BioME Industry Council
Build Lasting Partnerships in Bioscience
Becoming a Bioscience Industry Council (BioME) member offers industries a valuable opportunity to guide conversations about the challenges they face and collaborate with Valparaiso University faculty and students to address these issues. As a member, you will have the chance to:
- Guide Research Priorities: Share insights on industry challenges and help steer research focus in a way that benefits both your organization and the broader field.
- Learn Emerging Trends: Gain valuable knowledge on the latest trends and innovations through regular updates and discussions with university faculty.
- Build Partnerships: Form lasting partnerships with Valpo’s academic teams to create impactful solutions for your industry.
Additionally, membership includes access to exclusive networking events, quarterly conversations, and feedback sessions to foster deeper collaboration and ongoing dialogue. To explore membership options, please contact collaboratory@valpo.edu.
Why join the BioME Industry Council?
BioME stands for Biosciences, MedTech, and Energy. Join the BioME Industry Council to drive impactful bioscience projects that integrate student involvement, produce meaningful research outcomes, and benefit you as an industry partner across three key areas: biomedical innovation, environmental bioremediation, and sustainable energy.
In biomedical innovation, students work on projects such as prosthesis design, control systems for assistive technologies, and the development of nanomaterials for drug delivery. These initiatives provide students with valuable hands-on research experiences while contributing to industry advancements in medical devices and pharmaceuticals.
In environmental bioremediation, students engage in projects addressing critical challenges like reducing microplastics in water systems, using fungi for environmental cleanup, and creating organic compost from local industry waste. These projects deliver real-world solutions to environmental issues and equip students with practical, industry-relevant skills. Additionally, the BioME Center’s efforts in sustainable energy foster innovative research in biosolar energy, including solar hydrogen production and biomass gasification to create sustainable fuel alternatives. Through these interdisciplinary projects, students work in the university’s Solar Energy Research Facility (SERF), contributing to renewable energy solutions with significant industry applications.
The BioME Center’s collaborative approach to biosciences is having an impact on the regional economy, as students, faculty, and industry partners work together to address challenges in healthcare, environmental sustainability, and energy. These efforts shape the future workforce while promoting innovation and economic growth.
The BioME Center at Valparaiso University has facilitated several successful BioME collaborations between the university and industry partners, leading to innovative solutions and valuable real-world experience for students.
In one industry collaboration, students worked on the design and control of custom prosthetic devices in partnership with a global leader in medical technology. This project enabled students to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world industry challenges, while providing the partner company with innovative approaches to improving assistive technologies.
Another BioME collaboration focused on environmental sustainability, where students engaged in research to reduce microplastics in water systems. This initiative aligned with the partner’s mission to minimize environmental impacts and allowed students to work with cutting-edge research tools to address a critical global challenge.
In a separate industry collaboration, students participated in developing advanced drug testing and analysis methodologies for a partner in the pharmaceutical industry. This collaboration provided students with hands-on experience in pharmaceutical research, while helping the industry partner improve their testing processes for greater efficiency and accuracy.
Opportunities for Collaboration
Partnering with the BioME Industry Council offers several exciting opportunities for collaboration between industry and Valparaiso University. Possible partnership projects include:
- Capstone Projects: Engage senior students in comprehensive, semester-long projects that address real-world industry challenges.
- Classroom Research Projects: Collaborate with faculty and students on research that supports your business needs while enhancing student learning.
- Data Analysis: Provide datasets for students and faculty to analyze, offering insights that can drive innovation for your company.
- Research Internships: Host student interns to work on specialized research initiatives, gaining fresh perspectives while providing valuable experiential learning opportunities.
To explore these collaboration options and get involved, please contact the Collaboratory team at collaboratory@valpo.edu.