; Colorado BioScience Association Chairman Ed Wood; and U.S. Congressman Bob Beauprez (R-CO) at the August 9 Bioscience Forum. |
An academic panel comprised of University of Colorado President Hank Brown; Colorado State University President Larry Penley; University of Denver Chancellor Robert Coombe; Colorado School of Mines President John Trefny; and Lynn Taussig, president, National Jewish Medical & Research Center talked about the university role in technology transfer and commercialization.
Finally, an industry panel discussed the opportunities and challenges of conducting research and manufacturing in Colorado. Speakers included Ralph Christoffersen, partner of Morgenthaler Ventures; Richard Duke, director of GlobeImmune; Neal Masia, director of economic policy at Pfizer; Kevin Smith, Grambro president; Brian Vogt, director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade; and Georg Wiebecke, president of Roche Colorado.
BIO plans to continue educational forums with other state affiliate organizations.
