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For immediate Release
June 9, 2004
BioTech Park president speaks at international
BIO Parks meeting in California
San Francisco, Calif. - Robert T. Skunda, president and CEO
of the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park, says one of the
biggest challenges in launching and growing a science and
technology park is creating a supportive regional business
environment.
“It’s important to collaborate with other organizations
in the local community, the region and the state,” says
Skunda, who made his comments during a panel discussion of
top research park executives at BIO Parks 2004, the annual convention
of the
Association of University Research Parks.
“A regional effort to develop and promote the biotechnology
industry has synergistic outcomes and does much to help a
science and technology park become successful.” Skunda,
who became head of the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park
in Richmond, Va., in 1997, outlined how his park took root
in downtown Richmond as an initiative of Virginia Commonwealth
University, the city of Richmond and the commonwealth of Virginia.
During the past seven years, Skunda says, he has focused intently
on developing collaborative relationships with private and
county economic development officials in Central Virginia,
business associations and other local organizations, including
the universities in the area.
“Sometimes the task was difficult, but forging those
partnerships was essential for creating the right environment
to build the life sciences industry in Central Virginia,”
Skunda said.
He also emphasized the value of a close relationship with
a major research university, which can create academic programs
tailored to industry needs and stimulate business development
by encouraging commercialization of research and inventions
by university researchers. For example, the BioTech Park’s
business accelerator, the Virginia Biosciences Development
Center, recently teamed with VCU to develop a curriculum to
teach business entrepreneurship skills to professional life
scientists, with the goal of spurring formation of biosciences
companies in Greater Richmond and Central Virginia.
The Virginia BioTechnology Research Park is home to a unique
mix of more than 45 biosciences companies, research institutes
affiliated with VCU, and major state and national medical
laboratories and organizations involved with forensics, testing
of biotoxins and management of the nation’s organ transplantation
process. The BioTech Park is only one-third developed, yet
already its tenants, housed in eight buildings, fill more
than 575,000 square feet of space in downtown Richmond and
employ more than 1,350 scientists, researchers, engineers
and technicians in fields that include drug development, medical
diagnostics, biomedical engineering, forensics and environmental
analysis. Recent partnerships with neighboring Henrico and
Chesterfield counties will extend the reach of the BioTech
Park to satellite parks that can accommodate larger companies
on suburban campuses.
Contact:
Nicky Colomb
Virginia BioTechnology Research Park
Phone: (804) 828-6884
E-mail: ncolomb@vabiotech.com
Web site: http://www.vabiotech.com
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