A Shared Vision for the Future: North Texas Cities
Named Among Nation's Top 50 for Business Prospects
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Recent years have been some of the toughest ever for business owners in the U.S. due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Great Resignation and seemingly endless inflation. In order to help aspiring entrepreneurs, founders, and innovators maximize their chances for long-term prosperity, WalletHub compared the relative startup opportunities that exist in 100 U.S. cities using 19 key metrics, ranging from the five-year business-survival rate to labor costs to office-space affordability.
North Texas claims 7, of the 11 cities across the state that made the Top 100; undoubtedly a function of a bourgeoning markets, economic development, and unmatched business climates that exist in the region.
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BioLabs Welcomes Founders and Innovators for Caidya
Fireside on Early Phase Clinical Trial Design
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Caidya and BioLabs at Pegasus Park welcomed life science founders and innovators from across North Texas for an in-depth, fireside exploration of current trends and regulatory updates surrounding the clinical trial landscape. Attendees learned different strategies to utilize in early phase trial design and CMC challenges. Following the informative seminar, attendees moved next door to Pegasus Park for the monthly BIO BREAK Happy Hour.
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A New Hope in Health Equity Transformation Emerges
within the American Cancer Society
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The American Cancer Society (ACS) announces the launch of the VOICES of Black Women® study, enrolling over 100,000 Black women aged 25 to 55 in a move to better understand cancer risk and outcomes within the Black female population. The study seeks to uncover drivers of cancer disparities and develop targeted interventions for improved health equity.
In a separate release, ACS published their Cancer Facts & Figures focusing on cancer burden disparities among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Other Pacific Islander (AANHPI) populations. The report highlights lung cancer as the leading cause of death among AANHPI men, with elevated mortality rates for liver, stomach, and cervical cancers in Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders. Lead investigator, Dr. Nikita Wagle, attributes these disparities to immigration patterns and access barriers to preventive services; the report will drive awareness and action to address these disparities.
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Simplifying Bioinformatics with Form Bio is the Next Big Thing
and a Game-Changer for Researchers
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Bioinformatics has long been synonymous with navigating through a labyrinth of technical complexities. From intricate installations to demanding computational resources- simplicity emerges. Form Bio is revolutionizing the landscape with a user-friendly approach, emerging as a game-changer in the realm of bioinformatics and democratizing access to powerful analytical tools. Through user-centric design and robust functionality, Form Bio paves the way for a new era of streamlined and efficient bioinformatics analysis.
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Leaders in Life Sciences and Healthcare: BioNTX Members
Recognized in DFW 2024 Top AI Innovators
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Dallas Innovates, The Dallas Regional Chamber, and Dallas AI joined forces to unveil the inaugural AI 75 list! The 2024 AI 75 list celebrates visionaries, creators, academics, entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, lawmakers, and influencers. Leaders and executives from several BioNTX member companies are among the distinguished.
Congratulations to Colossal Biosciences, Lantern Pharma, Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation, Reveles Clinical, and Deloitte!
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Health Wildcatters and Texas Health Resources Talk Strategy & Innovation in Healthcare Ahead of Inaugural Symposium
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Texas Health Resources and Health Wildcatters collaborated to host the latest Pulse Lunch Series at Pegasus Park. Attendees included local innovators and leaders in healthcare, all of whom gained valuable insights into the pioneering work being undertaken by Texas Health Resources, and collectively explored diverse strategies in the new wave of health innovation, including AI and beyond.
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Lantern Pharma Enters Strategic Development Partnership
with Oregon Therapeutics
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Lantern Pharma and Oregon Therapeutics have recently announced a strategic collaboration aimed at optimizing the development of XCE853, a promising first-in-class protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) inhibitor, across a spectrum of cancer indications. This collaboration is significant not only for its potential to advance cancer therapeutics but also for its integration of cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology into the drug development process.
At the heart of this collaboration lies Lantern Pharma's proprietary RADR® AI platform, which is designed to harness the power of AI in uncovering biomarkers and efficacy-associated signatures of XCE853 across various solid tumors.
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Janssen-Cilag Looks to Expand European Usage Rights
to Include Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease
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Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen-Cilag International, has applied to the European Medicines Agency to expand TREMFYA® (guselkumab) usage for treating Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease in adults. This submission, supported by data from Phase 3 QUASAR and GALAXI programs, highlights significant symptom and disease activity improvements.
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EisnerAmper Earns 2024 Top Workplaces Award
for Excellent Company Culture
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EisnerAmper has received the prestigious "2024 Top Workplaces Culture Excellence" recognition from Energage, celebrating its commitment to fostering a positive workplace culture in leadership, innovation, purpose, values, and work-life flexibility. Maureen Paradine, EisnerAmper's Partner and Chief People Officer, expressed gratitude for the honor, highlighting the collective effort of the HR team and colleagues in creating a culture of belonging.
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JPS Research & Quality Symposium Aims to Raise Clinical Standards in North Texas and Around the World
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The JPS Health annual Research & Quality Symposium is a free event hosted by JPS Office of Clinical Research, Quality Division, and Academic Affairs. Celebrating innovations in the fields of clinical healthcare research and quality, the event features networking, an abstract showcase, dinner, keynote speakers, prize giveaways, and the presentation of all Academic Excellence Awards.
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JPS Health Launches Community Healthcare Initiative
for Tarrant County Musicians
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A new initiative called Sound Care, a collaboration between JPS Health Network and Hear Fort Worth is offering income-based access to healthcare for musicians and music industry workers in Tarrant County. This program provides preventive care and treatment for individuals and their families as they pursue their music careers in North Texas. Qualified individuals can access a range of services, including physicals, screenings, and blood work, with the option for family members to see a physician or nurse practitioner at any JPS Health Network location in Tarrant County.
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Dallas College Wildfire Emergency Response Project
Named Finalist in National Innovation Challenge
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The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), with the National Science Foundation (NSF), has unveiled the 12 finalist teams for the upcoming Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC). Dallas College earned a spot among this year's finalists after garnering attention with its 'Autonomous Monitoring for Blaze Emergency Response' (AMBER) project, which introduces an early detection system utilizing infrared cameras and sensors to notify farmers and authorities of fire risks to enable rapid response measures, minimize damage, and ensure safety all while preserving vital agricultural land.
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Tarleton State Scientists Selected by NASA
for CUBE Satellite Space Experiments
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The Tarleton State University Mayfield College of Engineering has secured a spot in NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI), offering students a chance to conduct space experiments in space. Tarleton is the sole Texas university selected for the University Nanosatellite Program (UNP). The initiative strengthens NASA’s and the nation’s future workforce, and develops innovative technology partnerships among NASA, U.S. industry and other sectors for the benefit of agency programs and projects.
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UTA Research Prodigy Stakes Claim in Neurogenetics
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(left and right) Hannah Selvarathinam and Dr. Piya Ghose, PhD, MS
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As an undergraduate in the Honors College, Hannah Selvarathinam has a history with UTA Associate Professor of Biology, Piya Ghose. Under Ghose, Selvarathinam focused on the genetics of cell death in the roundworm c. elegans, leading to her thesis and a new peer-reviewed publication on brain health and behavior. Leveraging genetic similarities in worms and humans, she investigated a link between schizophrenia and neurodegenerative diseases through worm behavior, revealing insights into potential parallels with human brain disorders.
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UTA Contributes to Groundbreaking Research: IceCube Collaboration Explores Quantum Gravitational Effects
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A new study in Nature Physics by researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington reports on a deep new probe into the interface between quantum and high-energy physics at the south pole. For the experiment, Dr. Brian Jones, PhD, and graduate students Akshima Negi and Grant Parker joined more than 300 scientists from around the U.S., as well as Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and the UK.
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FoodiFy Claims Top Prize at UT Dallas Big Idea Competition
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(from left to right) Ananya Sammidi, Ralph Yongoueth, Zebedee Uyanwune, Anisha Holla, Asad Moulvi, Aditi Mungale, Sahil Patel, Andrew Denton, and Rick Tett
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The University of Texas at Dallas' Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) recently hosted its annual Big Idea Competition, akin to "Shark Tank." This year's event featured seven competitors, with guest judges empowered for the first time to allocate prize money. Anisha Holla, a psychology senior, emerged victorious in the student category with FoodiFy, a digital platform connecting social media influencers with restaurant owners. Anisha plans to expand FoodiFy beyond its current 25 restaurant partnerships in North Texas, targeting $1.5 million in revenue this year and aiming for nationwide growth.
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UNT Health Science Center Faculty Secure Patents
for Novel Cancer Treatment Development Methods
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(from left to right) Dr. Kyle Emmitte, PhD and Dr. Jin Liu, PhD
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Dr. Kyle Emmitte and Dr. Jin Liu of The University of North Texas Health Science Center collaborated on a cancer treatment project, resulting in a patented molecular design methodology. Combining wet lab chemistry with molecular modeling and supported by former faculty member Jack Wang, the pair developed innovative anti-cancer molecules recently published in the British Journal of Cancer.
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UTSW Develops Genomic Assay to Predict Breast Cancer Immunotherapy Response for Patients
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UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers, as reported in Cell Reports Medicine, have developed a tool to predict breast cancer patients' response to immunotherapies by analyzing gene expression in cell mixtures from biopsies, with Assistant Professor Isaac Chan emphasizing the importance of understanding tumor cellular composition for improving immunotherapy efficacy and highlighting the role of natural killer (NK) cells in fighting cancer, identifying reprogrammed NK cells in breast tumors as having therapeutic targeting potential and offering insights for improving patient outcomes.
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VaLogic Streamlines Regulatory Compliance
to Maximize Research & Innovation
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VaLogic is an invaluable partner in GxP compliance, offering a wide range of services including calibration, commissioning, qualification, validation (CQV), environmental monitoring, and certification. For 20 years, the veteran-owned company has specialized in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and life sciences. Boasting successful partnerships with over 400 biotech companies, building relationships with clients and scaling needs based on individual facility capabilities, VaLogic will be spreading its reach to the Dallas-Fort Worth area this year.
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FUNDING & MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
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CPRIT Funding Programs Drive Cancer Research,
Product Development & Prevention
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Through these funding programs and opportunities, CPRIT grows the cancer-fighting ecosystem across Texas, providing life-extending results, and tangible economic benefits throughout the State.
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SEED Awards
This award funds early-stage development of oncology therapeutics, devices, diagnostics, or tools, aiming to advance promising technologies toward commercial viability. Applicants should have identified a novel technology, conducted preliminary safety testing, demonstrated manufacturing feasibility, assessed the business opportunity, and established a company.
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Texas Diagnostic and Devices Company Awards
This award covers areas such as cancer detection, diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring, including companion diagnostics. Applicants should have developed commercial prototypes or assays validated for human samples. Funding supports preclinical proof of concept, product validation, manufacturing, and clinical studies to demonstrate safety and efficacy.
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Texas New Technologies
Company Awards
This award supports ongoing research and development of new cancer detection, diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring, or treatment technologies. Created by CPRIT, it funds projects that don't fit into other CPRIT Product Development Research RFAs. Proposals may include bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, radionuclide production, cell-based therapy manufacture, sample quality improvement processes, and therapeutic biomanufacturing. Companies may use CPRIT funds for preclinical proof of concept, product validation, design, manufacturing, development, and clinical studies with appropriate justification.
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Texas Therapeutics Company Awards
This award funds ongoing research and development of innovative products, services, and infrastructure with significant potential for patient care. Typically, companies at this stage have identified lead compounds, demonstrated efficacy in animal models, completed pilot toxicology studies, established scalable manufacturing processes, and identified prototype formulations. Funding supports preclinical proof of concept studies, manufacturing development, GLP safety studies for INDs, Phase 1 trials for safety and dose determination, and Phase 2 studies for safety and efficacy evaluation in initial patient populations.
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PRO-FORMA Pitch Competition Offers Chance at Grand Prize
Applications due May 23, 2024
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Pro-FORMA has opened applications for their virtual pitch competition. All startups are welcome to apply. Applicants receive a Capital raise forecast, Investability score, and more. Companies that selected to the final round will win a cash prize and the opportunity to pitch to Eagle Venture Fund.
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The Hill Prizes
Recognizing Life Science Innovators & High-Impact Research
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Generously funded by Lyda Hill Philanthropies, the Hill Prizes aim to accelerate groundbreaking research ideas with high potential for real-world impact. These prizes celebrate the achievements of top innovators and researchers in Texas, spanning six categories: Medicine, Public Health, Engineering, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Technology. Each recipient of the prize will be awarded $500,000 in funding to further their work and drive innovation.
Applications due May 31, 2024
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PLMC 2024 Introduces Poster Presentations to Highlight Innovative Pharma Logistics Research
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PLMC 2024 is thrilled to unveil Poster Presentations as a new highlight of the event, providing a platform for researchers to showcase innovative studies in Pharma Logistics. Led by Prof. Roel Gevaers of the University of Antwerp, the addition aims to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among industry professionals and academics. Researchers are encouraged to submit abstracts covering topics such as pharmaceutical supply chain optimization, economic implications, innovative engineering solutions, regulatory challenges, sustainability considerations, technological advancements, risk management, patient-centric approaches, and data analytics in pharmaceutical distribution. This initiative promises to enrich dialogue and contribute to advancements in pharmaceutical logistics.
Abstracts due June 1, 2024
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National Science Foundation Expands Funding Opportunity
to Bolster Regional Innovation Engines
LOI due June 18, 2024
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The U.S. National Science Foundation announced a funding opportunity to invest in a new set of NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) across the U.S. In January, NSF announced the 10 inaugural NSF Engines, and the latest opportunity looks to build upon that investment, pending congressional appropriations.
The initial NSF Engines announcement represented one of the single largest broad investments in place-based research and development in the nation's history — uniquely placing science and technology leadership as the central driver for regional economic competitiveness. This latest funding opportunity advances the bipartisan priorities outlined in the "CHIPS and Science Act of 2022," which authorized the NSF Engines program.
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Chiesi Rare Disease Golden Ticket Competition
Applications due June 30, 2024
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The Chiesi Golden Ticket Competition awards startups and companies 2 (two) Golden Tickets to a US BioLabs site. Each Golden Ticket provides one year of fully paid individual bench space and membership at a fully equipped laboratory designed to accelerate early-stage startup working on research and development in the gene editing and/or relevant viral and non-viral delivery technologies, for treating rare hematology, immunology, ophthalmology, dermatology, inborn errors of metabolism or metabolic diseases.
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Upcoming Events & Opportunities
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Pitch Practice: Mock Investor Interview Session
Join Techstars for an interactive live pitch deck review session designed to help you refine and perfect your pitch deck. This one-hour session on Zoom is the perfect opportunity for founders eager to capture the essence of their startups and present it in a way that resonates with investors.
May 14, 2024 | Online
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Demystifying AI by Microsoft
Join HBA for an engaging virtual panel discussion as they unravel the complexities surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI) with insights from Microsoft experts.
May 15, 2024 | Online
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What Impact for Life Sciences?
Join MyData-TRUST to learn how does the AI Act affects the Life Sciences Industry.
May 16, 2024 | Online
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The Future of Healthcare through Engineering Innovation
Join the Gwen Lily Foundation to explore how engineering is reshaping healthcare through technology. Learn about its impact on patient outcomes, medical processes, and future career paths, and discover how you can contribute to this evolving field.
May 16, 2024 | Online
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I2SL Quarterly Lager & Learn
Join I2SL to connect with industry experts and learn in a relaxing and friendly atmosphere, and gain insights on the latest technology in energy recovery systems to improve sustainability in your laboratory and manufacturing facilities.
May 16, 2024 | Grapevine, TX
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Inaugural Neuroscience Symposium
Join Texas Health Resources for the Inaugural Neuroscience Symposium at the Arlington Hilton Hotel for an exploration of continuing education in the field.
May 17, 2024 | Arlington, TX
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WISH Network Series
Join Health Wildcatters to connect and support women in science and healthcare who have an interest in starting an entrepreneurial venture.
May 20, 2024 | Dallas, TX
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Demystifying Bioinformatics
An exploration of bioinformatics analysis with a user-friendly point-and-click interface, pre-installed reference data, and out-of-the-box workflows.
May 22, 2024 | Dallas, TX
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Health Supernova
Join Health Wildcatters to connect and support women in science and healthcare who have an interest in starting an entrepreneurial venture.
May 23, 2024 | Dallas, TX
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LP-184 in Pancreatic Cancer and Other Solid Tumors
Join Igor Astsaturov, MD and Kishor Bhatia, PhD to explore the science of pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors, why they can be difficult to diagnose and treat, and how these tumors are responding to LP-184.
May 29, 2024 | Dallas, TX
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The iC³ Life Science Summit: 10 Years of Innovation
October 3, 2024 - October 4, 2024
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This year's 10th annual BioNTX iC³ Life Science Summit will provide dynamic platform and a gorgeous setting for the North Texas bioscience community to share insightful discussion, cutting-edge research, and emerging technologies set to revolutionize the future of healthcare and biomedicine. With a new, international focus; the 2024 iC³ Life Science Summit is proud to welcome the global life science community to North Texas.
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Tech Transfer Showcase Applications Open!
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Applications for the BioNTX University Tech Transfer Showcase opening soon!
The Tech Transfer Showcase at the iC³ Life Science Summit provides founders with an opportunity to present innovative intellectual property to a select audience of investors and industry leaders, opening doors to potential collaborations and funding opportunities. Become part of the growing legacy of North Texas Life Sciences and apply to present your company!
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We Thank You for Your Membership & Support
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