LEWISBURG W.Va. (WVDN) – The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) is declaring research a priority with WVSOM Bio, a two-day event that will feature a ceremonial groundbreaking for the $35 million expansion of WVSOM’s Fredric W. Smith Science Building and an economic forum.
The public is invited to attend and can register at WVSOM’s website. WVSOM Bio focuses on raising awareness of WVSOM, the Greenbrier Valley and West Virginia among companies and organizations in the biosciences and biotech realms.
The Greenbrier Valley Bio Hub groundbreaking for the expansion will take place at 5 p.m., Aug. 20, in conjunction with the WVSOM Bio Forum, taking place 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Aug. 21. Both events will take place on WVSOM’s campus and are designed to energize the region and benefit researchers, WVSOM faculty, staff, students, the community and the state.
During the next two years of construction, WVSOM will encourage private and public research partners to locate lab operations in the facility, as the school is dedicating the third floor of the expanded building to private and public research space.
“WVSOM has an expanding research portfolio and is interested in collaboration. The school is engaged in biomedical, translational and clinical sciences research as well as community-based participatory and public health research. This expansion will provide laboratory, support and office space,” said Dovenia Ponnoth, Ph.D., WVSOM’s associate dean for research and sponsored programs. “Our partners will find an innovative, affordable and attractive location where they can flourish in today’s research environment.”
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine In addition to the groundbreaking, the event’s first day will include a campus tour, a reception and a visit to downtown Lewisburg. The second-day forum will focus on economic development with bioscience, biotech and pharmaceutical industry panels, government speakers and guests and an overview of opportunities in the Greenbrier Valley.
Among the guests joining school and local government officials for the groundbreaking and forum are:
U.S. Sen. Jim Justice
U.S. Congresswoman Carol Miller
NIH Small Business Program Director Stephanie Fertig
Bio International Senior Vice President for State Government Affairs and Affiliate Relations Patrick Plues
Bioscience Association of West Virginia Executive Director Bryan Brown
West Virginia Secretary of Commerce Matt Herridge
West Virginia Del. Vernon Criss
West Virginia State Sen. Vince Deeds
West Virginia State Sen. Tom Takubo
West Virginia Division of Economic Development Project Manager Kelsey Staggers
Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Ruthana Beezley
WVHA Executive Director Jim Kaufman
Don Smith, WVSOM’s associate vice president for government and external relations and chief communications officer, said the Greenbrier Valley is the perfect option for researchers who want professional growth but are tired of working at large industrial sites in metropolitan areas. The cost of living and quality of life in southern West Virginia could be of interest to researchers.
“Our approach is to raise our visibility in the biotech space, build relations with researchers, pharmaceutical companies and bio-organizations and showcase our state and local resources. We want to make the private and public sectors aware of the incredible economic development opportunities in West Virginia,” Smith said. “We also want to discuss the benefits of coming to WVSOM and creating a life in southern West Virginia. Lewisburg, in the heart of the Greenbrier Valley, is a place where people can grow.”
