Entrepreneurs, investors, research scientists, service providers and聽the public interested in technology companies that develop products to improve people鈥檚聽lives and health gathered at the Arkansas Life Sciences Summit聽on October 19, 2016聽in聽Conway.
The event showcased presentations from 14 of the fastest-growing technology聽companies with research and innovation in the life sciences conducted at Arkansas聽universities and private companies. These companies include medical devices, drug discovery, diagnostics, biotechnology,聽natural products and agriculture sciences. There were also聽breakout sessions focused聽on specific challenges faced by life sciences companies.
The summit was聽organized and hosted by UAMS BioVentures of the University of聽Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and was聽held at the University of Central聽Arkansas.
Among the presenting companies were聽Nushores Biosciences, BiologicsMD, Infinite聽Enzymes LLC, EZRA Innovations, Stage I Diagnostics, Burke Therapeutics LLC,聽Invotek, BioBotic Solutions, Now Diagnostics, Phyzit, and TiFiber.
The keynote speaker was Patrick Plues, vice president of state government affairs for the聽Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). At BIO, he is responsible for executing a聽comprehensive state government relations strategy in all 50 states to create a positive聽business environment for the biopharmaceutical industry. He also gave a聽presentation on聽the outlook for biotechnology and life sciences regionally, nationally and globally.
Summit sponsors were聽Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield, Arkansas Capital Corp., Conway聽Chamber of Commerce, Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center,聽University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, University of Arkansas at Little Rock,聽Arkansas State University, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville and Arkansas Children鈥檚聽Research Institute.