Biotechnology Innovation Organization president and CEO John F. Crowley visited Rice University Sept. 15 as part of the group’s “BIO on the American Road” tour highlighting regional biotech hubs across the country.
The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) is the premier biotechnology advocacy organization representing biotech companies, industry leaders and state biotech associations in the United States and more than 35 countries around the globe.
“Texas has all of the ingredients necessary to become a global leader in biotechnology: the people, the passion, the persistence and the policies,” Crowley said. “With world-class academic institutions, premier clinical facilities, visionary policymakers and strategic entrepreneurs, leaders in Houston and throughout the state have put Texas at the forefront of the biotechnology revolution, and patients in the U.S. and around the world stand to benefit.”
The Houston stop began with a visit to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center before Crowley traveled to Rice’s campus to meet with President Reginald DesRoches.
“Leading a research university in Houston is both a privilege and an incredible advantage,” DesRoches said. “The scale of the city and breadth of its industries — from energy and medicine to aerospace and technology — provide unparalleled opportunities to collaborate and make an impact. Houston’s diversity and dynamism make it an ideal place for biotech innovation to thrive.”
After the campus meeting, Crowley joined Rice leaders and representatives from the Texas Medical Center’s leading clinical institutions at TMC Helix Park for a workshop titled “Enhancing U.S. Biotechnology Security within the Houston Medical Ecosystem.” The session, convened by Paul Wotton, executive director of the Rice Biotech Launch Pad and managing partner of RBL LLC, underscored Houston’s growing capacity in translational research, cell and gene therapy and biomanufacturing.
Participants noted the importance of coupling engineering strengths with biomedical innovation and debated how the U.S. can maintain a global edge in health biotech. Topics ranged from reimagining the clinical trial paradigm and developing centers of excellence in biomanufacturing to strengthening the region’s access to venture capital and experienced leadership. The workshop proved a fertile ground for discussion and underscored the need to continue addressing these strategic issues in support of the long-term growth of the health biotech sector.
RBL LLC, Rice’s biotech venture creation studio at Helix Park, was launched in 2024 to accelerate “bench-to-bedside” translation of university research. The studio works closely with the Rice Biotech Launch Pad to build companies around promising medical technologies and connect them with clinical partners and investors.
“Houston has all the elements for a world-class biotech hub — from the largest medical center in the world to the research strengths at Rice,” Wotton said. “The opportunity is to connect those assets more directly with capital, leadership talent and clinical infrastructure, so companies can scale faster.”
Omid Veiseh, Rice professor of bioengineering, director of the Rice Biotech Launch Pad and a Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Scholar, said that “having BIO’s leadership on the ground underscores that Houston belongs at the center of the national conversation on biotechnology security and growth.”
“The ecosystem here allows us to integrate engineering, clinical insight and entrepreneurship in one place,” Veiseh said. “That integration is exactly what the next decade of biotech will require.”
Crowley’s visit to Rice comes as the university advances its Momentus strategic plan, which prioritizes leading innovations in health as a key driver of Rice’s future. The Rice Biotech Launch Pad and RBL LLC are central to this effort, ensuring that discoveries move swiftly from campus labs into therapies and technologies that benefit patients and strengthen U.S. biotechnology security.
The Houston stop was the first leg of BIO’s two-day Texas tour. It continued in Dallas at the Bio North Texas iC³ Life Science & Healthcare Innovation Summit, where Crowley participated in panels on biosecurity and the future of the industry.
- About BIO:
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BIO is the premier biotechnology advocacy organization representing biotech companies, industry leaders and state biotech associations in the United States and more than 35 countries around the globe. BIO members range from biotech startups to some of the world’s largest biopharmaceutical companies — all united by the same goal: to develop medical and scientific breakthroughs that prevent and fight disease, restore health and improve patients’ lives. BIO also organizes the BIO International Convention and a series of annual conferences that drive partnerships, investment and progress within the sector. Learn more at bio.org.
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Credit: Photos by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University