A look back and the way forward

Doctor Cartoon #1602 by Andertoons

Hindsight Cartoon Courtesy of Mark Anderson at Andertoons.

On May 17th, we wrapped another successful AZBio Expo.  Our community came together to share ideas, spotlight technologies, make connections and more.    Over the last two weeks, I have been looking back as I edited hours of great videos that are full of insights shared by leaders from across our community.

The last of the videos is below.  It begins as it should with a note of thanks to everyone who helped us make the AZBio Expo 2012 a great day.  It ends with a look at what comes next as we move forward.  We can learn from hindsight but our forward facing activities require focus on the road ahead and the a driving force to take us there.

In case you missed it, here are the closing remarks from the 2012 AZBio Expo…

 

Looking back, the lesson is that we need to reach more people both here at home and outside of Arizona.  When we get the word out; when we stand out and get noticed, great things can happen. So going forward, how can we best spread the word?

 

We have a lot going on and a lot coming up at AZBio as we move forward faster.

Now is the time to nominate our leading companies and individuals for the AZBio Awards coming up in September 26th.  Nominations close July 15th.

This is about more that just getting nominated or winning.  The AZBio Awards create the opportunity for these companies to tell their story, get noticed and most importantly, get connected to the media and others as the big day approaches.  It’s our way of making sure Arizona Bioscience Innovation is where it deserves to be…in the spotlight.  Learn more at www.AZBioAwards.com.  Please help us aim that spotlight.  Nominate someone!

 

Thanks to a significant investment made on behalf of our industry by the Arizona Commerce Authority, the Arizona Pavilion at the BIO International Convention is something we can all be proud of.  This gives us the ability to showcase what is happening here in our community to the world from June 18th to June 21st.  Here in Arizona we are changing things up and we are making the most of our opportunities in the pavillion.  Our leaders are stepping up to tell our story, including Mara G. Aspinall, President, Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. and Head of Roche Tissue Diagnostics, representatives from the International Genomics Consortium and others.  If you will be at BIO 2012 in Boston, reach out to us so that we can get YOU on  the schedule too.  If you can’t be with us LIVE in Boston, we will have a way for you to tell your story…virtually.

The AZBio Expo Online is being built to showcase the amazing work being done here in Arizona. It will officially launch at the BIO International Convention and be accessible 365 days a year.  The system includes:  Video, Data Sheets, White Papers, Webinar Sessions and more.  This virtual experience brings together a cross section of our AZ Bio Industry from universities and institutes to medical device companies and diagnostic companies, as well as drug developers and industrial biotech firms.  Our incubators show how they can help new companies grow.  Our law firms, risk management experts and suppliers share information key to growing businesses, and every panel and presentation from the May 17th AZBio Expo 2012 is just a click away for instant replay.

Our AZBio Expo 2012 Exhibitors already have logins to the new system and are adding in their content now.  You can join them in showcasing what YOU are doing here in Arizona also.  Contact AdvancingBio@AZBio.org for more information and take your place on this virtual stage.

Doing great research and discovering new breakthroughs is not the end of the road, it is the beginning of the journey.  Moving forward faster means getting the word out, finding new partners to work with, and sharing what you have developed with the world so that it can make a difference.  Creating impact starts with making connections and AZBio and the AZBio Expo Online can help you do just that.

So are you ready to connect with the world?  The doors open June 18th, but this is your invitation to come inside and to help us build the virtual experience now.   Won’t you join us?

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As I shared in the video above, none of this is possible without the support of our community.  The video below is in appreciation to the organizations who support AZBio so that we can support you.  Get to know them, they are investing in our success.

Wondering who are the companies that together are AZBio?  Click here to visit the AZBio Member Directory.

SynCardia Wins 2012 Medical Design Excellence Award

Freedom® Portable Driver for Powering SynCardia’s Total Artificial Heart Honored in Critical Care and Emergency Medicine Category

SynCardia Systems, Inc., the privately-held manufacturer of the world’s first and only FDA, Health Canada and CE (Europe) approved Total Artificial Heart, announced today that the company’s Freedom® portable driver, the world’s first wearable power supply for the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart, was selected as the Bronze Winner in the Critical Care and Emergency Medicine category of the 2012 Medical Design Excellence Awards (MDEA) on May 23 in Philadelphia.

“It is an honor to have the premier competition for medical device design and innovation recognize the achievements of our Freedom portable driver,” said Michael Garippa, SynCardia Chairman/CEO/President. “For the first time in U.S. history, the Freedom portable driver is allowing stable patients without human hearts to leave the hospital and resume their lives at home while they wait for a matching donor heart. The Freedom driver is pivotal in the Total Artificial Heart becoming the new standard of care for end-stage biventricular heart failure.”

Weighing 13.5 pounds, the Freedom portable driver is designed to be worn by the patient in the Freedom Backpack or Shoulder Bag. The Freedom driver is CE approved for use in Europe and undergoing an FDA-approved Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) clinical study in the U.S. More than 80 patients worldwide have been supported by the Freedom driver, accounting for more than 30 patient years of support.

MDEA entries were evaluated on the basis of their design and engineering features, including… read more at SynCardia.com

Bio Applauds EPA for Standing Up For US Biofuel Companies

BIO Applauds EPA’s Rejection of a Petition to Retroactively Waive the 2011 Renewable Fuel Standard

WASHINGTON, May 25, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) — The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) today expressed support for the Environmental Protection Agency’s denial of a January 2012 petition by petroleum industry representatives to retroactively waive the 2011 cellulosic biofuel Renewable Volume Obligation under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Continue reading