BIO Alabama event to highlight economic development, cutting-edge research and capital access

BIO Alabama’s virtual conference, “Connecting the Alabama Bioscience Community,” taking place Oct. 5-9, features keynote speakers former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin, Newmark Knight Frank Vice Chairman Bob Hess, U.S. Sen. Doug Jones and BIO President and CEO Michelle McMurry-Heath.

“A global pandemic made science, specifically bioscience, an overnight media sensation and the #ALBioTech community has responded rapidly with jaw-dropping innovation,” said Sonia Robinson, BIO Alabama executive director. “Beyond COVID-19, our researchers, scientists and business leaders bring the same sense of urgency to solving the world’s most challenging health and environmental problems.”

Robinson said the conference is ideal for bioscience professionals at any professional level, as well as economic developers, investors, students, media and industry stakeholders and supporters. The conference will provide an opportunity to connect one-on-one and network with other attendees. Interested attendees can register online.

Throughout the conference, online attendees will hear from thought leaders who will discuss topics relevant to the Alabama bioscience community, McMurry-Heath said. The lineup of more than 60 speakers includes top corporate executives, elected officials and economic and health care experts from Alabama State University, Auburn University, the University of Alabama and UAB.

Sessions on the opening day include “Biopharma’s response to a pandemic” and “Made in Alabama: How Alabama’s manufacturers play a major role in the global supply chain.” For a complete agenda of each day, visit the BIO Alabama website. All sessions will be streamed via Zoom and payments will be accepted through PayPal.

BIO Alabama is the leading advocate for Alabama’s bioeconomy, Robinson said. The nonprofit professional membership group promotes the intellectual and innovative capital that make the state a premier place to invest, start and grow in bioscience. BIO Alabama is the state affiliate of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and represents five core sectors: drugs and pharmaceuticals; medical devices and equipment; research Institutes, universities and medical laboratories; biotechnology distribution; and agriculture and chemicals.

Among the scheduled speakers are Greg Barker, president of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama; CerFlux CEO Dr. Karim Budhwani; Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield; Inform Diagnostics COO Darryl Goss; Vitruvias Therapeutics President Roger Graben; Innovation Depot CEO Drew Honeycutt; Acclinate Genetics co-founder Tiffany Jordan; The Written Science CEO Rachel Lane; Category Design Advisors co-founder Kevin Maney; Innovation Portal Executive Director Michelle Parvinrouh; GeneCapture CEO Peggy Sammon; and Reveles Clinical Services President and CEO R’Kes Starling.