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The Power of Naming: Building Identity & Trust in Life Sciences |
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In this episode of BioNTX Presents, we explore The Power of Naming with Brand Institute, the Official Branding and Innovation Partner of BioNTX, and examine how life sciences companies establish identity, credibility, and trust from the very beginning. Often viewed as a creative exercise, naming is reframed here as a strategic business decision with lasting implications for commercialization, valuation, and market adoption.
The conversation unpacks what defines a strong life sciences name, why naming should be treated as a core commercialization strategy—not an afterthought—and how creativity, precision, and regulatory foresight intersect. Drawing on Brand Institute’s expertise, the episode highlights how the right name can build confidence among investors, partners, clinicians, and patients, while reinforcing innovation across the North Texas ecosystem.
We invite you to watch this timely and thought-provoking discussion. |
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Navigating Growth and Complexity: Strategic Insights from the BioNTX CFO Forum |
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Last month, BioNTX convened life sciences leaders for its CFO Forum, featuring Baker Tilly and a focused discussion on the financial and structural considerations that increasingly define growth-stage decision-making across the sector.
The forum addressed several critical issues facing life sciences companies at key inflection points, including strategies related to Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS), optimizing R&D tax credits, managing state nexus as organizations scale, and navigating complex financial structures amid expansion and investment activity.
These insights are essential for the life sciences community, equipping executive teams with the clarity and perspective needed to make informed, strategic decisions. By fostering conversations at this level, BioNTX continues to support sustainable growth, operational resilience, and long-term value creation across the North Texas life sciences ecosystem. |
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TAKE ACTION: BioNTX Life Sciences Manufacturing Survey |
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BioNTX announced the launch of the Life Sciences Manufacturing Initiative and invited the community to share input through a brief stakeholder survey.
As the Initiative continues to take shape, we are extending the opportunity for biomanufacturing and life sciences stakeholders across North Texas to participate. This effort brings together independent industry leaders and subject-matter experts to help identify strategic gaps, align regional assets, and inform priorities that strengthen North Texas’ biomanufacturing foundation.
Feedback from across the ecosystem will directly influence future strategies, initiatives, and recommendations aimed at advancing a more competitive, resilient, and scalable life sciences manufacturing ecosystem—supporting a Bigger, Better Texas. |
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Alloy Futures: Building Biotech in North Texas Application closes February 16, 2026 |
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Alloy Futures is a 7-week biotech startup academy designed to help scientists, clinicians, executives, angel investors, and life science ecosystem enablers in North Texas understand the real journey of commercializing biotech innovation. Whether you want to launch a company, support one, or simply learn how the process works, this program gives you the strategic insight, tools, and network to engage confidently.
Applications are open now for the second cohort of Alloy Futures, which will run March 18-May 1, 2026. The program is hybrid, with 3 in-person sessions held at BioLabs Pegasus Park Dallas.
The first Alloy Futures cohort, a mix of science faculty, researchers, and professionals, are now equipped with an incredible network and resources to successfully launch and support startup growth in North Texas! |
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COMING SOON |
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BIO BREAK: North Texas Connections in Life Sciences |
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BIO BREAK offers the life sciences community an opportunity to network, exchange insights, and foster professional connections. Attendees can engage with peers, discuss emerging trends, and build relationships that support collaboration and innovation across the ecosystem. |
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The BioNTX Career Symposium & HR Forum February 11, 2026 |
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Presents 2026 Career Symposium & HR Forum |
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The Career Symposium connects job seekers with industry professionals and recruiters shaping the future of life sciences and healthcare innovation. Explore networking opportunities, receive expert career guidance, and access resources to enhance your resume, and navigate your career path. |
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The HR Forum is designed for biotech and healthcare innovation employers seeking to navigate the complexities of workforce management. This forum also provides opportunities to explore emerging trends in human resources, share best practices, and connect with peers facing similar workforce challenges. |
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Thank you for your support |
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Women Driving Innovation: Celebrating Leadership in Biosciences & Healthcare Innovation March 6, 2026 |
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Presents 2026 Women Driving Innovation |
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Save the date as BioNTX celebrates International Women’s Day with Women Driving Innovation, a signature event recognizing the women who are shaping the future of life sciences through leadership, collaboration, and innovation in North Texas and beyond.
Join us for an inspiring and forward-looking conversation that underscores BioNTX’s commitment to inclusive leadership, ecosystem growth, and the continued advancement of life sciences innovation. |
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Join Us: Where Life Sciences Connections Take Shape March 11, 2026 |
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Presents Peer Career Connect Program |
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January 14, 2026 |
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The Peer Career Connect Program (PCCP) is a platform for professionals navigating career transitions and for employers seeking talent in life sciences and related industries. PCCP facilitates meaningful connections, peer learning, and knowledge sharing to help jobseekers explore opportunities and employers connect with qualified candidates.
Open to professionals at all career stages and employers across sectors including biopharma, digital health, aerospace, research, engineering, logistics, and manufacturing, PCCP provides a space to exchange insights, explore career paths, and build valuable professional relationships in a collaborative and results focused environment. |
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT |
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Managing Risk in Life Sciences with IMA Financial Group |
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IMA Financial Group helps life sciences companies navigate unique risks such as regulatory challenges, cybersecurity threats, supply chain disruptions, and economic volatility.
As an independent financial and risk management firm, IMA provides tailored solutions including clinical trial insurance, regulatory compliance, data protection, and product liability management. The firm leverages a global network and advanced analytics to deliver data-driven strategies that keep businesses resilient, compliant, and competitive in a rapidly evolving industry. |
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Thank You BioNTX New & Renewing Members |
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MEMBER NEWS |
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Alloy Therapeutics and Tahoe Therapeutics Launch Joint Venture to Develop Novel ADCs |
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Alloy Therapeutics and Tahoe Therapeutics announced a joint venture to develop first-in-class antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for hard-to-treat cancers. The new company will advance two ADC programs leveraging Alloy’s ADC engineering and company-creation capabilities through 82VS, alongside novel tumor targets discovered by Tahoe’s Mosaic platform and large-scale single-cell datasets. By combining Alloy’s integrated biologics and ADC development platforms with Tahoe’s AI-powered target discovery, the collaboration aims to efficiently translate novel biology into differentiated cancer therapies. |
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ClearSight Therapeutics and Cartwheel Partner to Advance OTC Pink Eye Treatment |
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Retail healthcare firm Cartwheel has signed a letter of intent to license ClearSight Therapeutics’ over-the-counter pink eye treatment, expanding its product portfolio. Both Health Wildcatters alumni plan to finalize licensing terms and a go-to-market strategy over the next year, aiming for a retail launch by 2027. The partnership reflects North Texas’s eye care expertise, shaped by Alcon’s presence in Fort Worth. ClearSight founder Patrick Smale, formerly of Alcon and ear-care startup Eosera, identified a market gap: most pink eye treatments target bacterial infections, though about 80% of cases are viral and unaffected by antibiotics. |
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Island Pharmaceuticals Advances Phase 2 Clinical Trial of ISLA-101 for Dengue |
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Island Pharmaceuticals Ltd announced progress in its PROTECT phase 2 trial evaluating ISLA-101 as both a preventative and therapeutic treatment for dengue. The study includes a phase 2a prophylactic cohort, testing ISLA-101 before exposure to a weakened dengue virus, and a phase 2b therapeutic cohort, assessing its effect in already infected individuals. Dengue fever is the most common mosquito-borne viral disease, with rising incidence globally and no approved treatment, highlighting the potential impact of ISLA-101. |
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Lantern Pharma’s LP-284 Receives FDA Orphan Drug Designation for Soft Tissue Sarcomas |
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Lantern Pharma Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company using AI to accelerate oncology drug development, announced that the FDA has granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) to LP-284 for the treatment of soft tissue sarcomas. This is the third orphan designation for LP-284 and Lantern’s sixth overall.
LP-284 is a small molecule targeting DNA repair deficiencies via transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair (TC-NER). It has shown promising preclinical and early clinical activity across multiple cancer types, including a recent complete metabolic response in a heavily pretreated patient with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. |
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Nanoscope Therapeutics’ MCO-010 Granted Sakigake and Orphan Drug Designations in Japan |
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Nanoscope Therapeutics announced that Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has granted Sakigake and Orphan Drug designations to MCO-010, its lead therapy for severe vision loss from inherited retinal diseases (IRDs). MCO-010, a one-time intravitreal optogenetic therapy, is the first retinal gene therapy to receive both designations, providing a fast-track regulatory pathway and support for diseases affecting fewer than 50,000 patients. These designations advance Nanoscope’s global strategy to bring novel therapies to patients with profound vision loss. |
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CleanSpace Builds Momentum with Strategic Expansion and New Headquarters |
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CleanSpace is entering 2026 with strong momentum, having expanded manufacturing in Georgia, launched CleanShield for lifecycle support, and acquired CleanTech to enhance supplier diversity and project delivery. In January, the company will open its new Fort Washington, Pennsylvania headquarters, uniting key teams and advancing its Concept through Commercialization™ approach to help critical industries scale efficiently. |
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Ecolab and CDP Launch Water Use Efficiency Index |
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Ecolab Inc. and CDP have partnered to launch the Water Use Efficiency Index, a new benchmark to help companies measure, compare, and improve operational water use. Starting with a pilot in the Beverage and Brew sector, the Index provides best-in-class targets and actionable insights to reduce freshwater use, cut costs, and strengthen operational resilience. The Index combines CDP’s corporate water disclosure data with Ecolab’s operational insights from millions of sites worldwide, giving companies a clear view of performance and opportunities for efficiency and circular water management. |
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EisnerAmper Strengthens Digital and Growth Advisory Capabilities with MLCworks |
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Global advisory firm EisnerAmper announced that MLCworks, a digital marketing and growth advisory firm, has joined the firm in a combination completed in early January 2026. The combination enhances EisnerAmper’s holistic approach, allowing clients to integrate business strategy with digital growth, leverage data-driven marketing insights, and access advisory, tax, and growth solutions through a single, unified partner. |
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IMA Financial Group Partners with The Richards Group to Expand National Presence |
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IMA Financial Group, a North American insurance brokerage specializing in risk management, employee benefits, and wealth management, announced a strategic partnership with The Richards Group, an independent insurance and advisory firm serving New England. The partnership strengthens IMA’s capabilities in healthcare, education, and nonprofit sectors, expanding its national footprint and specialty expertise while maintaining the local relationships and culture that clients value. |
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Sheppard Mullin Named 2025 Healthcare Practice Group of the Year |
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Sheppard Mullin has been recognized as a 2025 “Healthcare Practice Group of the Year” by Law360, marking the team’s second consecutive and fifth overall appearance on this prestigious list. Law360’s recognition highlights law firms that have delivered exceptional legal work, demonstrated leadership in the healthcare sector, and set a standard for excellence in addressing complex industry challenges. This acknowledgment underscores Sheppard Mullin’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality legal guidance to clients across the healthcare industry. |
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Sikich and Boston University Collaborate to Redefine AI-Driven Business Delivery |
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Sikich is collaborating with Boston University’s Questrom School of Business to create next-generation intelligence frameworks for life sciences, insurance, and legal sectors. By combining AI, advanced analytics, and regulatory expertise, the initiative aims to reimagine how organizations execute projects, accelerate outcomes, and embed intelligence-driven transformation into everyday operations. |
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Dallas College Secures Grant to Advance AI in Teaching and Learning |
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Dallas College has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to launch the AI-Enabled Teaching and Learning Initiative, aimed at integrating artificial intelligence across classrooms, curriculum, and workforce programs. The initiative will expand AI literacy for students, provide faculty with training and resources to embed emerging technologies into instruction, and align programs with industry needs through microcredentials and employer validation. College leaders say the project positions Dallas College as a national model for responsible, scalable AI adoption in higher education. |
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UTA Students Gain Hands-On Biomanufacturing Experience at Pegasus Park |
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A new state-of-the-art lab at Pegasus Park in Dallas is giving University of Texas at Arlington students hands-on experience in biomanufacturing, preparing them for careers in vaccines, biologics, and next-generation cell and gene therapies.
The NCTM2 satellite campus, a joint venture between UTA’s Institute of Biomanufacturing and Precision Medicine for North Texas (IMPRINT) and the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, combines academic research, industry collaboration, and student training under one roof. Students learn to operate bioreactors and other advanced tools, gaining practical skills that make them job-ready for the rapidly growing biotech industry. |
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UT Southwestern Performs First Rare Whole-Liver Chemotherapy Procedure in Texas |
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A team at UT Southwestern Medical Center became the first in Texas and neighboring states to perform a whole-liver chemotherapy procedure for rare metastatic uveal melanoma, a deadly eye cancer. The procedure uses Hepzato Kit, FDA-approved in 2023, to deliver high-dose chemotherapy directly to the liver via percutaneous hepatic perfusion (PHP), isolating liver blood flow to target tumors while limiting systemic side effects. The team treated a 72-year-old patient with multifocal liver tumors. |
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FUNDING & MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES |
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New CPRIT Grants Available to Advance Cancer Research in Texas |
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CPRIT has released new academic research grant opportunities to advance cancer research and support talent in Texas.
Opportunities include:
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Call for North Texas Investigators Working in Autism Research |
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The Foundations for Divergent Minds is developing a research project to identify whether allostatic load in Autistic adults contributes to poor long-term health outcomes. They have a partnership with Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center to collect data. We are exploring partnership opportunities with North Texas researchers to add and are interested in the structural changes that correlate to allostatic load. The data we collect may also be useful for broader research on neurodegeneration as autistic adults have a 4x higher rate of Parkinson's disease as well as a rate of early-onset dementia. |
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Bring Your Innovation to the Spotlight at BioMedSA Biofest Application closes February 15, 2026 |
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The BioMedSA Biofest Invest Pitch Competition is now open, providing innovative companies with a unique opportunity to present their solutions to national investors, gain significant exposure, receive expert guidance and preparation for pitch day, and connect with industry leaders and peers through targeted networking designed to accelerate growth and open doors to new opportunities. |
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Fueling the Next Generation of Health Innovators Application closes March 6, 2026 |
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The One Health Incubator is a dynamic partnership between the Innovation Hub and the Health Sciences Center, created to support researchers and technology startups in the life sciences sector. This collaborative platform combines institutional expertise to offer an ecosystem of incubation, mentorship, and strategic connections—tailored specifically for life science innovators.
Startups and researchers benefit from access to state-of-the-art facilities, specialized resources, and guidance from industry experts. The incubator helps accelerate the development and commercialization of innovative healthcare solutions while fostering valuable relationships with potential partners, investors, and mentors. |
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Call for Abstracts: 2026 JPS Research & Quality Symposium Application closes March 13, 2026 |
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Submit your abstract for the 2026 JPS Research & Quality Symposium, featuring live poster presentations, a rapid-fire research competition, and an online gallery of posters from May 19–June 19. Submissions are welcome on all topics. |
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The Prototype Fund: Bring Your Innovation to Life Application closes May 1, 2026 |
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The Prototype Fund helps established startups transform customer insights into a working prototype or minimum viable product. This program supports innovators ready to take their technology from concept to reality within a year, helping validate ideas, advance intellectual property, and bridge the gap between innovation and commercialization. |
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NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions Program ends January 8, 2027 |
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The purpose of this Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions is to support small scale research grants at institutions that do not receive substantial funding from the NIH, with an emphasis on providing biomedical research experiences primarily for undergraduate students, and enhancing the research environment at applicant institutions. |
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INDUSTRY EVENTS |
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Upcoming Events & Opportunities |
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National Dialogue on Schizophrenia
Join THBI to connect with policymakers, patient advocacy, groups, and community stakeholder and discuss the complexity of the disease and the patient, caregiver, and community impacts.
February 4th | Austin, TX |
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Digital Divas 2026
Join DFW CSTA to explore STEM through hands-on coding and creative problem-solving, connect with mentors and peers, and gain the skills and confidence to pursue your curiosity in technology.
February 9th | Murphy, TX |
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2026 Advanced Therapies Week
Join Phacilitate for its 21st Advanced Therapies Week, the premier biotech partnering event in the United States. Bringing together leaders in research, therapeutic development, and advanced manufacturing.
February 9th - 12th | San Diego, CA |
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BIO BREAK Fort Worth
Join BioNTX, RSM, and UMB Bank for BIO BREAK Fort Worth, an evening bringing together the North Texas life science community. This networking event offers an opportunity to connect with peers, industry leaders, and partners in a relaxed, welcoming setting.
February 10th | Fort Worth, TX |
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Presents 2026 Career Symposium
Join BioNTX for the Career Symposium, where students and job seekers can connect with industry professionals and recruiters across life sciences and healthcare innovation.
February 11th | Dallas, TX |
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Presents 2026 HR Forum
Join BioNTX for the HR Forum, where biotech employers can gain practical insights and actionable strategies to navigate workforce management.
February 11th | Dallas, TX |
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BALANCE: A Perimenopause Journey
Join Eido Bio for a screening of BALANCE: A Perimenopause Journey, a docuseries created and directed by North Texas monk-filmmakers that chronicles their firsthand journey through perimenopause and exposes a broader women’s health crisis that too often stays in the shadows-until now.
February 12th | Dallas, TX |
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A Wealth Conversation for Women in Life Sciences
Join Women in Bio for a session tailored to C-suite and senior leaders, exploring common financial blind spots in the industry and offering a strategic framework for asset growth, risk management, and legacy planning.
February 19th | Virtual |
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Meet the HBA Dallas- Fort Worth
Join HBA members, leaders, and others committed to the mission in an informal setting to learn more about HBA happenings locally and globally.
February 20th | Fort Worth, TX |
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Metroplex Manufacturing Resource Expo
Join TMAC for the North Texas Manufacturing Leadership Summit and Resource Expo. Manufacturing is the keystone sector to increase the sustainable development and economic competitiveness of the Metroplex.
February 27th | Arlington, TX |
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2026 iC³ Summit: North Texas’s Premier Life Science Gathering September 24 - 25, 2026 |
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The BioNTX iC³ Life Science & Healthcare Innovation Summit is North Texas’s premier convening for the region’s bioscience and healthcare community. Each year, we bring together industry leaders, pioneering researchers, investors, entrepreneurs, and innovators to share insights, explore emerging trends, and collaborate on the next breakthroughs in life sciences and healthcare.
At iC³ 2026, you will have the opportunity to engage with thought leaders, connect with peers, and participate in conversations that are shaping the future of healthcare innovation in North Texas and beyond. Whether you are looking to gain knowledge, showcase your work, or build meaningful partnerships, iC³ provides the platform to make an impact. |
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Honoring Leadership and Innovation During Black History Month: Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson "Innovation is not just about new ideas, it is about how those ideas are applied to create value." - Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson |
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In celebration of Black History Month, BioNTX is proud to recognize leaders whose work continues to shape and advance our industry.
Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson’s career spans fundamental physics, federal science policy, and institutional leadership. Her perspective reinforces a core truth of the life sciences ecosystem: discovery alone is not enough. Impact comes from translating ideas into real-world solutions—through collaboration, infrastructure, and leadership. |
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February 3, 2025 |
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