Supporting Student Learning and
a Growing Biotechnology
Industry Simultaneously
STEM Tech, Kansas City MO
Richard Norris, Director CPLS
Elizabeth Boedeker, CRO Coordinator
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Bio-Bench Contract
Research Organization
What are we?
• Research for hire
– Academic institutions
– Local area start up companies
• Additional training for our students
– Internship opportunities within the CRO
What are we?
Research for hire
-Local area start up companies
-BRDG Park
-HELIX
Additional training for our students
-Internship opportunities within the CRO
-Assigned to CRO Partners
Benefits are more one sided
• Of more benefit to the company
• Of more benefit to the college
– Internal projects
Chaumette Vineyard
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
• Hank Johnson/Oliver Yu
• Biofermentation
• Optimization of yeast culture growth
• Use of facilities and equipment
– Provide their own workers
Advantage: company
STLCC Faculty Project
• Very interesting
– Not well studied
– Rare bleeding disorder
• Potentially could result in
several scientific publications
• Development of clinical diagnostic test?
Advantage: college/students
STLCC Aquaponics Project
• Combine fish and plant growth
• Health of fish of promenant importance
• Overlaps our BRDG Park and main campus
– Fish maintenance at FV
– Diagnostics at BRDG Park
• PCR optimization and assay
Advantage: college/students
Benefits are BALANCED
• Company benefits
• College / students benefit
Several Types of CRO Partners
• Well-established companies
– Usually small to medium
– Have resources available
• Lab facilities
• Personnel
Phycal – Algae Company
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Provide Internships after convincing!
1 intern to start
Currently 3 interns
Some funding delays
– Continue with projects
– Minimized impact
Advantage: college/students and company!
Several Types of CRO Partners
• Small start-up companies
– Extremely limited resources
– Limited lab facilities if any
– NO $$
• Proof of concept
BioGlow
BioGlow
• Lab use agreement
• Example to our students
• Frequently in lab with students
Advantage: Company and students
Electrochaea
• Very small start up
• Lab use agreement with us
– Only lab space they had
• 4 interns trained
– Biotechnology
– Engineering
• 1 hired full-time
Advantage: college/students and company!
TrophoMax
• Largest impact (both)
• Lab use agreement with us
• Only lab space they had
• Senior Scientist to oversee work (recommend)
TrophoMax -interns
• 3 interns assigned initially
– Biotechnology
– Horticulture
• Great experience
– Deadlines and their importance
– Data
• Proper collection
• documentation
TrophoMax
• Hit milestones they would not have otherwise
• Moving into next phase
– Lab space in building
– Hiring of intern (1) full time
• Huge advocates for us
Advantage: college/students and company!
Vantage Links
• Spin-off company
• ELISA-based
• Human diagnostic testing
• If had student, would assign!!
Orion Systems West
• Join in January 2013
• Short microbiology applications
• 6 month, but maybe longer
Laughlin Consulting
• Working to establish
• Need to get a senior scientist to oversee
Helix Center
• Coordinate with core there
• Work to get interns assigned over there
• Need more interns!!
Future directions-all intertwined
• Expanding
– Engineering
– Horticulture
– Biotechnology
– BUSINESS