San Antonio bioscience representatives showcased the Alamo City’s growing reputation as a “City of Science and Health” at last week’s BIO International Convention in Atlanta.  The world’s largest biotechnology meeting drew more than 14,000 life science industry professionals, researchers, investors, and suppliers from 58 countries and 48 states. 

As sponsors of the exhibition hall’s BioTexas Pavilion, BioMed SA and The University of Texas System made daily presentations in the pavilion’s live theater on San Antonio-based research, development, and commercialization programs. 

Dr. Ashlesh Murthy’s presentation on “Thinking Outside the Bug” highlighted the joint UTSA / UTHSCSA technology recently licensed by Merck to develop a new vaccine against chlamydia.  Dr. Murthy is a research assistant professor in UTSA’s South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases.  Other UT System presenters included Dr. Christine Burke of South Texas Technology Management and Dr. Cory Hallam of UTSA’s Center for Innovation Technology and Entrepreneurship.

Medtronic’s decision to locate its Diabetes Therapy Management and Education Center in San Antonio this summer was cited by BioMed SA President Ann Stevens as evidence that the community’s biomedical growth strategy is working.  Her presentation also highlighted the increasing number of homegrown bioscience companies and medical innovations emanating from San Antonio.

“While the national economy is making it more challenging for biotechnology companies to bring new life-saving therapies to market, we were able to shine a light at BIO on the relative strength of the San Antonio economy and the increasing vibrancy of our local industry,” Stevens said.  Her presentation can be viewed at www.biomedsa.org

The BioTexas Pavilion was organized by the Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute and the Governor’s Office.  Joining BioMed SA in a collective sponsorship of the pavilion were the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation, represented by Vice President Misty Mayo, and the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, represented by Vice President for Public Affairs Joseph Carey. 

Both Carey and Dr. Joe McDonough, Director of Microencapsulation & Nanomaterials at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), delivered live presentations on their organizations’ research assets and capabilities at the BioTexas Pavilion. 

SwRI also had its own booth at the conference, as did Stanbio Life Sciences, a division of Boerne-based Stanbio Laboratory.  Other San Antonio conference attendees included representatives of Bexar County, Aperion Biologics, and Caisson Biotech.