Montgomery College will host a new wave of MC Biotech Fall Industry Days this season, bringing life sciences companies onto campus and into conversation with both students and industry professionals. These no-charge events offer companies a chance to showcase their technology and discuss their science with customers, industry professionals and students. They also provide a great opportunity to recruit talent and deepen local ties with the community.
Companies interested in hosting an Industry Day should contact Mark Nardone (mark.nardone (at) biotrac.com) to schedule a session on campus.
Earlier this fall, MC hosted BD Biosciences on September 11 and Beckman Coulter Life Sciences on October 2, signaling strong momentum. Beckman Coulter, in a social media post, invited attendees to a “live demo of a new lab automation instrument” during its visit.
BD Biosciences has run similar regional educational tours—such as its BD Horizon NEXT events—to engage researchers on spectral flow cytometry methods. That kind of technical depth aligns well with Montgomery College’s hands-on biotechnology curriculum, which integrates theory and lab practice to mirror real research environments. Beckman Coulter, meanwhile, is a major player in diagnostics, instrumentation, and automation platforms—making it a compelling draw for students and local labs.
In the minds of participating companies, Industry Days serve several strategic objectives:
- Brand visibility and credibility. Showcasing instruments, software, or workflows on campus elevates recognition among emerging scientists.
- Talent pipeline development. Engaging directly with students helps companies identify promising candidates before they graduate.
- Community ecosystem building. In a region often dubbed “DNA Valley,” bridging institutions, federal labs, and private firms is essential to sustaining growth.
MC is already positioning its biotech programs as anchor elements in that regional ecosystem. Its BioTrain initiative delivers free workshops and short courses for current or prospective biotech workers, teaching industry-relevant techniques and regulatory awareness. Its Bio-Trac partnership offers graduate/postgraduate lab training with instructors drawn from research institutes and industry. Their list of hands-on workshops include:
In addition to BD and Beckman Coulter, MC has shared that future industry days will feature ProAnalytics LLC on October 22 and Evident Scientific on November 4. The college also plans a Chesapeake Cyto Symposium later in the fall (date TBA).
Fall 2025 Industry Day schedule:
These events are free to host, though registration is required for attendees. Companies that wish to present on campus should reach out to Mark Nardone to reserve a slot and coordinate logistics.
Earlier this year Bio-Trac also hosted the 6th Annual Spatial Biology & Multi-Omics Symposium which brought together together top minds in pathology, spatial biology, multiplex immunofluorescence, AI, and translational medicine to explore the latest breakthroughs in predictive and prognostic models. It’s another example of how Bio-Trac and Montgomery College have developed an epicenter where technology, science and industry exploration happen.
Highlights of the symposium include:
– 3 Keynotes from global leaders including BostonGene, Harvard Medical School & University of Queensland
– 7 Sessions spanning biomarker discovery, AI/ML applications, validation, clinical translation & regulatory considerations
– 20+ Presenters from NIH, Yale, Johns Hopkins, Broad Institute, Icahn School of Medicine, and more.
– Company speakers from Leica Biosystems, Bruker, Elucidate Biotechnologies, Lunaphore and Vizgen.
Montgomery College continues to expand its footprint in regional biotech workforce development. Its Biotech Boot Camp, a free, industry-reviewed training program preparing participants for entry-level roles, was recently profiled in BioBuzz. In that coverage, the boot camp reported a 65–70 % placement rate and emphasized that “we are giving graduates the tools and connections needed to launch their career in biotech.”
For companies, participating in Industry Days offers a low-barrier way to engage early talent, showcase capabilities, and strengthen local visibility in Montgomery County’s growing life sciences cluster. Whether your organization is large or emerging, MC’s platform presents an opportunity to participate in talent ecosystem building without financial cost.
Be part of the conversation, presence, and pipeline that grow this region’s biotech future.
