New Podcast Episode: Transforming Central Illinois into a Leading Biomanufacturing Tech Hub

In a recent episode of the Innovations @ Research Park podcast, host Tanmay Shah talked to IBRL Associate Director of Business Development Beth Conerty about bioprocessing research and how the iFAB Tech Hub is transforming the Central Illinois Economy.

Dr. Beth Conerty has been serving as the Regional Innovation Officer at the Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing (iFAB) Hub since it was selected as a 2023 Tech Hub Designee by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) in October 2023. Conerty is working to apply her technical background to business by working in technology commercialization with a focus on entrepreneurship.

“We are trying to invest in every step- from innovation here at the University of Illinois, and supporting the earliest-stage companies at Research Park and in EnterpriseWorks all the way up to manufacturing partners with ADM and Primient in Decatur,” said Conerty. “What’s really exciting about our lab-to-line approach is that all of those resources are available in a 51-mile radius between the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and in those bioprocessing behemoths in Decatur.”

The Innovations @ Research Park podcast highlights the thriving entrepreneurial and corporate innovation culture in Champaign. It is hosted by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumnus Tanmay Shah. Subscribe to The Innovations @ Research Park to catch up on the latest innovations and news on Apple Podcasts,  Spotify, or your preferred podcast network.

Is there something you want to know about Research Park? Do you have an idea for a guest for the show or a story we should pursue? Do you want to provide other feedback? Contact Laura Bleill ([email protected]).