San Antonio Bioscience Research Database Website Launched; A Unique Collaboration and Economic Development Tool

The San Antonio Medical Foundation today launched a first-ever website dedicated to cataloguing bioscience research projects in San Antonio as a means both to increase collaborative efforts among local research institutions and their national and international peers, as well as provide a new tool for the city’s economic development efforts.

The San Antonio Bioscience Research Database (www.sabioscienceresearch.org) lists some 585 bioscience research projects now underway at 11 public, private and military organizations here.  The website, facilitated by the San Antonio Medical Foundation with a steering committee representing the research entities and created by local marketing and advertising firm Texas Creative, can be updated by each participating institution or company through a password-protected system as new projects are generated.

The database sorts projects through seven categories, 10 focus areas and by research organization.  Projects listed typically include information provided by the research organization about the subject matter, status of the project, funding source, principal investigators and other data as available.

Medical Foundation Chairman Dr. Bryan Alsip said, “There is a tremendous amount of information available here and it took a full year working with the participating research organizations to develop the protocols for the site, design it for maximum interaction and then pull in the all the data.  All of us involved knew that there was much significant bioscience research being done here in San Antonio, but I’m not sure any of us knew both the quantity and sheer breadth of what is being studied here.  Frankly, I think the 580-plus projects that are now listed on the site are just scratching the surface, and we expect that number to grow as more organizations and companies start to provide their data.” 

Alsip said the website will appeal to a variety of audiences.

“San Antonio-based scientists and researchers looking to connect and collaborate with other local research groups will use it,” he said, “and scientists from around the country and the world who are seeking collaborative opportunities will also use it.  We will see the economic development aspect of companies in the bioscience field around the nation and the world going to the site to learn more about the capabilities we have here in San Antonio.  Further, this website will also be a recruiting tool for our local research groups since it will be easy for scientists nationally and internationally to find out what’s going on here and see the areas of expertise that have been developed in San Antonio.

Alsip said, “It took a tremendous amount of time to make this happen, and the leadership came from Dr. Gabriele Niederauer, who is on the Foundation’s Executive Committee and chaired the Steering Committee for the project.”

Niederauer said, “This group had to make many value judgments along the way, and we worked with a great company, Texas Creative, to actually take all these ideas and information to build the website.  No other city in the U.S. has anything like this website to showcase their bioscience research.”

She thanked Foundation President Jim Reed, Director of Board and Public Relations Pam Leissner and fellow Foundation trustee Jim Dublin, for their efforts in pushing the project forward.

The 11 original participating research organizations include:

Military: 

  • Brooke Army Medical
  • Naval Medical Research Unit – San Antonio
  • USAF 59th Medical Wing at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center

Nonprofit:

  • BioBridge Global
  • Southwest Research Institute
  • Texas Biomedical Research Institute
  • University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • University of Texas at San Antonio

Companies:

  • Biomedical Development Corp.
  • Cancer Insight, LLC
  • EO2 Concepts

ABOUT SAN ANTONIO MEDICAL FOUNDATION

The mission of the San Antonio Medical Foundation is to provide leadership and active stewardship of our land and other assets to improve health care, advance biomedical science and enhance community well-being.

ABOUT TEXAS CREATIVE

Texas Creative (TXC) is a full-service advertising and communications agency that moves at the speed of today’s marketplace. We have a deep team with experienced leadership and smart talent all under one roof.  A team of 30 talented staff members including graphic designers, web developers, media buyers, digital specialists, strategists and account managers. As a scalable ad agency, no challenge is too large or too small. People trust us to develop ideas that grow their business.

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