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Austin to expand biotechnology resources
UT's 'talented and productive' scientists help with growth
By Lauren Winchester
The biotechnology sector in Austin has undergone significant growth since UT biology adjunct professor Matthew Winkler started the company Ambion 20 years ago.
When Ambion began operations in 1989, there were only a couple of biotechnology companies in Austin. It was a "virtual vacuum," Winkler said. While Austin's biotechnology hub does not compare to hubs in San Diego or Boston, it has gained traction in the field. Winkler sold Ambion in 2006 and created another biotechnology company, Asuragen, which hatched Mirna Therapeutics, one of the more than 100 biotechnology companies in Austin. UT professors and students will act as an engine of future growth of biotechnology in Austin because of the talented and productive scientists living in the city, Winkler said. Biotechnology is defined as applying engineering and technology to biology to manufacture a product or substance. The Austin Chamber of Commerce created the BioAustin Council in 2007 to foster an environment that promotes biotechnology. Curt Bilby, chair of the council, said UT provides a "critical foundation" for biotechnology. "Without UT-Austin, there's not going to be the newer companies here, the backbone of the labor force or the collaborative research that is so important in biotech," Bilby said. "Without UT, we would be at a significant disadvantage." Winkler said that while Austin has made progress in the biotechnology field, it still has a long way to go. He said the city lacks a medical school - something other biotech hubs have. "Most biotechnology is health care-oriented; having a medical school provides the whole frame of reference to health care," Winkler said. "If you look at other biotechnology hubs, you will invariably find medical schools associated with them." In February, the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce called for the creation of a medical school in Austin, noting that it would inject $2.4 billion a year into the city's economy, generate more than 19,000 jobs and expand biotechnology. The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely.
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