BioScience under the Big Sky |
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Please Join us in Welcoming
New Members:
Titin KM Biomedical
Bozeman
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Vibliome Therapeutics
Vibliome Therapeutics in Bozeman reported in July the close of a $22mm financing from its current investors. The company develops small molecule therapeutics for oncology and immunology indications. “This is an exciting validation of our approach to drug development,” said Robert Goodwin, Vibliome’s CEO. “We’re ramping up our efforts, will be filling several new positions this summer, and are looking forward to continuing to develop new medicines for the patients who need them the most.”
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Golden Helix named to 10 Innovative Biotechnology Solution Companies for 2021
July 19, 2021
We are honored to be selected as MirrorReview’s 10 Innovative Biotechnology Solution Companies for 2021. This award would not be possible without the incredible support from our customers and partners. Thank you to our entire community! If you are interested in reading our story, and why we were selected for this award, you can access the publication here: https://www.mirrorreview.com/golden-helix-pioneering-bioinformatics-solutions/.
“Biotechnology has had a major role in evolving the health and medicine industry. In the past 50 years, the industry has led to the discovery of some of the remarkable solutions in history. Recently, The Human Genome Project, which took 13 years and wrapped up ahead of schedule in 2003, is now considered the stepping stone of modern genetic testing. With the rise in the demand for clinical research, solutions like bioinformatics are being sought highly.
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Tonix Pharmaceuticals Announces Results of Pre-IND Meeting with FDA for TNX-102 SL as a Potential Treatment for Long COVID Syndrome, Also Known as Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC)
Press Release
August 24, 2021
Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: TNXP) (Tonix or the Company), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it received the official minutes from a Type B pre-Investigational New Drug Application (IND) meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop TNX-102 SL1 (cyclobenzaprine HCl sublingual tablets) as a potential treatment for Long COVID Syndrome (Long COVID), which is now known officially as Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC2). Tonix believes the minutes provide a path to agreement on the design of a Phase 2 study and the overall clinical development plan to qualify TNX-102 SL as an indicated treatment for a subset of patients affected by Long COVID. Based on the minutes, the Company is planning to submit the IND in the fourth quarter of 2021 to support a Phase 2 study for the management of a subset of Long COVID patients whose symptoms overlap with fibromyalgia.
Seth Lederman, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Tonix, stated, “Long COVID is a new, complex and heterogeneous disorder. Long COVID is a protracted syndrome experienced by many people following SARS-CoV-2 infection that can include a number of persistent disabling symptoms, including fatigue, widespread pain, sleep disturbance, brain fog or difficulty concentrating, arthralgias, diffuse myalgia, olfactory dysfunction, and headache.3 Our Phase 2 study will focus on Long COVID patients whose primary symptoms overlap with fibromyalgia, and, therefore, our Long COVID program leverages what we have learned about the pharmacodynamic activity of TNX-102 SL from more than 1,000 participants who have been or are enrolled in our fibromyalgia trials to date.
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Inimmune receives $1.8 Million Small Business Innovation Research Contract to develop novel treatments targeting Allergic Rhinitis.
September 3, 2021
Inimmune Corporation, a biotechnology company located in Missoula, MT, was recently awarded $1,836,453 from the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II program to advance a new immunotherapeutic for the treatment of seasonal Allergic Rhinitis (AR). AR is a chronic inflammatory disease, characterized with nasal itching, sneezing, rhinorrhea, and nasal obstruction.
The Principle Investigator on this award, Dr. Juhienah Khalaf, is an Investigator and medicinal chemist at Inimmune. Last year through a SBIR Phase I contract from NIAID, Dr. Khalaf and Inimmune successfully established proof-of-principle that Inimmune’s new class of immunotherapeutics are safe and effective for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. In this current Phase II award, Inimmune will accelerate the pre-clinical development toward phase I human clinical trials planned for 2022.
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Billings Clinic participating in early cancer detection and prevention study
$1.2M in federal grant funding provides genetic testing at primary care appointments
There are more than 50 known hereditary cancer syndromes, and 5 to 10 percent of cancers have a hereditary component to them. However, despite this knowledge, testing for these types of cancers in the appropriate populations remains a vastly underused cancer prevention strategy. Cost, testing location, and lack of knowledge on how to get testing are just a few of the barriers that prevent access to this crucial tool that would help identify this risk.
A collaboration between the University of Washington, Billings Clinic, and Multicare Health System in the Seattle, Washington area attempts to address this problem by offering the chance to be assessed for genetic testing at primary care appointments. This population-based approach is an attempt to develop more effective cancer prevention and early detection approaches for people at high risk for cancer in both rural and urban areas.
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Six MSU students awarded medical lab science scholarships
By Reagan Colyer, MSU News Service
July 21, 2021
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Six students and alumni from Montana State University’s Medical Laboratory Sciences professional program were awarded prestigious national scholarships this spring and summer from the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science and the American Society for Clinical Pathology, recognizing their academic merit and professional accomplishments.
Erin Buhler, Michael Foster, Sarah Mad Plume and Jessica Pierce made up four of the 18 Alpha Mu Tau Fraternity Scholarships awarded by the ASCLS, designed to provide funding for students to pursue their academic goals in medical laboratory science. Awards are based on academic performance and range from $1,500 and $2,500. Heather Wilson and Kate Henderson were recognized by the ASCP, which offers awards of up to $1,000.
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Six MSU students won medical laboratory science scholarships this spring. Left to right: Kate Henderson, Jessica Pierce, Heather Wilson, Sarah Mad Plume and Erin Buhler. (Not pictured: Michael Foster.) MSU Photo by Adrian Sanchez Gonzalez |
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New partnership brings $1.8M grant to support mental health care students in Montana
By Emily Schabacker, Billings Gazette
Aug 10, 2021
Montana has been known for persistently high suicide rates that are nearly double the national average. In 2017, an average of 29.7 suicides per 100,000 residents occurred in Montana compared to the national average of 14.5, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. A shortage of mental health providers in rural areas fuels the high suicide rates with 30 out of Montana’s 56 counties having no psychologists to serve their communities, according to 2015 data from the CDC.
Montana State University Billings, Montana State University’s College of Nursing, the Montana Office of Rural Health and Area Education Center and Billings Clinic created a partnership to provide support for students training to be mental health providers in the state. The four-year, $1.8 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration will provide training opportunities and financial support for students working to become psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners, mental health counselors or psychiatrists.
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Montana State University announces $101M gift for College of Nursing
By Mike Kordenbrock , Billings Gazette
August 30, 2021
Montana State University has received a $101 million gift for the MSU College of Nursing. It's the largest gift MSU has ever received.
During an event Monday morning, Montana State University President Waded Cruzado revealed Robyn and Mark Jones to be the donors behind the gift. The Joneses are the founders of Goosehead Insurance. Mark Jones is the chairman and CEO and Robyn is the vice chairman. Forbes has calculated their real time net worth to be $2.9 billion. The couple's primary home is in Texas, but they own a home in Whitefish. The Flathead Beacon reported earlier this summer that the Joneses own 18% of Flathead County's parcels of private land after their purchase of 126,000 acres of forested land west of Kalispell.
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Montana State research expenditures hit all-time high
By Marshall Swearingen, MSU News Service
September 1, 2021
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Montana State University researchers conduct research in a lab that studies enzymes on Feb. 11, 2021 in Bozeman. MSU Photo by Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez |
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For a third year running, Montana State University recorded an all-time high for research expenditures, tallying more than $193 million for the fiscal year ending in June.
That figure marks a 16% increase over the previous year’s total expenditures of $167 million reported to the National Science Foundation and adds to more than a decade of research expenditures topping $100 million, according to Jason Carter, MSU’s vice president for research, economic development and graduate education.
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SpectrUM Awarded $250K to Co-Design Indigenous Science Experiences
September 8, 2021
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The University of Montana spectrUM Discovery Area has received a $250,000 Museums for America project grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. It will fund a three-year project, allowing spectrUM and tribal partners from across Montana to develop inclusive museum experiences that engage visitors with Indigenous science and culture.
Led by spectrUM Director Jessie Herbert-Meny, the project will deepen and explore cross-cultural approaches to science education while embedding Indigenous science and ways of knowing throughout spectrUM’s new museum location at Missoula Public Library.
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Young learners participate in the Science Learning Tent, provided by spectrUM Discovery Area and SciNation, at the Arlee Celebration on the Flathead Reservation. |
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MSU Billings, Montana Tech, University of Montana awarded grant to improve grad student mental health
By Maureen Brakke, director of University Communications & Marketing
September 8, 2021
Montana State University Billings, Montana Tech, and the University of Montana were recently awarded a three-year, $500K grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The grant, Mental Health Opportunities for Professional Empowerment in STEM (HOPES), will allow these institutions to design, pilot, assess, and implement evidence-based, sustainable, and replicable strategies to improve graduate students’ mental health in STEM fields.
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Dr. Sarah Keller and Dr. Jana Marcette |
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This collaborative project is led by Montana Technological University, which has graduate programs predominantly in engineering. MSU Billings brings special expertise in mental health interventions, and the University of Montana provides considerable experience in faculty professional development, along with additional STEM-related graduate programs.
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MSU TechLink wins federal award to continue support of Montana tech startups
By MSU News Service
August 26, 2021
With a new grant, Montana State University’s TechLink Center will continue to help small businesses apply for federal research and development funding to bring their innovative ideas to the marketplace. The $125,000 from the U.S. Small Business Administration will support TechLink’s ongoing assistance to Montana businesses who can benefit from the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, which provide early-stage seed capital to help businesses develop and commercialize new technologies.
“At the end of the day, our small business clients are doing the hard work to bring innovative products to market to address critically important problems facing our nation,” said Ann Peterson, program director for Montana Innovation Partnership, which is housed in TechLink and offers the assistance. “Our role is to help these companies tell their innovation story and navigate the SBIR process to tap into this valuable source of seed funding.”
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MSU team awarded $4 million for second phase of project examining global bat viruses
By Reagan Colyer, MSU News Service
September 20, 2021
A Montana State University-led research group studying viral spillover from bat populations to humans is one of only two teams selected for the second phase of a highly competitive research program funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The program is part of the Preventing Emerging Pathogenic Threats program, or PREEMPT. It seeks to identify mechanisms that let viral threats spill over from animals to humans and to develop countermeasures to stop spillover events before they occur.
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Montana State University researcher Raina Plowright handles a sample in her lab. Plowright is one of the world's leading spillover specialists, and has studied how diseases are passed between animal and human populations for years. |
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Disease ecologist Raina Plowright, an associate professor in the MSU College of Agriculture’s Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, leads the project to determine how and why viruses are passed from bats to humans — and to develop potential interventions. Her project’s Phase II DARPA funding totals over $4 million and follows an initial $10 million grant awarded in late 2018. Since then, Plowright has coordinated an international team of researchers conducting field studies on bats on three continents, examining driving factors such as habitat loss and climate change.
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Continued Growth Shatters UM Record for Research Activity
September 22, 2021
There is more research happening at the University of Montana today than at any point in the flagship institution’s history. For fiscal year 2021, which runs from July to June, UM reported $138 million in research awards. This sizeable increase is 38% larger than the previous year’s record-breaking research intake.
“UM is quickly emerging as a regional research leader,” said Scott Whittenburg, UM vice president for research and creative scholarship and dean of the Graduate School. “This continued growth is driven by students, faculty and staff, who are motivated to solve some of the most pressing challenges facing society. It is exciting for our whole campus that UM remains on the path to achieve a Carnegie Research Very-High Activity, or R1 ranking.”
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Crucial Alzheimer’s research continues at MSU Billings
By Maureen Brakke, director of University Communications & Marketing
September 20, 2021
MSU Billings Assistant Professor Daniel Willems, Ph.D., has been conducting Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research for the past six years. His research is funded through an IDeA Network of Biomedical Research (INBRE) pilot grant and involves a strong collaboration with Montana State University (MSU), Emory University, and the University of Alaska-Anchorage.
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A significant aspect of AD is a remarkable decrease in brain volume. This is particularly intriguing because the human brain is nearly 70% lipid (fat) material. Willems’ research is focused on identifying differences in lipid content between the brains of AD patients and brain tissue from cognitively normal individuals (control samples). Brain tissue samples are sourced from brain banks at Emory University, Oregon State University, and from the ABLE brain bank in Australia.
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Shingrix OK'd For Immunocompromised Adults
— CDC's vaccine committee currently discussing vaccine for this population, manufacturer says
by Zaina Hamza, Staff Writer, MedPage Today
July 26, 2021
FDA expanded the approval of Shingrix, an adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine, for adults at increased risk of shingles due to immunosuppression, manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced on Monday.
The expanded indication is for adults ages 18 and older at a greater risk of shingles due to "immunodeficiency or immunosuppression caused by known disease or therapy." The most common risk factors for shingles are older age and being immunocompromised, according to GSK.
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30-Year NIAID Project Reveals Structures of Infectious Prions
NIAID Now
August 23, 2021
Studying infectious diseases in a research laboratory can be like a family building a jigsaw puzzle at home, though with an infinite number of pieces. Dozens of people will enter and exit the research team over many years, making important contributions to the puzzle but never finding the final piece.
In January 2021, Allison Kraus, Ph.D., found the final piece to learning the molecular structure of an infectious prion—a puzzle that her mentor, Byron Caughey, Ph.D., had started 30 years earlier. Together, they and a broad team of scientists at NIAID’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) in Montana and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Ohio solved the first high-resolution, three-dimensional prion structure. They also obtained unprecedented, but lower resolution, images of another distinct prion strain. Determining prion structures, and their diversity, is fundamental in helping researchers to understand how prion diseases develop, how treatments could be targeted to slow and prevent disease, and how prions compare to proteins that cause related diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
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NIH Museum Honors Montana Spotted Fever Schoolhouse Lab
NIAID Now
September 08, 2021
One of the forerunners to Rocky Mountain Laboratories – the Schoolhouse Lab at Canyon Creek, just west of Hamilton, Montana – is a focal point this month for a new online exhibit from the Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.
For much of the past two years, Michele Lyons, associate director and curator at the NIH Museum, collected and organized historical information and photos to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Montana laboratory that developed a vaccine against Rocky Mountain spotted fever.Though the exact date the Schoolhouse Lab opened isn’t known, it is thought to have been on or about September 20, 1921. Earlier, the researchers had conducted their work in Victor, beginning around 1912. The present RML site in Hamilton opened in May 1928.
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Dr. Ralph Parker peered into his dissecting microscope in his office/laboratory at the Canyon Creek Schoolhouse laboratory, circa 1921. A monocular microscope sat beside him. The laboratory had electricity and large windows for light. The sink was in an indentation in the wall behind him, under a shelf of chemical bottles, with the towels hung on the wall. A map of Rocky Mountain spotted fever’s occurrence sat on a table in the foreground on the right. Image: Rocky Mountain Laboratories, 471 |
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The schoolhouse turned laboratory, circa 1921. Notice the U.S. Public Health Service Laboratory sign. This photo was taken before a fence and animal cages were built. Image: Rocky Mountain Laboratories, 196 |
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The Grand Opening for the new MSU Billings Yellowstone Science and Health Building was held on September 7, 2021 with a large happy outdoor crowd including MSU President Waded Cruzado. A quote from Montana BioScience Alliance Board Member and Dean of the College of Health Professions and Science. “The new building means so much to our faculty and staff who now have state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms to educate and train our students more effectively. Our students will benefit tremendously from this new building well into the future. They will be able to learn cutting edge techniques, participate in new collaborations, partnerships, research projects and internships, which will elevate their MSUB experience and make them more competitive as they pursue further education or enter the workforce. Montana BioScience Alliance has a new office and a new address: Room 212, YSAHB. Special thanks to MSU Billings for including us in the new building.
Congrats to Missoula team: Biotech company Novoron to open Missoula branch in pursuit of cure for spinal injuries. A San Diego-based biotech company this week announced its plans to expand into Missoula, where it looks to open an office and build a team in its pursuit of curing injuries to the central nervous system. Nicole Rush with the Missoula Economic Partnership said investors at Two Bear Capital helped pique the company’s interest in Montana. “They’re opening an office in Missoula, possibly in MonTech,” said Rush. “They have a Montana connection through a funder at Two Bear Capital. I’ve been talking to them (Novoron) over the past month, and they’re highly interested in coming here.” Dr. Travis Stiles, President and CEO of Novoron, described the company as a biotech firm that spun out of the University of California-San Diego. The company is working on ways to regenerate nerves in the spinal cord and treat other disorders in the central nervous system.
The Montana Bioscience Internship and Apprenticeship group met virtually with the AMGEN Foundation to learn about the LabXchange program.
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Montana BioScience Alliance is a supporter of this event. |
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Employment and Funding Opportunities |
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The Montana Bioscience Cluster Initiative 4th F fund
The objective of the 4th “F” Fund (4FF) is to provide direct assistance to Montana Bioscience entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses in need of money for travel to key conferences, small equipment purchases, or temporary staff assistance in relation to proposal development, etc. This fund is designed for maximum flexibility in support of new and established businesses and entrepreneurs in the Bioscience industry.
For the link to the 4th F Fund Application, Click Here!
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Growth Through Agriculture Grant & Loan Program Funding Cycle is Now Open
For more information and the link to the Application, Click Here!
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Careers at Mesa
Our 500+ employees do work that matters in following our purpose Protecting the Vulnerable®, applying our skills in ways that make a positive impact. That work is accomplished by rallying behind Mesa’s vision: a customer-focused, lean-based value system, called The Mesa Way! and is based on four pillars that drive our work every day- Measure What Matters, Empower Teams, Steadily Improve, and Always Learn
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Open Positions:
To find out more about the current open positions and about Mesa Labs, Click Here!
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Careers at Montana Molecular
Montana Molecular develops fluorescent biosensors and reporters for drug discovery and research in living cells. Our products help scientists observe and measure cell processes that are important in maintaining health and treating disease. Our team is focused on creating breakthrough innovations that empower scientists and lead to better therapeutic treatments for disease. The company is committed to building a sustainable biotech industry in the state of Montana, providing good jobs in a safe and healthy environment.
Montana Molecular is growing. We have openings for scientific staff with a desire to bring cutting edge fluorescence technology to the market place. This will involve working with a team to combine experience in molecular biology, live cell imaging and fluorescence microscopy to create new tools for discovery. The people who work here are passionate about science and dedicated to building the next generation of biosensors for drug discovery and cell biology.
Open Positions:
To find out more about the current open positions and about Montana Molecular, Click Here!
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Careers at FYR Diagnostics
FYR Diagnostics is a fast growing Missoula, MT-based biotechnology company developing a powerful portfolio of PCR-focused solutions. FYR Diagnostics’ mission is to commercialize novel detection technologies to help eliminate human suffering by better diagnosing human disease states and to eliminate vast inefficiencies in the agricultural industry.
Those who work with FYR Diagnostics are members of a community that seeks to respect and celebrate all the qualities that make each of us unique. Each of us is empowered to be ourselves within this community, which cultivates and promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion at all levels. FYR Diagnostics is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Workplace and Affirmative Action Employer.
Open Positions:
To find out more about the current open positions, Click Here!
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Careers at BioScience Laboratories
Open Positions:
If you are interested in joining our team, we invite you to take a look at our job listings through Nelson Labs by visiting the Career Page and searching for Bozeman.
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Two Bear Capital provides a job board with the different job openings from
the following companies:
-Expesicor
-FYR Diagnostics
-Inimmune
-pulseData
-Spiral Genetics
-TileDB
-Truwl
-Verafi
-XIX
For Open positions with Companies you'll love to work for, Click Here!
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Work for a great company in beautiful Bozeman, MT
At Golden Helix, we are committed to accelerating ground-breaking research in genetics, drug discovery and predictive analytics, to our purpose of dramatically improving human health, our great culture, personal development, and strong values.
We are always seeking self-motivated individuals who strive for excellence and have the drive to help us on our journey. We offer competitive wages, benefits and the opportunity to live in one of the most beautiful areas in the world.
Open Positions:
-Marketing Coordinator
General Employment Inquiries
Interested in a position that we're not actively hiring? Submit your resume for our files! We will archive your information and if a position becomes available that matches your qualifications, we'll contact you.
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GSK Hamilton
The Hamilton site is located on a 35-acre campus in the heart of the scenic Bitterroot Valley of western Montana. It started in 1981 as Ribi ImmunoChem Research, Inc., a company focused on research and development of vaccine components capable of stimulating the immune system. GSK purchased the site in 2005 to acquire its proprietary adjuvant technology which is used to help make vaccines more effective. GSK Hamilton currently employs over 185 professionals and is expanding its job base with the addition of a new adjuvant manufacturing facility.
To review current openings at the GSK Hamilton (GlaxoSmithKline) site, Click Here!
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2021 FAST Micro-Grants are here!
The Montana Innovation Partnership (MTIP) powered by MSU TechLink Center will utilize some of our 2021 FAST funds to provide financial assistance to Montana small businesses that are actively preparing SBIR/STTR proposals in the federal fiscal year 2021.
MTIP will award 10 FAST Microgrants to eligible SBIR/STTR applicants of up to $1,500 per year. Prospective SBIR/STTR applicants may apply to MTIP to receive Microgrants to attend conferences, travel to speak with agencies or commercialization partners, to acquire consulting services from an approved service provider for assistance with preparation of Phase I or Phase II proposals, to develop supporting project data, and to undertake other activities directly related to their SBIR/STTR proposal.
For more information and to access the application
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Open Solicitations From Techlink and MTIP
Dates are subject to change. Please refer to each agency site for up-to-date information.
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NIH omnibus program announcement. The next submission due date is January 5, 2022.
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NIH Targeted funding announcements have varying release and due dates. Find a list of currently open program announcements and requests for applications here.
Reach out today for no-cost consulting and proposal reviews from one of MTIP's SBIR
experts.
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Montana SBIR/STTR Matching Funds Program
What do you do after you have received Stage 1 SBIR/STTR matching funds from the
Montana Department of Commerce, have satisfactorily completed your Phase I work, the
Phase I final report has been accepted by the Federal SBIR/STTR agency, and you have
submitted your SBIR or STTR Phase II proposal?
You submit your Stage 2 application to the Montana SBIR/STTR Matching Funds
Program. You do not have to receive notification of a Phase II award before submitting this
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BIO Business Solutions®, the largest cost-savings program for the life sciences industry, is FREE with your company’s membership in BIO or Montana BioScience Alliance. Receiving savings from our lab and office partners is incredibly simple. We’ve already vetted the suppliers and negotiated discounted pricing and favorable end-user agreements.
Click on the company name to learn more.
There is no fee for MBA members to participate.
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The Montana Bioscience Alliance serves as a hub for Montana's biotechnology companies,
entrepreneurs, laboratories, hospitals, clinics and universities to commercialize, grow and sustain
globally competitive bioscience companies -- ultimately to create high-quality jobs and economic
opportunity in Montana.
Sharon Peterson
Executive Director
Montana BioScience Alliance
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