Aakha Biologics Secures Key Funding to
Advance Revolutionary Lung Cancer Therapies
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Aakha Biologics' received a seed grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) and a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) signifies a significant boost for their innovative immune therapy targeting advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Their approach, utilizing mono or bispecific antibodies to obstruct a newly validated cancer target on tumor cells and restore immune surveillance, holds promise in mobilizing natural killer (NK) cells and cytotoxic T cells to eliminate tumor cells. The CPRIT grant will fuel IND-enabling studies for AHA-1031, an ADCC-enhanced monospecific antibody, while the SBIR grant will facilitate the development of a groundbreaking bispecific immune cell engager.
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Capital Factory Celebrates Health & Biotech Innovation with
Health SuperNova at Pegasus Park
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The 2024 Health Supernova event was a resounding success. It brought an array of entrepreneurs, life science leaders and innovators alike to Pegasus Park and BioLabs for a day of networking and diverse panels. Title sponsor, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas also shared insights and new perspectives on how insurance companies can serve as a catalyst for innovation.
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Dealmakers Assemble for Polsinelli M&A Conference
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Polsinelli's annual Healthcare Dealmaker's Conference in Dallas was an eye-opening event highlighting the finance and banking industry as a driver of innovation in healthcare and care provisions. With key note speakers from venture capital, private equity and healthcare leaders, the event illustrates the collaboration that heralds innovation in patient care and biotechnology.
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Emerging Biotech Hubs: Dallas Making Waves in Life Sciences
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Several U.S. cities are rising as challengers to traditional biotech hubs like Boston and San Francisco. Dallas, buoyed by UT Southwestern, is making notable strides. Recently designated as a regional hub for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, it has attracted $1.6 billion in venture capital funding and seen a 33% increase in researchers over five years. With investments in infrastructure, business development, and incentives, Dallas is solidifying its position as a rising force in biotech.
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Pogue Family's Donation Transforms Dallas Pediatric Campus
at Children's Health and UT Southwestern
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Children's Health and UT Southwestern Medical Center have received a historic $100 million donation from the Jean and Mack Pogue family for the transformative new Dallas pediatric campus. This contribution, one of only four $100 million philanthropic donations publicly announced in North Texas, will support the replacement of Children’s Medical Center Dallas. Jean Pogue expressed gratitude, stating, “Our family is proud to play a part in helping build the new Dallas pediatric campus."
The 33-acre site for the new campus will be named Pogue Park, featuring green spaces aimed at promoting compassionate healing. Christopher Durovich, President and CEO of Children's Health, emphasized the impact, stating, “Pogue Park will profoundly enhance the patient and family experience, reflecting our mission to make life better for children.”
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TTU Innovation Hub Honored for Excellence
in Communications by InBIA
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Dallas businessman and philanthropist Mike A. Myers has generously donated $2 million to Texas Woman’s stroke center, enabling the expansion of research, patient and family services, and inter-professional training opportunities. In recognition of this transformative gift, the Texas Woman’s University System Board of Regents renamed the center the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center. This significant contribution will empower the center to provide neuro-rehabilitative support to more individuals and families, particularly those from bilingual backgrounds and those who are uninsured or underinsured. Myers' donation will enhance operations, including the addition of bilingual clinicians, expanded services such as hearing assessments, and improved treatment for feeding and swallowing issues.
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$2 Million Donation Set to Transform
Texas Woman’s Stroke Center
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Dallas businessman and philanthropist Mike A. Myers has generously donated $2 million to Texas Woman’s stroke center, enabling the expansion of research, patient and family services, and inter-professional training opportunities. In recognition of this transformative gift, the Texas Woman’s University System Board of Regents renamed the center the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center. This significant contribution will empower the center to provide neuro-rehabilitative support to more individuals and families, particularly those from bilingual backgrounds and those who are uninsured or underinsured. Myers' donation will enhance operations, including the addition of bilingual clinicians, expanded services such as hearing assessments, and improved treatment for feeding and swallowing issues.
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University of North Texas Professors
Secure NSF CAREER Grant
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Three assistant professors from the University of North Texas' College of Engineering and College of Science have secured over $1.8 million in grants from the NSF’s Faculty Early Career Development Program.
The prestigious NSF CAREER award is given to tenure-track faculty with significant scholarly impact. UNT now has 25 researchers who have earned this award. The recent recipients, Yuan Li (physics), Xiao Li (materials science and engineering), and Yuanxi Wang (physics), will use their grants over the next five years to explore liquid crystals, nucleation and growth of inorganic species, supermassive black holes, and molecular defects in solid materials for quantum devices.
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Scorpius Holdings Expands Operational Footprint with New Storage and Testing Facility in San Antonio
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Scorpius Holdings Inc., a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), is expanding its presence in San Antonio, Texas, with a new storage and testing facility. This expansion, increasing warehouse space from 3,000 to 22,000 square feet, meets growing demand for biomanufacturing services. The facility, surpassing industry standards, includes specialized storage areas for raw materials and a robust stability program, enhancing Scorpius' capabilities and market position.
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UNT HSC Connects Minority Students with Resources to Succeed
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Owen Saenz, a fourth-year student at Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, has been awarded the prestigious $10,000 ElevateMeD scholarship for his exceptional leadership and community service. As president of TCOM's Latino Medical Student Association and co-director for LMSA Southwest Region, Saenz exemplifies dedication to empathy in medicine.
Despite Latinos comprising 40.2% of Texas's population, they account for only 11.3% of the state's active physicians. Nationally, they represent just 7% of physicians and 9% of healthcare practitioners.
ElevateMeD, partnered with TCOM since January 2024, empowers aspiring physicians through financial support and mentorship, aiming to diversify and strengthen the medical field.
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UT Arlington Recognized for Academic Excellence in Biology
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Thirteen students at The University of Texas at Arlington are being honored for their exceptional achievements in academics, research, mentoring, and teaching. These awards are based on student submissions and faculty nominations, evaluated by a committee of biology faculty members.
Melissa Walsh, who led the selection committee, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, "It's incredibly fulfilling to acknowledge the potential of the next generation of biologists. I eagerly anticipate witnessing the future accomplishments of these students as they progress in their research endeavors and professional paths."
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UTD Professor Secures DARPA Director’s Fellowship for
Cutting-Edge UAV Wireless Power Transfer
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Thirteen students at The University of Texas at Arlington are being honored for their exceptional achievements in academics, research, mentoring, and teaching. These awards are based on student submissions and faculty nominations, evaluated by a committee of biology faculty members.
Melissa Walsh, who led the selection committee, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, "It's incredibly fulfilling to acknowledge the potential of the next generation of biologists. I eagerly anticipate witnessing the future accomplishments of these students as they progress in their research endeavors and professional paths."
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Dr. Ifana Mahbub (left) and her team of researchers are developing wireless technology to recharge unmanned aerial vehicles in flight. From second left are electrical engineering doctoral students Adnan Patwary and Rafsan Mahin, and Dr. Sunanda Roy, an electrical and computer engineering researcher.
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UT Southwestern Study Unveils AI's Precision
in Analyzing Medical Charts for Clinical Research
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A recent study by UT Southwestern Medical Center, published in NPJ Digital Medicine, found that ChatGPT, an AI chatbot, excels at analyzing medical charts for clinical research. This AI efficiently extracts data from physicians' notes, potentially expediting research and enhancing clinical decision-making aids.
Dr. Yang Xie, the study's lead author and Associate Dean of Data Sciences, emphasized the significance of converting free-text healthcare data into structured knowledge and underscores UT Southwestern's commitment to advancing medical research through AI technologies.
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David/Yost Group: Pioneering Financial Success in Life Sciences
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At the Davis/Yost Group, their financial professionals help life sciences entrepreneurs and executives achieve their dreams with personalized financial solutions. They specialize in wealth planning, commercial banking, and investment management, addressing the unique challenges of the life sciences industry. Leveraging global resources, they offer advanced strategies and comprehensive services, including asset management, business banking, risk-managed investments, and access to investment bankers. Their mission is to guide life sciences professionals through financial decisions with expertise and dedication, ensuring continued success
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FUNDING & MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
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2024 iC³ Tech Transfer Showcase Application Portal is now OPEN
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The Tech Transfer Showcase at the iC³ Life Science Summit provides a prime opportunity to present your most promising intellectual property to a select audience of industry leaders and investors, opening doors to potential collaborations and funding opportunities.
Submission Guidelines
- Application deadline August 12, 2024 at 11:59 pm
- Open to all university technology transfer offices in Texas
- Two submissions per university campus
- Applications will be reviewed by a panel of industry experts
- The top six applicants will advance to podium pitch at the annual iC3 Summit
- Winning applicants will be paired with an industry mentor to help craft and polish your presentation
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“The Tech Transfer Showcase is an excellent example of how BioNTX is serving Texas universities and creating a strong life science ecosystem across the State of Texas,” said Jennifer Souter, Senior Licensing Associate, Texas Tech Office of Research Commercialization.
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Texas Tech Presidents' Innovative Startup Award
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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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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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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.
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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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2024 BIO International Convention
Join BIO to be apart of the largest event for biotechnology, representing the full ecosystem of biotech with over 20,000 industry leaders from across the globe.
June 3- 6, 2024 | San Diego, CA
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BIO BREAK: Dallas' Life Sciences Happy Hour
Join in celebrating the thriving Life Sciences community of Dallas with McDermott, Deloitte, and BioNTX at BIO BREAK, a monthly happy hour designed for networking and collaboration with fellow industry professionals, exchange ideas, and foster new connections.
June 6, 2024 | Dallas, TX
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Nutrition, Obesity, & Chronic Disease Prevention
Join Good Days for an educational event to learn solutions for households and healthcare providers to address the impact of obesity on preventable health conditions and the nation’s healthcare systems.
June 13, 2024 | Virtual
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A Bio Future Exploring Innovation in Biotechnology
Join MassChallenge to learn how revolutionizing healthcare to powering sustainable energy solutions, biotechnology is paving the way for transformation across various sectors and industries.
June 13, 2024 | Dallas, TX
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AIM Health R&D Summit
Join Velocity TX to see the cutting-edge research, identify emerging trends and technologies, and network to foster economic development and growth.
June 24, 2024 | San Antonio, TX
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Building a Robust Life Science Ecosystem: The Bridge Between Research, Clinical Trials, & Manufacturing
Join BioNTX for a discussion around how clinical scale manufacturing, clinical research organizations, and patient-engaging clinicians are working together to create more opportunities for life saving cures.
June 26, 2024 | Plano, TX
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Chronic Disease Day Leadership Summit
Join Good Days on July 8, 2024 for a symposium and luncheon which will brings together patient and provider perspectives.
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Celebrating a Decade of Innovation and Excellence in North Texas
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BioNTX is thrilled to announce our 10th Annual iC³ Life Science and Healthcare Innovation Summit, taking place on October 3rd and October 4th at the Arlington Convention Center at the Loews Hotel.
Join us for a two-day event where the most innovative minds from North Texas, the broader Southwest region and across the United States converge. Our Summit offers a vibrant platform for the bioscience and healthcare innovation to engage in thought-provoking discussions, share groundbreaking research, and delve into emerging technologies shaping the future of healthcare and biomedicine.
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Thank you for your support
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Thank You for Your Membership & Support
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