In collaboration with health care providers, academia, entrepreneurs and the community-at-large, the Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana serves the region as a leader in the creation, expansion and support of enterprises that advance health care delivery, medical research and technology, and the advancement of InterTech - a strategy for knowledge-based economic development. The Foundation was born of an economic development study initiated by the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce that stressed the importance of diversifying the local economy so that northwest Louisiana could successfully compete in the 21st century.
InterTech was initiated by the Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana, affiliated with the Virginia K. Shehee Biomedical Research Institute. It is a triangular parcel of 2,400 acres in central Shreveport anchored by three major medical centers - LSU Medical Center in Shreveport to the south; Schumpert Medical Center to the east; and Willis Knighton Medical Center to the west. Although the physical site is located in Shreveport, the intellectual components of the InterTech partnership extend beyond city boundaries. An environmental biotechnology company focusing on the treatment of wastewater, a distributor of medical, safety and laboratory supplies and equipment, a cold sterilant and advancement disinfectant, sanitizers, sterilizers, germicides, and decontaminators and a pharmaceutical product developer and manufacturer are currently located in the InterTech Science Park.
The Virginia K. Shehee Biomedical Research Institute, a 10-story, 160,000-square-foot research facility with 56 state-of-the-art labs, opened in 1994. The Institute houses more than 200 researchers, technicians and support personnel working to find cures for such diseases as stroke, cancer, arthritis and Alzheimer's. The laboratory facilities contain core research space for monoclonal antibody production, oligonucleotide and peptide synthesis, gene cloning, DNA sequencing, high performance liquid chromatography, tissue culture, positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance spectroscopy and electron microscopy. The Institute is connected to LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, and the scientists who occupy the facility's laboratories have implemented a theme-driven, interdepartmental strategy with research teams devoted to studying a variety of diseases involving inflammation and immunology, ischemic disorders, cellular communication, neurosciences, signal transduction, and alcohol and drug abuse. There are also eight laboratories dedicated to the LSU Center of Excellence for Cancer Research.
Bio-Space1, a $12.2 million incubator, has opened in the 800-acre InterTech Science Park. Companies that set up in the two-story, 60,000-square-foot facility have the benefit of sharing $500,000 worth of equipment in a core laboratory and having experts analyze their business plans on a yearly basis. Tenants now open at BioSpace1 include Red River Pharma, a research and development and drug manufacturing company; Louisiana Ventures, a venture capital fund; and the offices of Embera NeuroTherapeutics Inc., a company founded by an LSU Health Sciences Center scientist that's working on medicine to help persons addicted to drugs. The foundation has a plan to fill the incubator in three years.
According to the Biomedical Research Foundation, the life sciences industry is expected to have the highest job growth in the next ten years and expects the InterTech Science Park to create 6,000 jobs in 25 years.
The Office of Economic Development and Technology Assessment at Louisiana Tech University is a combined technology transfer and industrial liaison office that manages patents and other intellectual properties for Tech and provides assistance to firms and individuals seeking research or licensing assistance. Developmental research in cooperation with government and industry is a natural conduit for technology transfer. Tech operates a Technology Transfer Center in Shreveport where technologies are showcased and groups meet to discuss technology issues.
Located at the Louisiana State University at Shreveport is the area's Center for Business and Economic Research, an important ongoing resource that contributes to the long-term implementation of the area's strategic action platform, benchmarks, performance measures and performance audits. |
