POWERFUL ALLY IN LIFE SCIENCES: UH RESEARCH
HEAD TO GIVE KEYNOTE
Donald L. Birx Addresses Biotech Commercialization,
Tech Transfer at BioHouston Breakfast Forum
Calling the University of Houston “a powerful ally to the
life science industry in our region,” BioHouston is featuring
UH’s new head of research, Donald L. Birx, as keynote speaker
at its next breakfast forum Wednesday, Feb. 14.
BioHouston, a 501(c)(3) founded by regional academic and research
institutions, is establishing the Houston region as a global competitor
in life science and biotechnology commercialization and technology
transfer to generate economic wealth for the area.
With nearly $75 million in annual research expenditures, researchers
at UH collaborate with other Texas Medical Center institutions
and regional biotechnology companies. Birx, vice chancellor for
research for the UH System and vice president for research for
UH, advocates collaborative strategic activities and research clusters
that relate to and translate UH’s research capabilities,
as well as build on the strengths of the university and its community
partners.
In his BioHouston talk – “Research Clusters and Industry
Partnerships” – Birx will outline the cutting-edge plans
he has brought to Houston and the research under way at UH. In his
address, he plans to cover how his ‘clusters’ approach
translates to interdisciplinary research, UH’s push for Tier
I status, how his background in applied research and making marketable
applications speaks to the areas of tech transfer and IP, and how
his finance background enhances his role in managing scientific
research endeavors. He also will elaborate on some of the particular
cross-disciplinary research areas he sees as being especially dynamic
at UH.
Birx holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University
of Dayton, an M.B.A. in finance and M.S. in biophysics from Miami
University in Ohio, and a B.S. in engineering physics from the University
of California, Berkeley.
Prior to joining UH in 2006, Birx spent a decade at New Mexico
State University (NMSU) in Las Cruces, N.M., working most recently
as interim vice provost/president for research and professor of
physics, while simultaneously serving as president and founder of
PSI, a new corporate entity at NMSU for technology development and
incubation. His first role at NMSU was as director of the Physical
Science Laboratory, a
500-person, university-based applied R&D organization. He spent
19 years in the private sector prior to his tenure at NMSU.
The monthly BioHouston Breakfast Forum is open to members and the
public. Tickets are $20 for members, $25 for non-members and $10
for students. For more information, visit http://www.biohouston.org/breakfast.asp
or call Lauren Stroman at 713-979-9106.
WHO: |
Donald L. Birx, vice
chancellor for research for the UH System and vice president
for research for UH |
WHAT: |
BioHouston Breakfast Forum
Keynote address: “Research Clusters and Industry Partnerships” |
WHEN: |
7:30 to 9 a.m., Wednesday, Feb.
14 |
WHERE: |
M.D. Anderson South Campus Research
Building II
7435 Fannin St. |
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For more information about UH visit the universitys Newsroom at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.
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