Yesterday evening was a historic moment for Chicago. Luckily, of course, no great fire but instead we had a gathering of over 70 diverse professionals involved in Chicago life sciences together at the Columbia Yacht Club on the lake front. It was a beautiful evening – a perfect backdrop to bring together a the venerable Chicago institution – the Columbia Yacht Club founded in 1892 – with the much newer, but potentially very substantial initiative of the local life sciences business community.
The organization that organized this get-together is called Biologue Chicago which is sponsored by several groups including iBio. The emergence of groups like Biologue further substantiates the view outlined in the previous posting “The Future is Bright For Life Sciences in State of Illinois” that the life science business is in the midst of a renaissance here in Chicagoland.
Just don’t take it from me. Paul Reinfelds who is a newly minted attorney but also a graduate student in a field near and dear to me – namely protein crystallography – and one of the organizers of the event told me:
“This event was a tremendous success. I think in order for Chicago to continue emerging as the biotech center we believe it can be, we must be able to show some fundamental things, one of which is that we already have a proactive and involved biotech community. Tonight was resounding proof that the community is here and is eager to foster growth and collaboration within the industry.”
Vid Mohan-Ram was another one of the hosts and while he, too, is involved in the legal side of the field as a patent agent, the event was represented by much more than intellectual property experts. As one of Chicago's biotech leaders, Dr. Alice Martin – a Partner in the law firm of Barnes & Thornburg and a former board member at iBio - said:
“The strength of biotechnology and life sciences on the West and East coasts can be attributed to many factors but very important among these are the personal contacts and deep networks that take place in Boston, San Francisco and so forth. We have everything it takes in Chicago – great science, great people, and great professional services – but networking opportunities like this will be critical. It seems like everyone was here though I will say that we should have had more government and venture capital represented.”
This meeting – out of the blue and out of the woodwork – is just more evidence that the ball is rolling here in Chicago. For anyone familiar with New York, New Yorkers like to “keep moving ahead.” You’ll see that clearly emblazoned in the traffic sign depicted below from the intersection of 7th Avenue and 50th Street. It’s a great example of that New York “edge.”
With respect to life sciences here in Chicago, we need to stay true to the “city of big shoulders, “the city that works” and other great features of our city but also “keep moving” just like those damn Yankees! With all due respect, here’s my suggestion: let’s “Keep moving!”
Ogan Gurel, MD MPhil
gurel@aesisgroup.com
http://blog.aesisgroup.com/
Biologue Chicago Biotechnology Life Sciences Aesis Research Group Ogan Gurel MD
Ogan Gurel is always worth hearing and respecting! His views are informed, unique and also very refreshing amidst a lot of noise these days.
For those who do not know, Ogan was one of the most outstanding students in the history of Stuyvesant High School in New York City.
See www.ourstrongband.org.
Reply to this