GBC awards scientists

February 22 , 2006
By KAREN BUCKELEW,
Daily Record Business Writer

The Greater Baltimore Committee's first-ever Greater Baltimore Region Bioscience Awards yesterday drew more attendees than expected and ensured at least a second year for the fledgling effort, according to officials.

The event, with more than 100 bioscience executives, scientists, venture fund managers and academics in attendance, recognized four local biotech CEOs — all of them scientists — for their dedication and creativity in building their businesses.

“It highlighted the tremendous activities and leadership occurring in the Baltimore region in life sciences,” said GBC President Donald C. Fry. “It was a great way to highlight those accomplishments.”

The winners were: Ginette Serrero, CEO of Columbia-based A&G Pharmaceutical Inc., which is working to better diagnose breast cancer, for Entrepreneurial Spirit; Richard Turner, CEO of Columbia-based EyeTel Imaging Inc., which developed a product to detect vision loss, for Best New Product or Process; and Paul Silber, CEO of Catonsville-based In Vitro Technologies Inc., which works to change drug testing methods, for Leadership in Bioscience.

Dr. Blake M. Paterson, CEO of Baltimore-based Alba Therapeutics, was honored in conjunction with his colleague Dr. Alessio Fasano of the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research. Alba, a resident of the University of Maryland, Baltimore's BioPark, and Fasano's researchers work together to develop treatments for celiac disease and diabetes. Their partnership was recognized as Best Academic-Industry Collaboration.

The awards are another rung in the GBC's ladder toward a solid local biotechnology community, Fry said.

“One of the things that's important to do to build a regional bioscience community is to educate the public, the business community and elected officials on some of the great things happening in the region,” he explained. “We are trying to indicate why this industry is such a tremendous [economic development] opportunity for us [and] to acknowledge the good efforts that currently are underway.”