Weekly Quick Hits (BHCR) – Week of October 9, 2023

By Sam Hopkins | October 13, 2023

Quick Hits is BioBuzz’s weekly round up of all the life science news you don’t want to miss, in your region of interest. Don’t miss a beat; SUBSCRIBE to our weekly Quick Hits newsletter via LinkedIn (BioHealth Capital Region, Greater Philadelphia, Research Triangle Park) or get it delivered to your inbox every week.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore this week advocated for the direct linkage of policy to economic activity in a fireside chat on the life sciences at the University of Maryland BioPark. He pointed to asset identification and specific investment decisions that lead to local victories and industrial leadership–that’s the exact goal of the BMoreBio initiative. As Gov. Moore observed, the “peanut butter politics,” of spreading money around evenly will not make Maryland, or the broader BioHealth Capital Region, win. In Virginia, Sen. Mark Warner highlighted the strength of regional companies that innovate at the junction between federally-identified large-scale needs and innovation that drives biotech company growth. That focus on unique regional strengths is our focus every week at BioBuzz. 

As a final and related note, the Maryland Manufacturing 4.0 Grant Application deadline is Wednesday, October 18! Life science companies are strongly encouraged to apply. More here.

Funding, Awards and Collaborations 

What Startups Say About the Maryland Biotech Investment Tax Credit and Why You Should Care

BIITC builds on Maryland’s solid and enviable foundation of world-class institutions, helping bring humanity more benefits from the lab bench to the patient bedside. BioBuzz took a deep dive into the impact of the program on several companies, the specific impact in the Frederick region, and the progress the state is making to enhance the program and boost participation. 

NSF Awards 3 Grants to Montgomery College Teams

National Science Foundation funding will boost career-oriented learning opportunities at Montgomery College (MC) with $3.24 million in grants. EmpowerED will improve links between the MC biotechnology program and area and regional employers. The Achieving Upward Socio-Mobility project and Democratizing Research and Experiential Education for Microelectronics focus on other STEM fields. 

Alliance for Pediatric Device Innovation announces MedTech Color edition of “Make Your Medical Device Pitch For Kids!”™

The Alliance for Pediatric Device Innovation (APDI), the federally funded consortium led by Children’s National Hospital, is joining MedTech Color for a special edition of the “Make Your Medical Device Pitch for Kids!”™ competition focused on supporting African American and Hispanic innovators. 

JHU-Purdue Spinout Neurava Finalist at 2023 MedTech Innovator

The Johns Hopkins and Purdue University spinout focuses on the development of wearable devices to prevent Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy, or SUDEP. Neurava is based in Indianapolis, Indiana and its Chief Scientific Officer is Pedro Irazoqui, JHU Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. MedTech Innovator presented the $25,000 grant to Neurava at the AdvaMed MedTech Conference. 

Technical.ly Highlights Q3 Funding for Greater D.C.’s Georgiamune, Parker Health, Remedy Plan, Affect Tx

Technical.ly published its roundup of PitchBook’s joint report with the National Venture Capital Association which includes several successful capital raises for D.C.-area life science companies.  

Company Updates 

2020 BioBuzz Award Winners: Where are they now?

With nominations now open for BioBuzz’s 2023 Annual Awards, we’re taking a look back at the previous winners to see where they are now. We took a look at the group that started it all.

Regulatory and Advocacy

MD Governor Wes Moore Discusses State Life Science Industry at UMB BioPark

On October 11, University of Maryland, Baltimore President Bruce E. Jarrell moderated a fireside chat with Gov. Wes Moore and Biotechnology Innovation Organization CEO Rachel King at the University of Maryland BioPark on Maryland’s Life Sciences Industry. The full video and transcript are available here: Life Science Fireside Chat. 

VA Sen. Mark Warner Tours Inflammatory Disease Company ReAlta

Highlighting the special crossover in the BioHealth Capital Region sphere between military and federal development of treatments that help battlefield personnel and civilians, Sen. Warner lauded Norfolk’s ReAlta for its work on acute inflammatory and rare diseases during a visit to company HQ. 

People on the Move

Have You Met Our Board of Buzz? The Buzz on the BioHealth Capital Region’s New Board 

Months in the making, BioBuzz announced the establishment of its inaugural Board of Buzz for the BioHealth Capital Region (Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia) last month. This milestone marks a pivotal moment in BioBuzz’s history, enhancing our unwavering commitment to community, connectivity, and delivering an unmatched experience across the career path of life science professionals.