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BioCrossroads Launches BioSignals, a New Podcast Spotlighting Indiana's Life Sciences Momentum

BioCrossroads is proud to launch BioSignals, a new podcast dedicated to decoding the pulse of Indiana’s rapidly growing life sciences sector.

Hosted by Vince Wong, President and CEO of BioCrossroads, BioSignals is designed to amplify the compelling stories, breakthrough innovations, and bold leadership shaping Indiana’s position as a global life sciences hub.

“As we’ve watched the Indiana life sciences ecosystem transform into a global powerhouse, the challenge is that not enough people know that about us,” said Wong in the inaugural episode. “So, we created this podcast to transcend borders and share these stories with the world.”

That mission is backed by real momentum. In 2024, Indiana became the nation’s leader in life sciences exports, surpassing California. This is a milestone that reflects the scale and strength of the state’s life sciences industry.

For the first episode, Wong is joined by a guest whose career reflects the history and trajectory of Indiana’s ecosystem: Dan Peterson, Vice President of Industry and Government Affairs at Cook Group and Chair of the BioCrossroads Board of Directors. Peterson has been closely connected to BioCrossroads since its earliest days and has spent nearly four decades at Cook, one of the companies that helped shape Indiana’s life sciences foundation.

“This is one of the benefits of being around a long time,” Peterson joked. “You can provide the historical context.”

Peterson reflected on the formation of BioCrossroads in 2002, describing a moment when Indiana already had world-class life sciences assets, but lacked a mechanism to connect them.

At the time, Indiana’s strengths were already clear; the orthopedics sector in Warsaw, major pharmaceutical leadership in Central Indiana, and minimally invasive medical device innovation anchored by Cook in Bloomington. Yet, despite the scale of these players, collaboration across regions and subsectors was limited.

“We had amazing life sciences assets in this state… and yet none of us really did anything together,” said Peterson. “There was not a mechanism for all of us to come together and look at common, non-competitive issues.”

BioCrossroads was created to serve as that mechanism by bringing leaders together to align strategy, tell a collective story, and pursue opportunities that would strengthen the ecosystem as a whole. Peterson noted that early BioCrossroads work involved deep research, funded studies, and strategic planning to identify where Indiana could lead. But one milestone stands out as a defining turning point: the creation of the Indiana Bioscience Research Institute (IBRI).

“It was the first time where we… didn’t just talk about the strategy,” said Peterson. “We brought it to life.”

Peterson described the IBRI’s formation as a powerful example of what can happen when corporate leaders, state government, local partners, and community stakeholders align behind a shared vision. He credited the initiative’s momentum to collaborative leadership, including then-Eli Lilly CEO John Lechleiter, who helped challenge the ecosystem to think bigger.

Today, the IBRI continues to grow into its role as a key statewide asset driving research, innovation, and long-term competitiveness.

Wong and Peterson also discussed Indiana’s unique position in the national life sciences landscape. One of the state’s defining advantages is its ability not only to innovate, but to manufacture.

“We not only innovate it here and develop it here,” said Peterson. “We make it here.”

That combination has become a major differentiator as Indiana continues to attract new investments and expand its global reach. It is also a central focus of BioCrossroads’ 10-year life sciences sector strategy, launched in January 2024.

The strategy is built around four pillars:

Advancing innovation and entrepreneurship

Expanding life sciences manufacturing

Strengthening workforce development

Elevating Indiana’s global life sciences brand

Peterson emphasized that all four pillars are critical, and that their combined impact will help Indiana grow more aggressively and at greater scale. Every time visitors from outside the state see the ecosystem firsthand, he noted, the reaction is the same: Indiana has far more life sciences capability than most people realize.

The conversation also offered listeners a deeper look at Cook Group, a privately held global medical device company that has remained deeply rooted in Indiana since its founding. Peterson shared Cook’s entrepreneurial beginnings: Bill and Gayle Cook started the company in a spare bedroom in Bloomington with their one-year-old son. Today, Cook employs 12,000 to 13,000 people worldwide, with operations across Indiana including Bloomington, Indianapolis, and West Lafayette.

Cook specializes in minimally invasive medical devices, which Peterson described as technologies that allow clinicians to diagnose and treat conditions through small punctures rather than open surgery, all guided by advanced imaging. One example of how far medicine has come, he said, is the disappearance of “exploratory surgery” as a common practice.

“That phrase is gone,” said Peterson. “That doesn’t happen anymore because of the advancements in imaging paired with the devices that we make.”

Wong noted that one of the most underappreciated aspects of Cook’s impact is how its innovation culture has generated new companies and new industry branches throughout Indiana. Peterson highlighted examples including Cook-founded ventures that later became major employers and anchors in the region, such as Cook Pharmica (now Novo Nordisk) and Cook Pharmaceutical Solutions (later acquired by Baxter and spun into a new company).

The result is what Wong described as a “Cook coaching tree,” a growing network of alumni, spinouts, and downstream innovation that continues to strengthen the ecosystem.

Peterson also discussed how Cook’s culture extends beyond product innovation into community impact. When Cook identifies a challenge that affects workforce stability or quality of life, the company is willing to “lean in” and help build solutions. One major example: workforce housing. In response to housing shortages in Southern Indiana, Cook has taken direct action to help develop affordable housing in communities such as Owen County and Orange County, with plans to expand those efforts further. Cook has also partnered with organizations like Goodwill to create workforce opportunities through an FDA-approved medical device manufacturing facility on Indianapolis’ Near East Side, supporting individuals who historically have had limited access to stable employment.

One of the most exciting innovations discussed in the episode was Cook’s work in interventional MRI, a next-generation platform that could redefine how minimally invasive procedures are performed. Traditionally, these procedures rely on X-ray guidance, which exposes both patients and clinicians to radiation and often requires contrast dye. Interventional MRI could dramatically reduce those burdens while offering far greater imaging precision.

Cook has partnered with Siemens to co-develop a platform that enables clinicians to perform minimally invasive procedures using MRI guidance—opening the door to earlier-stage treatments, including potential breakthroughs in cancer care The platform launched in Europe in fall 2025, with a broader U.S. rollout expected this spring.

“It’s really an early-stage platform that could revolutionize a big part of procedural medicine,” said Peterson.

BioSignals’ inaugural episode sets the tone for what the podcast aims to deliver: thoughtful conversations with leaders who are shaping the future of health, science, and innovation, right here in Indiana.

With guests like Dan Peterson, the series begins with a strong reminder that Indiana’s life sciences success is not accidental. It is the result of decades of collaboration, long-term strategy, and an ecosystem willing to invest in bold ideas.

And now, BioSignals will help ensure those stories are heard well beyond Indiana’s borders.

Listen to the first episode of BioSignals now and subscribe for upcoming conversations featuring innovators, executives, and change-makers from across Indiana’s life sciences community.

How BioCrossroads’ 10-Year Strategy is Positioning Indiana to Lead the Future of Life Sciences

A message from Vince Wong, President and CEO, BioCrossroads and Indiana Seed Funds

As we look ahead to the year to come, I’m excited not only by how far Indiana’s life sciences sector has traveled, but even more so with the incredible potential that still lies ahead.

Two years ago, BioCrossroads launched a 10-year strategy grounded in the shared belief that Indiana could become a global leader in life sciences by intentionally aligning our strengths in manufacturing, research, talent, and collaboration. Today, that strategy is no longer just words on paper. It is taking shape in measurable, meaningful ways across the state, structured around four key pillars: Advancing Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Expanding Manufacturing; Building Talent and Workforce Development Pathways; and Establishing Thought Leadership through Community and Collaboration. In all four areas, we’ve made significant progress.

Indiana is a powerhouse in innovation, as evidenced by the patent productivity of our research community, both academic and industry, and peer-reviewed publications generated by Indiana-based researchers. However, the state lags in translating those discoveries and inventions into products and solutions that ultimately lead to patient and economic development impact. Bridging this gap requires a multi-dimensional approach that includes leadership, incentives, capital, and community.

Leadership at Indiana’s universities have a greater appreciation, now more than ever, in the importance of converting research investments into real-world impact. Thus, university tenure structures are expanding from the conventional currency of grant funding and publications to intellectual property, industry collaborations, and companies started. This shift sends a strong signal to existing and prospective faculty of what phenotype Indiana’s universities seek to attract and retain.

The launch of IU LAB is a great example of Indiana University’s heightened commitment to foster collaborations between IU’s formidable research engine with industry partners. Once built, IU LAB will serve as another attractive incubator of promising life science start-ups, founded by IU faculty, alumni, and beyond.

The Indiana Biosciences Research Institute (IBRI) recently made an exciting step in its evolution with its formation of LIBRIS, a for-profit entity that will serve as a catalyst for the development and commercialization of promising assets coming from its talented researchers.

A robust portfolio of accelerators and incubator programming and services have launched, including BioCrossroads’ AXIS mentoring program and IU LAB’s Lifetech Accelerator (with partner IU Health) powered by Gener8tor, Plug and Play, and BioCrossroads. These initiatives create a highly supportive community for life science innovators and dreamers.

Finally, Indiana’s federal tech hub Heartland BioWorks’ non-dilutive BioCAN grants and the formation of Crossroads Health Ventures, with $22M in committed capital help provide critical funding to startups. These initiatives represent the DNA of an exciting innovation organism that will grow and flourish in Indiana.

Indiana is the nation’s leading exporter of life sciences products. We continue to strengthen our position as a pharmaceutical manufacturing powerhouse, while accelerating growth in medical devices and advancing leadership in fast-growing areas of innovation. Lilly has committed over $13B in investments at the LEAP innovation district. Beyond Lilly, Autocam, West Pharmaceuticals, INCOG, Stevanato, and Simtra are just a few companies that have either broken ground on new faculties or expanded existing ones in Indiana over the past two years.

Radiopharmaceuticals have emerged as a clear example of this strategy in action. In 2025, Indiana was recognized as the Radiopharmaceutical Capital of the World™, the result of coordinated ecosystem building led in part by BioCrossroads’ state-wide Radiopharmaceutical Working Group. And major investments have flowed in—Novartis opened its largest and most advanced radioligand therapy manufacturing facility globally in Indianapolis. Orano Med launched a first-of-its-kind alpha therapy lab in Brownsburg. And Eli Lilly and Company advanced partnerships totaling more than $1 billion in the radiopharmaceutical space.

Again, these are not isolated wins. They represent Indiana’s intentional focus on highly specialized, capital-intensive, and fast-growing areas of medicine, which is exactly the type of focused efforts required to meet the 2033 benchmark.

At the same time, BioCrossroads and its partners recognize that talent and workforce is a critical success factor for continued growth.

Every metric, R&D excellence, manufacturing leadership, or company diversification, depends on talent. That reality is why workforce investment has been accelerated early in the 10-year plan.

From the $51 million federally backed Heartland BioWorks BioTrain facility to the Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway (INCAP) and the Lilly Scholars at Purdue program, Indiana is building age demographic-specific pathways into high-value life sciences careers, both for hourly and professional occupations. Indiana’s exclusive license covering the Midwest region for world-class curriculum from the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) will position the state as a regional center of excellence for biopharma manufacturing training. These initiatives directly support the metrics by ensuring companies can scale, innovate, and stay rooted in Indiana.

Two years into BioCrossroads’ strategic plan, progress is visible across the state. New ventures are emerging alongside global incumbents. Early-stage companies are gaining access to manufacturing, capital, and mentorship. Initiatives like READI are ensuring that communities across Indiana, not just the big cities, are prepared to support growth.

And just this month, BioCrossroads has launched two resources to support and grow this company base. Startup Indiana is BioCrossroads’ new website designed to serve as a centralized front door for Indiana’s life sciences startup community. This site brings together funding pathways, mentorship, regulatory and clinical resources, startup visibility, and ecosystem connections in one place. To further support startups and access to funding, BioCrossroads’ Crossroads Health Ventures announced its launch and first close of a new early-stage venture fund created to accelerate the growth of Indiana’s life sciences startups and reinforce the state’s global leadership across human, animal, and plant health innovation.

This progress is the result of coordination and commitment across industry, academia, government, and communities statewide. It reflects a deliberate shift from isolated successes to an integrated, resilient ecosystem—one designed to compete and win on a global stage over the next decade.

Indiana stands at the crossroads of medicine, manufacturing, and innovation. The path forward is ambitious, and it’s one we’re building together.

BioCrossroads’ AXIS Mentoring Program: Meet the First Two Cohorts

A core tenet of BioCrossroads’ mission is bringing people from Indiana’s life science sector together to increase our collective impact. We convene to collaborate. And no program better exemplifies these efforts than our AXIS mentoring program, which is designed to provide structured, team-based mentorship to early-stage life sciences entrepreneurs.

What sets AXIS apart from other mentoring efforts is its focus on connection without institutional boundaries. AXIS is supported by powerful partners like IU, Purdue, Notre Dame, 16 Tech, Heartland BioWorks, and is operated through BioCrossroads. Entrepreneurs from anywhere in Indiana and at any stage can participate. BioCrossroads has recruited mentors from across the life sciences, bringing a wide range of professional and personal experience. Our mentor pool includes some of Indiana’s leading life sciences professionals, motivated to help advance and scale the next generation of innovation.

The vision for AXIS is clear: cultivate a vibrant, inclusive, and interconnected life sciences ecosystem, with mentorship as the foundation for translating ideas into impact and retaining our top talent in the state. AXIS will play a critical role in helping early career scientists and emerging companies avoid common pitfalls, accelerate their growth, expand career pathways, and navigate the complex regulatory, funding, and commercialization environments unique to the life sciences sector. Drawing from the proven model of MIT’s Venture Mentoring Service (VMS), the program builds a strong support system for individuals navigating the challenges of scientific innovation, commercialization, and founder growth.

Launched by BioCrossroads in 2025, AXIS has already supported two cohorts that have pitched their ideas and begun advancing their work.

How You Can Get Involved

Apply as a mentee: Early-career scientists, researchers, and life sciences founders are encouraged to join the next cohort.
Become a mentor: Seasoned professionals can share expertise and make tangible impact.
Partner and support: Regional stakeholders can bolster AXIS’s reach and deepen its ecosystem influence.

The success of AXIS hinges on its collaborative spirit—mentors, mentees, partners, and supporters working together to nurture vibrant, sustainable growth in Indiana’s life sciences sector.

Cohort 1

Qwyn AI
AXIS Mentee: Adam Martin
Developer of an artificial intelligence-powered quality management platform designed to help life sciences organizations accelerate investigations, automate root cause analysis and prevent recurrence of quality issues. The company offers guided investigation workflows, automated documentation, regulatory intelligence, and trend detection, enabling pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturers to maintain compliance, reduce cycle times, and improve product quality.

IndiAide Inc.
AXIS Mentee: Alyssa Antcliff
Developer of a daily task management platform designed to centralize the management of important health and personal information. The company’s platform improves functional independence and continuity of care for people with medical complexities, cognitive impairments, those who are aging in place, and their families, enabling clients to manage daily tasks and wellbeing for individuals with cognitive impairment.

Quornix
AXIS Mentee: Dr. Julia van Kessel and Dr. Laura Brown
Developer of small-molecule therapeutics that target bacterial quorum sensing to disrupt pathogenic behavior without directly killing bacteria. The company’s approach aims to reduce antimicrobial resistance while addressing infectious disease challenges in human health and aquaculture. Quornix is based in Bloomington, Indiana, and was formed around Indiana University–derived research.

Delta Ops AI
AXIS Mentee: Dr. Pengyi Shi
Operator of workforce management intended to optimize staff allocation in healthcare settings. The company’s platform uses advanced optimization algorithms to assign nurses effectively across daily shifts and long-term schedules, considering factors such as unit needs and medical campus requirements, enabling healthcare organizations to maximize operational efficiency, reduce labor costs, and improve care delivery by ensuring the right staff are in the right place at the right time.

GoldiloxBio
AXIS Mentee: Dr. Milos Marinkovic
Developer of physiologically relevant preclinical testing platforms that replicate tissue-specific extracellular matrix environments to improve cardiomyocyte function and cardiac toxicity assessment. The company’s technology is designed to generate more predictive safety and efficacy data earlier in the drug development process. Its platform serves biopharmaceutical companies seeking to reduce late-stage clinical failures.

Peak Mind
AXIS Mentee: Alicia Mckoy
Operator of an employee well-being application designed to help businesses build connections and a culture of care for their employees. The company’s application measures stress levels and offers coping mechanisms through a library of tools, enabling organizations in education and public safety to improve employee well-being and reduce stress-related expenses.

Amplicore, Inc.
AXIS Mentee: Dr. Stacey Gruber
Developer of injectable therapeutic drugs designed to treat degenerative musculoskeletal disorders to serve unmet medical needs. The company’s drugs promote cartilage regeneration and suppress enzymatic activities to treat degenerative musculoskeletal disorders, enabling healthcare organizations to seamlessly provide relief to patients from joint pain.

Cohort 2

ReactRX
AXIS Mentee: Dr. Emma Tillman
Developer of an AI-enabled pharmacovigilance platform designed to transform passive adverse drug reaction reporting into a real-time, interactive safety monitoring system. The company’s platform engages patients beyond pharmacy pickup to collect denominator-aware safety data, enable early signal detection, and deliver actionable insights to pharmaceutical companies, CROs, and regulators.

Vasculonics
AXIS Mentee: Brad Lawson
Developer of a disease-modifying therapeutic platform designed to reduce progression and mortality in pulmonary arterial hypertension. The company offers a novel selective aryl hydrocarbon receptor modulator that targets inflammation, oxidative stress, fibrosis, and vascular toxicity, enabling treatment of individuals with pulmonary arterial hypertension, improved quality of life, and survival.

Narrow-Spectrum Antibiotics Targeting Bacterial Carbonic Anhydrase
Faculty-Led Research | Company Formation Opportunity
AXIS Mentee: Dr. Daniel Flaherty
Developer of a novel narrow-spectrum antibiotic platform targeting bacterial carbonic anhydrase enzymes to selectively treat drug-resistant pathogens while preserving the gut microbiome. The underlying faculty-led research demonstrates potency against high-priority indications including vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus and drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae, with applications in both treatment and pre-exposure decolonization. The technology represents a differentiated antimicrobial mechanism with no known competitors in this enzyme class and is currently positioned for startup formation and translational development.

echoSURE
AXIS Mentee: Raishma Anwar
Developer of a bedside medical device that verifies nasogastric feeding tube placement using proprietary acoustic sensing and signal-processing technology. The solution enables rapid, point-of-care confirmation without reliance on radiographic imaging. The technology is intended to improve patient safety while reducing delays and costs associated with X-ray confirmation.

TruePulse Health
AXIS Mentee: Dr. Sujata Punait
Developer of a software platform that provides continuous, real-time monitoring of autonomic nervous system activity to deliver personalized stress and recovery insights to clinicians. The company’s ANSense platform integrates multi-signal physiological data with advanced analytics to enable earlier detection of autonomic dysfunction and proactive intervention, particularly in maternal care settings. TruePulse Health monetizes its platform through a B2B subscription and setup fee model, with plans to expand into value-based care and broader high-acuity clinical markets.

BioCrossroads’ Role in the Accelerator

As a partner in the inaugural Plug and Play Lifetech Accelerator, BioCrossroads is helping to connect global innovators with Indiana’s robust life sciences ecosystem. Through our network of corporate, academic, and community partners, we are working to ensure that these startups have access to the expertise, resources, and collaborative environment needed to accelerate their growth. Our involvement reflects BioCrossroads’ ongoing commitment to advancing innovation, supporting entrepreneurship, and strengthening Indiana’s position as one of the nation’s top life sciences hubs.

Read the full release from Plug and Play:

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Plug and Play, the world’s largest innovation platform, today announced the 12 companies selected for the inaugural batch of its Lifetech accelerator program in Indianapolis.

The cohort draws from a global talent pool and represents startup companies from eight states and three countries. Over the next four months, these founders will collaborate with Plug and Play’s Lifetech partners, including IU LAB, BioCrossroads, IU Health, and Indiana University, to accelerate the future of healthcare and life sciences. The program will culminate with an expo event in February 2026, at which the graduating startups will pitch their solutions to an audience of corporate executives, investors, industry leaders, and the community.

“The IU LAB is proud to partner with Plug and Play, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership and IU Health to help grow Indiana’s innovation economy,” said David Rosenberg, President and CEO of the IU LAB. “This partnership reflects our commitment to translating IU’s $1 billion research enterprise, attracting and developing world-class talent, and building the next generation of companies right here in Indiana. Together, we’re strengthening the state’s position as a national hub for life sciences and groundbreaking innovation.”

The selected companies are pioneering advancements across the life sciences spectrum focused on human health. Their innovations include next-generation therapeutics for cancer and chronic diseases, novel drug delivery platforms, non-invasive diagnostics for early disease detection, medical devices, AI-driven medical imaging, and stem-cell-derived organoid development.

The Batch 1 Lifetech startups are:

AGED Diagnostics – AGED Diagnostics is the first accurate blood test for fatty liver disease that affects 1 in 3 Americans.
Amplicore – Amplicore is developing a new class of injectable therapeutics as novel regenerative approaches to treat musculoskeletal disorders.
Amplified Sciences – Amplified Sciences is revolutionizing disease detection with a commercial stage test that helps physicians more accurately detect risk for pancreatic cancer built on their ultra-sensitive optical reporter platform.
Door Pharma – Door Pharma attacks chronic hepatitis B by targeting the viral nucleocapsid protein.
Grannus Therapeutics – Grannus Therapeutics is focused on the development of a novel first-in-class therapeutic for the treatment of ovarian cancer.
Intero Biosystems – Intero Biosystems creates stem cell-derived mini organs to predict how drugs behave in humans before clinical trials.
Modella AI – Modella AI is transforming human medicine by shortening the time to diagnosis and informing treatment options for pathologically driven diseases like cancer.
OmniSpirant Therapeutics – OmniSpirant Therapeutics is an Irish biotech developing a disruptive RNA delivery platform technology, “OmniSomes.” This proprietary technology is highly differentiated, utilizing bioengineered Mesenchymal Stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) as novel non-viral vectors for highly efficient RNA delivery, which uniquely confers additional regenerative medicine properties and benefits.
OsseoLabs – OsseoLabs is a medtech company pioneering AI-driven surgical planning and 3D-printed personalized implants to improve patient outcomes, reduce surgical risks, and bring precision care to hospitals globally.
OsteoCure Therapeutics – OsteoCure Therapeutics is a Duke spinout and JLABS company developing an adenosine platform for treating both fracture repair and osteoporosis.
Scioto Biosciences – Scioto Biosciences is targeting a breakthrough gut-brain therapy designed to help children with autism thrive by supporting early development and lasting progress.
Synch Neuro – SynchNeuro has developed the world’s first brain-based non-invasive glucose monitor.

“This inaugural batch of startups is a testament to the incredible innovation happening in the life sciences,” said Brandon Noll, Director of Plug and Play Indiana. “We’re thrilled to bring these entrepreneurs to Indianapolis, a city with a rich history in the life sciences, where they will directly engage with leading life science experts as well as tap into the robust network of resources available for every phase of their journey through Plug and Play’s global innovation platform. The future of medicine is being shaped right here, and we’re excited to be part of that growth.”

Launched in September 2025, the IU LAB Lifetech Accelerator was created by Plug and Play in collaboration with Indiana University, IU Health, and regional partners to strengthen Indiana’s position as a leader in life sciences innovation. The program supports startups developing breakthroughs in therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, and biotechnology through mentorship, investor access, and corporate collaboration.

To learn more about Plug and Play Lifetech, visit: https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/industries/lifetech.

About Plug and Play

Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform, connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we’re present in 60+ locations across 25+ industries. We offer corporate innovation programs, helping our partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also run startup acceleration programs and have built an in-house VC where we’ve invested in hundreds of successful companies, including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal, and Rappi. For more information, visit Plug and Play Tech Center.

All Roads Led to Warsaw:
BioCrossroads FrameWORX Highlights Indiana’s Orthopedic Leadership

Known globally as the Orthopedic Capital of the World®, the region welcomed more than 200 scientists, researchers, business leaders, and students for BioCrossroads’ quarterly FrameWORX event: The Future of Musculoskeletal Health: Innovations in Orthopedic Medicine and Indiana’s Leadership Opportunity. Held at Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana the event placed Indiana’s orthopedic strength in the spotlight by bringing national voices together to discuss the science, industry, and impact of musculoskeletal health.

Orthopedics is one of the most important sectors in global health, providing implants, devices, and treatments that restore mobility, reduce pain, and extend quality of life for millions of patients. Warsaw has long been at the center of that mission. It is home to global leaders like Zimmer Biomet and J&J MedTech, alongside a thriving community of mid-sized companies, startups, suppliers, and innovators who design and manufacture orthopedic technologies that are used worldwide. Tens of thousands of Hoosiers work in this industry, making Indiana one of the largest concentrations of musculoskeletal expertise and production on the planet.

Article content — *J&J MedTech was one of many partners represented at the FrameWORX event at Grace College.*

The state’s academic and research institutions are also pushing the field forward. Purdue University is applying artificial intelligence to orthopedic product development, while the IU School of Medicine continues to make groundbreaking discoveries through the Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health. Under the leadership of Dr. Melissa Kacena, the Center is working to secure a 10-year National Science Foundation award that could transform the state’s innovation economy. Indiana is a semifinalist for a grant that would expand STEM education for thousands of students, train nearly 2,000 people, launch dozens of new companies, bring new products to market, file hundreds of patents, create thousands of jobs, and generate more than half a billion dollars in economic impact. Just last year, Indiana continued its orthopedic momentum by approving a $30 million investment in the Orthopedic Industry Retention Initiative, a targeted effort to strengthen infrastructure, support workforce programs, and secure the long-term competitiveness of the region’s orthopedic sector.

The FrameWORX event reflected this momentum. Attendees heard from orthopedic oncologist and cancer survivor Dr. Kurt Weiss, who shared both clinical expertise and personal perspective on why advances in orthopedic medicine matter so profoundly. Dr. Weiss facilitated a panel with orthopedic patients whose voices offered a moving reminder of how these innovations change lives in real time. Industry and academic leaders from Zimmer Biomet, Purdue University, and IU Indianapolis spoke about how robotics, precision engineering, and data-driven research are reshaping orthopedic care. Leaders in manufacturing and workforce development discussed how Indiana is building the infrastructure and training the talent needed to sustain this global industry well into the future.

The program also featured perspectives from beyond Indiana. Dr. Hicham Drissi, professor and vice chair of research at Emory University School of Medicine and President-Elect of the Orthopaedic Research Society, praised Indiana’s collaborative spirit, remarking that “it takes two hands to clap” and that Warsaw’s energy and talent make it an ideal incubator for global growth.

Brandon Noll, Director of Plug & Play Indiana, underscored the state’s unique identity when he told the audience, “We’re not looking to be the Silicon Valley of Med Tech. We’re looking to be Med Tech Valley.”

Though Warsaw may be tucked away in northeast Indiana, far from major media hubs, its orthopedic impact resonates worldwide. Every day, thousands of professionals here are innovating, manufacturing, and delivering devices that improve lives across every continent. On August 20, the FrameWORX event showcased this global significance, while also pointing to even greater opportunities ahead.

“The musculoskeletal health sector is one of Indiana’s strongest global assets,” said Vince Wong, President and CEO of BioCrossroads. “This event underscored the extraordinary innovation happening here, the collaboration that drives it, and the opportunity for Indiana to continue leading the world in orthopedic medicine.”

Winners of the poster content held in conjunction with the FrameWorx event. — *Keynote speaker Dr. Kurt Weiss delivered moving remarks about his personal journey* *and*

Photos from FrameWORX

Thank you to our sponsors

Watch the full FrameWORX recap.

BioCrossroads' AXIS Mentorship Program Kicks Off at IBRI

July 2025 marked an exciting milestone for Indiana’s life sciences community with the official launch of AXIS, a revived statewide mentoring program from BioCrossroads. Held at the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute (IBRI), the event brought together innovators, mentors, academic and industry leaders, and rising entrepreneurs—all committed to supporting the next generation of life sciences talent in Indiana.

The AXIS Mentoring Program is designed to provide structured, team-based, and conflict-free mentorship to early-stage life sciences entrepreneurs. Drawing from the proven model of MIT’s Venture Mentoring Service (VMS), the program builds a strong support system for individuals navigating the challenges of scientific innovation, commercialization, and startup growth.

Emily Atkinson, Senior Director of Innovation at BioCrossroads, emphasized the importance of the moment.

“The launch of AXIS marks a new chapter for Indiana’s life sciences ecosystem. By bringing together world-class mentors and passionate entrepreneurs from every corner of the state, we’re building a network rooted in trust, collaboration, and real-world experience. Last week’s event was more than a kickoff—it was a celebration of the future we’re shaping together.”

The launch event itself reflected the energy and potential of the program. Emerging startups pitched their ideas to an engaged audience of experienced professionals. Mentees were introduced to the pool of mentors, of whom will form their first mentor teams, setting the tone for a collaborative journey ahead. Conversations flowed as industry veterans and first-time founders exchanged ideas, offered advice, and began forming relationships that could shape new companies—and careers.

What sets AXIS apart is its focus on connection without institutional boundaries. Although supported by powerful partners, like IU, Purdue, Notre Dame, 16 Tech, and IBRI, the program operates independently. This means that entrepreneurs from anywhere in Indiana, at any stage of their journey, can tap into an expansive network of mentors who are there to help them succeed without bias or agenda.

The vision for AXIS is clear: cultivate a vibrant, inclusive, and interconnected life sciences ecosystem that not only keeps Indiana talent here but also attracts innovators from across the country. The mentoring program will play a critical role in helping early-career scientists and emerging companies avoid common pitfalls, accelerate their growth, and navigate the complex regulatory, funding, and commercialization pathways unique to the life sciences sector.

Over the coming months, AXIS will continue to grow. Additional cohorts of mentors and mentees will be trained and onboarded, and the network of support will expand into more corners of the state. This initiative, rooted in collaboration and powered by experience, will help build a stronger, more resilient life sciences economy for Indiana, one relationship at a time.

For those interested in joining as a mentor or mentee, or for organizations looking to support the program, more information is available at biocrossroads.com/axis.

How You Can Get Involved

Apply as a mentee: Early-career scientists, researchers, and life sciences founders are encouraged to join the next cohort.
Become a mentor: Seasoned professionals can share expertise and make tangible impact.
Partner & support: Regional stakeholders can bolster AXIS’s reach and deepen its ecosystem influence.

The success of AXIS hinges on its collaborative spirit, mentors, mentees, partners, and supporters working together to nurture vibrant, sustainable growth in Indiana’s life sciences sector.

Watch a recap of the AXIS Launch event.

Meeting the Moment: Elevating Indiana’s Life Sciences Leadership

Workforce development has paid dividends for Indiana’s life sciences sector. The Hoosier State leads the nation in both pharmaceutical and life sciences exports. The sector employs 70,000 Hoosiers across 3,200 establishments and contributes $99 billion to Indiana’s economy. And the average wage among life sciences professionals – $148,000 – is well ahead of the state’s average.

But when it comes to leadership, there’s no such thing as a finish line. To stay competitive with the likes of Boston and San Diego, workforce development remains a top priority for Indiana’s life sciences ecosystem.

And on June 12, leading professionals and recruiters met to exchange perspectives at the quarterly FrameWORX hosted by BioCrossroads.

Gone are the days when recruiting started in college and job training moved along slowly. Today, employers and employees alike are looking for dynamic, life-changing opportunities right out of the gate. In Indiana, industry visibility starts as early as middle school. Internships with substance and ongoing training and development for professionals are critical parts of the mix.

Zachary Haller, the practice lead who supports lab services and scientific solutions at Actalent, said drivers for people seeking new opportunities are clear.

“Not only is the labor market changing but so are the desires of candidates,” Haller told a capacity crowd at the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute at 16 Tech. “People want to work in meaningful jobs. They don’t want to just work or just get a paycheck. And people want a personalized plan. Not a lot of people are getting those experiences.”

To keep pace, Indiana is looking at next-level platforms. Indiana’s designation as a tech hub means BioTrain will produce job-ready professionals who want careers in biomanufacturing. BioTrain is part of the Heartland BioWorks Tech Hub, a $51 million initiative supported by the U.S. Economic Development Administration and spearheaded by the Applied Research Institute (ARI) in collaboration with Purdue University, Ivy Tech Community College, and BioCrossroads. BioTrain will address the projected labor shortage in Indiana’s biotech industry.

Indiana also is adopting the Swiss apprenticeship model to enhance career readiness among high school students, particularly in the life sciences sector – part of a broader effort to provide students with practical, paid work experiences alongside their education.

“Life sciences and health care often have synergies with people moving back and forth between the sectors,” said Vince Wong, president and CEO of BioCrossroads. “We have strategies at different levels: for K-12, for college, and for those already working in the industry. We are developing strategies for all groups to meet people where they are.”

workforce resources

Meet the partners powering Indiana’s life sciences and healthcare workforce

The employers, educators, and organizations featured here are building real pipelines, aligning training with industry demand, creating new pathways into scientific and clinical roles, and helping employers attract and grow the teams they need to compete. Each one offers practical tools, proven approaches, and direct ways to support your talent strategy.

Actalent

Data-driven talent solutions across scientific and clinical roles

Actalent partners with companies to deliver customized workforce solutions, with deep expertise in clinical, scientific, and engineering roles. Their data-informed approach helps employers stay agile in a competitive talent market.
www.actalentservices.com

Ascend Indiana

Matching talent to high-demand roles with personalized career navigation

Ascend Indiana connects employers with qualified talent through a unique blend of one-on-one career guidance and tech-enabled matching tools. Their employer partnerships help streamline hiring pipelines while opening doors to high-demand jobs for Indiana residents.
www.ascendindiana.com

IBRI Internship Program

Hands-on experience in translational research

The Indiana Biosciences Research Institute (IBRI) offers a competitive internship program that provides early-career scientists with exposure to applied, translational research in a collaborative environment. The program supports both student development and employer workforce needs through mentorship and meaningful lab experiences.
www.indianabiosciences.org

IU Health

Creating upward mobility through continuous education
As one of the state’s largest healthcare employers, IU Health invests in its people. Their career development initiatives—from tuition support to pathway programs—help employees build long-term careers while staying responsive to workforce needs across the system.
www.iuhealth.org

Ivy Tech Community College

Industry-aligned training and credentialing programs
With campuses across Indiana, Ivy Tech offers accessible, flexible training that is closely aligned with employer needs—whether it’s credentials in biotech manufacturing, clinical support, or quality systems. Their programs help both new entrants and current employees build in-demand skills.
www.ivytech.edu