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OU Biotech Institute Aims To Advance State Industry

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The Edison Biotechnology Institute at Ohio University is part of a state effort to advance the bioscience industry in Ohio.

 
This includes drug discovery and the invention of medical devices. Jeff Wiseman is part of the O.U. team.
Wiseman is the Executive in Residence at the Edison Biotechnology Institute and his job is to nuture young biotech companies in Southeast Ohio.
 
"Our job is to go out into the community, find people with ideas for new life sciences or medical applications, match them up with manufacturers in the area and help them start a business," he says.
 
Wiseman helps companies learn the basics of business and it requires expertise in both science and business. He has more than 30 years of experience in drug discovery research for the pharmaceutical industry.
 
He currently is developing business plans for five companies, including three that are offshoots of biotech or high-tech firms in Columbus and Cincinnati. 
 
Wiseman is also working closely with two companies based on Ohio University faculty research: Promiliad Biopharma, a drug discovery firm, and Sanuthera, a medical device start-up.
 
"We have about four more in the pipeline," he says. "Those are all from Ohio University.  They should be maturing there for the next year and we should be getting companies out in the next year."
 
Wiseman hopes to develop a variety of biomedical companies that can impact the regional economy.
 
"There are a lot of people out there with really good ideas," he says. "Our job is to help them take those ideas and turn them into a new company."
 
Wiseman is an Ohio University alumnus and a native of Chillicothe.