A YEAR OF PROGRESS
The Inaugural Forward BIO Institute Annual Member Meeting
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Our Annual Institute Member Meeting will be held on September 17
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in Madison at the Fluno Center. The theme of “Press Play” to emphasize the start of a new conceptualization of how to translate the next generation of biomanufacturing innovations out of the lab and into the marketplace where these technologies can have significant societal impact.
This theme is reflected in the diversity of our attendees with representatives from academic research groups, biotechnology start-up companies, business and technical development representatives from local and national pharma and biotech companies, and investment funds all looking to leverage the critical mass of innovation potential that has found a home in Wisconsin.
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Addressing Workforce Development
to Advance the Biomanufacturing Industry
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Forward BIO Institute members, along with stakeholders from education, government, and industry, met in May on the UW-Madison campus to strategize how to expand the highly-skilled technical workforce required to support the advanced manufacturing of cell and tissue-based products (AMCTP). Funded by the NSF Advanced Technical Education Program and led by a team from Madison College, 115 representatives of our nation’s best and most experienced thought leaders mapped resources and ecosystems, and identified the commonalities in perspectives between different stakeholder groups. This summit was the first in a series targeting transformative change in the approach towards AMCTP workforce development, emphasizing the principles of inclusion, equity, equality, and diversity as a means to promote economic development and build the workforce required to meet the growing needs of the AMCTP field.
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SHOWCASE
Next Generation Human Models
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In April, the Forward BIO Institute hosted the Derive, Detect, Discover 2019 Technology Showcase. The event brought together
academic innovators,
representatives from local biotech startups, industry partners,
and
government agencies to highlight the current research, successes,
opportunities, and
challenges surrounding the translation of the next generation of human biological models into commercial and preclinical spaces.
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Randolph Ashton, Ph.D
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Principal Investigator
Brain MAPs
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Connie Lebakken, Ph.D.
Co-Founder & COO
Stem Pharm, Inc.
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David Mann, Ph.D.
Managing Director
MTB Consultants Worldwide
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PARTNERING TO SUPPORT
THE TRAINING CONTINUUM
Madison College and the
Forward BIO Institute
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Madison College offers a diverse series of educational biotechnology programs that primarily serve recent high school graduates, professionals returning to the workforce, and those seeking to acquire the skills needed to advance their current career or change career pathways. In addition to a technical diploma and a two-year Applied Associates of Science Degree in Biotechnology, Madison College offers a 15-credit post-baccalaureate
program and a stem cell technologies certificate that provide industry-anchored
hands-on training for biological science professionals to augment existing skills.
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“Madison College has built one of the country’s premier technical education programs in biotechnology and the Forward BIO Institute is proud to be their partner in supporting a broad spectrum of workforce development efforts.”
- Cathy Rasmussen
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Rasmussen, Forward BIO Institute’s Assistant Director, continues, “In particular, we are excited to participate in the AMCTP consortium, facilitate connections between stakeholders, and leverage public-private partnerships to address the key workforce challenges facing our industry.”
The partnership between the Forward BIO Institute and Madison College exemplifies how collaboration across multiple educational levels is needed to develop the highly-skilled technical workforce required to support the burgeoning biomanufacturing industry. By working together, we are able to best inform our educational programs, improve and supplement training beyond the traditional academic scope by incorporating experiential learning, and engage with a broad base of trainees.
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Tom Tubon, Ph.D.
Faculty
Madison College
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“Career readiness for the next generation of technical workers demands strategically coordinated public-private partnerships that fuel innovation and change.” - Tom Tubon
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“Madison College and the Forward BIO Institute partnership serves as an accelerant to ensure that the pipeline to talent is industry-relevant and well prepared,” affirms Tom Tubon, Director of the NSF-funded AMCTP workforce development initiative.
“All skill levels are needed to support the growth of this industry,” states Rasmussen, “and the best way to ensure success is through a comprehensive approach, established by educational institutions working closely together with aligned goals.”
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