iFAB Tech Hub

Thanks to Special Competitive Studies Project - SCSP for visiting us yesterday. Can't wait to have you back to see other parts of the hub and the progress we make.

Congrats to iFAB RIO Beth Conerty on her University of Illinois College of ACES Funk Award! Beth was recognized with a Professional Staff Award for Excellence in Advising, Teaching and Outreach. "We are truly honored to celebrate this year's Funk Award winners," Dean Germán Bollero said. "Their exceptional commitment to advancing research, education, and community service captures the essence of our college's mission. They inspire each of us to explore new frontiers, exemplify leadership, and uphold our profound land-grant tradition with renewed vigor and purpose." Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gZhA6kAS

The University of Illinois System tour stopped in Decatur this week. There are a lot of great collaborations between the city and the University system, but we're biased and were excited to show System leadership how iFAB embodies this relationship. Thanks to iFAB members ADM, Richland Community College, Primient, and Synonym for the participation.

It was a great week for iFAB to talk about what it does and the team that got us here. Sept. 17: Illinois Manufacturers' Association Women Makers Series: The Power of Being a Woman Maker at TCCI Manufacturing. Sept. 18: ClimateTech Week: Beyond Biology hosted by P33 Chicago at 1871 Thanks to DCC Marketing for including iFAB in these events and getting our message to a broader audience.

This week, we participated in the U.S. Economic Development Administration's Great American Tech Hubs Tour. We were excited to host Tech Hubs Director Eric Smith, our Program Analyst Jacob Wildfire, and our U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski, to see for themselves everything that iFAB proposed and is executing. Thanks to the facilities who helped host: Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory University of Illinois Research Park Primient ADM Prairie Fruits Farm Creamery Thanks also to iFAB leaders who helped organize and execute: Carly McCrory-McKay, Nicole Bateman, Laura Appenzeller, Kim Kidwell, Stephanie Stuart, EdD, Brian Jacobson, Gerald O. Wilson, PhD, MBA, Kelsey Weimer, Eric Lee, Rhea Sammons Thanks to everyone else who helped make the day such a success and so much fun. What a great launch event for all the work and economic development to come for iFAB.

We often get asked what our target end product is, but iFAB's unique approach is to be end product agnostic. We are here to leverage biomanufacturing to advance many products and industries. Today, we celebrated with our Strategic Partner and University of Illinois Research Park tenant MicroMGx as they cut the ribbon on their Champaign Lab. iFAB and Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory are supporting many startups in their agricultural biologicals. https://lnkd.in/gbaSNizV

Thanks to Midstory for talking about the strong Midwest representation in the U.S. Economic Development Administration Tech Hub program. Proud for iFAB to be included. https://lnkd.in/gptc94fT

Congratulations to Zhao Huimin on the iBioFoundry. Synthetic Biology, high-throughput strain engineering and validation is fundamental to driving innovation in biomanufacturing. This addition to the Champaign-Urbana community expands the resources in this critical technology space. iFAB is here to scale those strains as soon as they're ready! https://lnkd.in/gh2tb-46

A great example of the collaborations and momentum that iFAB is working to build.

Read about the state's five-year plan for economic development. Next Generation Agriculture, AgTech and Food Processing is our wheelhouse and iFAB will help drive this sector. In the full plan, check out page 29 for more details related to iFAB's impact.