INDIANAPOLIS (May 8, 2025) – BioCrossroads, the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership initiative established as a catalyst to advance, grow, and invest in Indiana’s life sciences sector, today announced two new appointments to its Board of Directors and recognized the contributions of three long-serving members whose leadership has helped shape the state’s life sciences ecosystem.

Richard Church, Chief Growth & Strategy Officer at Parkview Health, has joined the BioCrossroads Board of Directors. Since arriving at Parkview in 2022, Church has led the organization’s strategic growth initiatives, focusing on long-term innovation and access to care across the region. Prior to his current role, Church served as co-leader of the national healthcare practice group at K&L Gates, where he advised health systems on joint ventures, regulatory compliance, clinical integration, and mergers and acquisitions. His legal and regulatory expertise, paired with  his leadership of Parkview Health’s innovation initiatives , will be instrumental as BioCrossroads continues its mission to advance Indiana’s leadership in life sciences.

Also joining the Board is Dr. David Umulis, Senior Vice Provost at Purdue University in Indianapolis. A nationally recognized leader in systems biology and biomedical engineering, Dr. Umulis has led major initiatives in computational modeling, tissue development, and data science. He previously served as head of Purdue’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and helped establish the university’s Integrative Data Science Initiative. His deep scientific expertise and commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration align with BioCrossroads’ focus on translational research and workforce development.

Church succeeds Dr. Michael J. Mirro, who concludes over a decade of service on the Board. A distinguished physician and researcher, Dr. Mirro has served as Chief Academic Research Officer at Parkview Health since 2014 and holds faculty appointments at the Indiana University School of Medicine and IU’s bioinformatics program. He has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications and serves on the editorial board of the Cardiovascular Digital Health Journal. The Parkview Mirro Center for Research and Innovation—named in his honor—stands as a testament to his impact on medical research and innovation. Most recently, he helped launch the MedTech Global Gateway, connecting international med-tech companies with Indiana’s clinical and economic development resources. BioCrossroads extends its sincere gratitude for Dr. Mirro’s lasting contributions to the state’s innovation infrastructure.

Dr. Umulis succeeds Dan Hasler, Chief Operating Officer of Purdue University in Indianapolis, who has brought invaluable cross-sector insight to the Board. Hasler previously served as President of the Purdue Research Foundation, guiding commercialization and entrepreneurial strategy for Purdue’s intellectual property portfolio. He also held the role of Indiana’s Secretary of Commerce, where he helped attract a record number of companies to the state, and spent more than 30 years at Eli Lilly and Company. Hasler’s career has spanned business, government, and higher education, making him a key voice in shaping BioCrossroads’ vision for growth. The organization is deeply appreciative of his contributions.

In addition to these changes, BioCrossroads also recognizes the extraordinary service of Dr. Craig Brater, who concludes his tenure on the Board of Directors after two decades of service. As a founding Board member since 2004, Dr. Brater brought a visionary perspective to BioCrossroads’ mission to grow and strengthen Indiana’s life sciences sector. His distinguished career as Dean of the Indiana University School of Medicine and Vice President for Life Sciences at Indiana University positioned him as a driving force behind initiatives that fostered research, collaboration, and innovation across the state. Dr. Brater’s contributions have had a profound and lasting impact on BioCrossroads and the broader life sciences ecosystem, and we are deeply grateful for his steadfast leadership, partnership, and commitment over the years.

“These Board transitions reflect the strength and depth of Indiana’s life sciences leadership,” said Vince Wong, President and CEO of BioCrossroads. “We are proud to welcome Richard and David, whose expertise and perspectives will help guide our strategic direction. At the same time, we are deeply grateful to Michael,  Dan, and Craig for their years of service and for the impact they’ve made not only on BioCrossroads, but on the broader innovation ecosystem we all work to grow.”

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About BioCrossroads

Established as a catalyst to advance, grow, and invest in Indiana’s life sciences sector, BioCrossroads is an initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP). It supports the region’s existing enterprises and encourages new business development. The initiative fosters public-private collaboration by uniting a diverse range of academic, industry, and philanthropic stakeholders, all collectively focused on advancing Indiana’s life sciences sector. Committed to supporting the growth of capital investments and talent development, BioCrossroads provides support to both existing and new life sciences enterprises, including the Indiana Health Information Exchange, OrthoWorx, and the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute. BioCrossroads champions the advancement of cutting-edge research and development, plays a crucial role in building and nurturing a robust talent pipeline, and is dedicated to establishing Indiana as a thriving hub for life sciences manufacturing. To learn more about BioCrossroads, visit biocrossroads.com.

News from BioCrossroads

Industry News, Press Releases

BioCrossroads Announces Additions and Changes to the Board of Directors

May 15, 2025

Event News

IBJ Life Sciences Power Breakfast

April 25, 2025

Workforce

Over $1 Million in Grants to Start Building New Apprenticeship Pathways

April 14, 2025

Event News, FrameWORX News

Indiana’s Ecosystem: From Discovery to Commercialization

March 25, 2025

Industry News, Press Releases

BioCrossroads Joins GEC 2025

March 4, 2025

Event News, Industry News

Celebrating Innovation: GeniPhys Wins the Inaugural Life Sciences Innovation Team of the Year Award at the 2025 Mira Awards

February 28, 2025

Life Sciences Face Challenges, but Indiana is Positioned to Succeed

Hundreds of Indiana’s life sciences and business leaders gathered at the IBJ Life Sciences Power Breakfast to reflect on our state’s momentum and the work still ahead. While there was plenty of good news shared about our state’s progress, we’re keeping our eyes wide open.

There was much to celebrate. Indiana is now the top state in the nation for life sciences exports, a title we also hold for pharmaceutical exports. The sector generates $99 billion in economic impact annually. And according to Plug and Play founder and longtime Silicon Valley leader Saeed Amidi, Indiana’s lack of oceans or mountains is irrelevant when you consider our ecosystem of global biotech companies, emerging startups, and world-class research institutions. Saeed said, “This can be the center of the health technology world.”

That optimism was underscored by a major announcement from the Indiana University Launch Accelerator for Biosciences (IU LAB): a $4.5 million, three-year commitment from IU Health to establish the IU Health Incubator at the 16 Tech Innovation District. The funding supports a new partnership between IU LAB, the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), and global venture firm Plug and Play Tech Center to accelerate the growth of high-potential life sciences startups. As part of the broader initiative, Madison-based accelerator gener8tor will run a pre-accelerator program for early-stage companies still developing their products, while Plug and Play and CICP will lead a follow-on accelerator for startups with viable products and demonstrated market traction, preparing them for fundraising and scale.

The message was clear: Indiana is an increasingly exciting home for the life sciences. But even in Indiana, with our love of racing, there’s no such thing as a finish line. We must do a better job of tightly branding who we are and what we offer, helping us to directly compete with the Bay Area, San Diego, Boston, and Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. U.S. cities everywhere are working to attract life sciences organizations because they understand the direct line between economic development and the sector. And yet, the environment is increasingly choppy: tariffs could impose undue pressure on our exports, and grants from the National Institutes of Health – pivotal to helping our research organizations succeed – could be cut drastically by the federal government. There are plenty of land mines to navigate.

Our progress has been meaningful, and our top priority is ensuring Indiana organizations continue to succeed. Fortunately, we are working from a position of strength. We will continue to leverage our assets to build talent and incentives across a vibrant Hoosier State.


Watch the Recap

 

Grants from the Fairbanks Foundation to fund formation of industry “talent associations” as critical step for new pathway’s goal of welcoming students as early as 2025-2026 school year

 

INDIANAPOLIS – A new professional education and training pathway for Hoosiers rooted in a youth apprenticeship experience starting in high school is one step closer to reality. Today, the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation announced over $1 million in grants to fund the next steps of the CEMETS iLab Indiana strategic plan to build a new path that could welcome students in at least one occupation as early as the 2025-2026 school year.

The Fairbanks Foundation is awarding grants to two Indiana organizations to launch industry “talent associations,” which are organizations that enable employers within their industry to speak with one voice when it comes to their talent needs. The talent associations will work with employers to select occupations, identify the required knowledge, skills, and competencies, and collaborate with educators to develop education and training content.

CEMETS iLab Indiana, a coalition of more than 200 leaders representing a variety of sectors including business, K-12 education, higher education, and government, identified the creation of talent associations as the most critical priority of their strategic plan to build the new professional education and training pathway. The new pathways created by the talent associations will serve thousands of Hoosiers – including those who otherwise may not have opted to attend college or pursue training after high school – while also creating a new talent pipeline for employers.

“The need for this new way to access professional education and training is clear. By 2031, 72% of U.S. jobs will require education beyond high school, but only 39% of Indiana adults 25 or older have an associate degree or higher,” said Claire Fiddian-Green, president & CEO of the Fairbanks Foundation and co-chair of CEMETS iLab Indiana. “The Fairbanks Foundation is proud to fund critical next steps in building an approach that prepares students for careers and addresses Indiana’s workforce shortages.”

The first set of talent associations are within industries facing projected talent shortfalls that also have the strong support of industry executives. To fund the creation of talent associations in healthcare, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing and logistics, the Fairbanks Foundation has awarded two-year grants of up to $250,000 to the organizations identified by iLab members as best positioned to readily assume the talent association function:

  • BioCrossroads: Healthcare talent association – $200,000
  • BioCrossroads: Life sciences talent association – $200,000
  • Conexus Indiana: Advanced manufacturing and logistics talent association – $250,000

The grants are contingent upon each organization’s ability to secure matching funds for the talent associations from employers within their industries.

“While there is no one solution, the Indiana Apprenticeship Pathway can help open the doors for everyone to achieve their individual economic and career dreams,” said Melina Kennedy, CEO of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) and member of the iLab’s Governing Committee. “With their deep connections and understanding of the manufacturing, healthcare, and life sciences industries in Indiana, BioCrossroads and Conexus Indiana are a natural choice to serve as the talent associations to ensure the right occupations and skills are initially targeted for this initiative to be a success. They will work alongside Ascend Indiana, CICP’s talent initiative and iLab project partner, and many other partners across the state to address the persisting skills gap and talent availability.”

Alongside talent associations in healthcare, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing and logistics, plans are underway for a talent association in the banking industry to be operated by the Indiana Bankers Association. The Fairbanks Foundation expects to award a similar grant to IBA in early 2025.

“For years, our bankers have been going into schools to teach financial literacy to Hoosier children. We couldn’t be more excited to take those efforts to the next level with an immersive apprenticeship model for Indiana’s high school students, setting them up for a lifetime of success,” said Amber Van Til, president & CEO of the Indiana Bankers Association and member of the iLab’s Governing Committee.

In addition to the talent association grants, the Fairbanks Foundation has also awarded a two-year, $425,000 grant to the Center on the Economics and Management of Education and Training Systems (CEMETS) at the Chair of Education Systems, ETH Zurich, for continued consulting and technical assistance, both in the U.S. and in Switzerland.

Work is underway to implement the other three priorities of the CEMETS iLab Indiana strategic plan, with the goal of welcoming students in at least one occupation as soon as the 2025-2026 school year. Read more at ilabindianastrategicplan.org.

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About the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation

Since 1986, the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation has strived to advance the vitality of Indianapolis and the well-being of its people by addressing the city’s most significant challenges and opportunities. Through strategic grantmaking, research and evaluation, and cross-sector collaborations, the Foundation aims to improve outcomes across its three focus areas: Education, Health, and the Vitality of Indianapolis. Learn more at RMFF.org.

 

FrameWORX: Translating Research into Marketable Solutions

 

Collaboration often is the key to success in business. And when it comes to life sciences, you can double down. Numerous functions and areas of expertise are needed to transform an idea into reality, and we learned more about Indiana’s ability to partner our way to life sciences leadership at our latest FrameWORX on March 13.

First, some context: Indiana has been a life sciences leader for decades. Eli Lilly and Company was founded in 1876 and for decades ushered through innovations that address diabetes, depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, obesity, and other challenging conditions.

Today, Indiana leads the U.S. in pharmaceutical exports and we’re No. 2 in life sciences exports. Our life sciences industry contributes $95 billion toward the Hoosier State’s economy and Indiana ranks among the top 5 states in life sciences employment.

Unleashing innovation is leading to strong growth – and commercializing scientific opportunities is paramount to achieving next-generation success. But going it alone – regardless of your size, strength, or location – is rarely optimal in the life sciences. Leaders from academia and industry alike talked about leveraging the newest opportunities before a capacity FrameWORX crowd at 16 Tech.

Critical to Indiana’s growth opportunities are organizations and resources that facilitate success. BioCrossroads has been around for more than two decades and has supported much of Indiana’s recent growth by facilitating funding and collaboration that fuel our state’s work.

We kicked off the event with a candid conversation about innovation and entrepreneurship in Indiana’s life sciences sector. Moderated by BioCrossroads’ Chief Innovation Officer Mike Bolinder, the panel featured Diana Caldwell of Amplified Sciences, Richard Church of Parkview Health, and Derek Small of Luson Bioventures. Each brought a unique perspective—startup founder, health system leader, and investor—but all emphasized the same truth: bringing a breakthrough to market takes more than a good idea. It takes a strong network, trusted partnerships, and an ecosystem that understands both the science and the business behind innovation. From early lessons learned to the value of local collaborations, the discussion offered a powerful reminder of why Indiana continues to be a launchpad for life sciences success.

Key leaders coming from academia joined the conversation including David Rosenberg, president and CEO of IU Launch Accelerator for Biosciences or IU LAB, David Umulis, senior vice provost for Purdue University in Indianapolis and director of the EMBRIO Institute, and Paul Bohn, director of the Bioengineering and Life Sciences (BELS) Initiative at the University of Notre Dame. We also heard from Alan Palkowitz, president and CEO of the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute, who underscored the importance of moving quickly in today’s competitive environment.

“We need to invest and move quickly,” he said “We need to move forward with detail, with robust data, and reveal gaps that need to be filled. We also need to ask ourselves: what is the best quality product to move forward?”

Hoosier companies and innovators have important resources at their fingertips. Collectively, we find ways to turn ideas into innovation … and turn innovation into commercial success. We’ll be talking more about these organizations and how they support Hoosier innovators in the months ahead.

See the Agenda
Accelerating Life Science Innovation: Building the Ecosystem for Growth

With the right support ecosystem, lab discoveries can become thriving ventures. Designed for entrepreneurs, investors, ecosystem builders, and researchers, this panel offers actionable insights and valuable connections for those looking to navigate the commercialization journey and accelerate life sciences innovation.

Join us to explore:

  • an inside look at real-world success stories to discover how scientific breakthroughs are transformed into market-ready solutions.
  • emerging trends and opportunities in life sciences innovation.
  • how to develop an innovation ecosystem by leveraging local areas of strength.
  • Indiana’s life sciences innovation ecosystem – including how the state’s world-class universities, funding mechanisms, and entrepreneurial support networks help companies scale and succeed.

BioCrossroads is thrilled to be joining the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Indianapolis from June 2-5, 2025.

This global event attracts entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders, and with the event being held in the U.S. for only the second time, this is a unique opportunity to showcase how Indiana’s research institutions, funding networks, and startup ecosystem are driving breakthroughs in life sciences.

We will be joining the Investor Track at GEC 2025. Here’s a look at what you can expect:

 

Strengthen your back office with curated programming, connections, and hands-on experiences for investors at all stages of the funding pipeline.

  • Make quality connections with other investors and policy leaders from around the world – joining a global network that extends beyond the conference itself.
  • Explore new strategies for fundraising, operating and managing sustainable funds.
  • Explore the nuances of dozens of investor ecosystems from around the world – from one central location.
  • Explore trends in the investor ecosystem, what they mean for you, and how to respond.
Join us June 4 from 2 – 2:45 p.m.
Register here
BioCrossroads is proud to announce that GeniPhys has been named the recipient of the inaugural BioCrossroads Life Sciences Innovation Team of the Year Award at the 2025 TechPoint Mira Awards, held this evening at the Palladium in Carmel.

Presented for the first time at Indiana’s premier technology and innovation awards event, this new category honors life sciences teams in Indiana that have demonstrated groundbreaking advancements in research, development, and application to improve patient outcomes.

GeniPhys, based in Indianapolis, was recognized for its innovative work in developing biomaterials that enhance tissue regeneration and wound healing. Their dedication to pushing the boundaries of life sciences exemplifies the spirit of innovation that strengthens Indiana’s leadership in the health, biotechnology, medical device, and pharmaceutical sectors.

“BioCrossroads is thrilled to recognize GeniPhys with our inaugural innovation award,” said Vince Wong, BioCrossroads’ President & CEO. “The exceptional quality of the finalists highlights the depth of talent and innovation in Indiana’s life sciences sector. GeniPhys’ novel collagen-based biomaterial platform has great potential to address a critical unmet need in regenerative medicine, so we are pleased to highlight their promising innovation.”

We also extend our congratulations to all our finalists:

Each of these organizations represents the ingenuity, collaboration, and forward-thinking spirit that make Indiana a global leader in life sciences.

As an initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), BioCrossroads is dedicated to advancing Indiana’s life sciences sector by supporting the innovators, organizations, and collaborations that drive growth, discovery, and improved patient outcomes.

Learn more about the Mira Awards and other 2025 winners here.



2025 FrameWORX Series: Driving Indiana’s Life Sciences Forward

For more than two decades, BioCrossroads has brought together Indiana’s life sciences community—fueling collaboration, innovation, and industry growth. This year, we’re excited to unveil the 2025 FrameWORX series: a platform to ignite dialogue and discover solutions for the next generation of life sciences. From accelerating research commercialization to supporting specialized areas like orthopedics and nuclear medicine, FrameWORX is designed to bring diverse stakeholders—entrepreneurs, researchers, educators, and policymakers—into the same room to tackle emerging challenges and opportunities head-on.

March 13: Innovation and Industry Growth – Translating Research into Marketable Solutions

Great science is only the first step. Converting groundbreaking discoveries into practical applications requires strong networks, targeted resources, and a supportive ecosystem. This session will explore how to effectively move ideas from the lab to the marketplace—highlighting the role Indiana plays in fostering entrepreneurship and industry growth.

Register for March FrameWORX

June 12: Workforce Resilience in Life Sciences – Retaining Top Talent in a Competitive Market

A skilled and adaptable workforce is essential to maintaining Indiana’s leadership in life sciences. This discussion will focus on workforce development efforts, innovative training models, and strategies for attracting and retaining top talent. In an increasingly competitive environment, resilient and well-prepared professionals are more important than ever.

Register for June FrameWORX

August 20: Warsaw/Orthopedic Capital of the World

Indiana’s orthopedic sector is a global leader in musculoskeletal innovation and medical device manufacturing. Hosted in Warsaw—often referred to as the “Orthopedic Capital of the World”—this session will showcase advancements in orthopedics, while examining how continued investment, cutting-edge research, and strategic collaboration are shaping the future of this vital sector.

Registration will open soon for August FrameWORX

December 4: Nuclear Medicine Manufacturing and Our Growing Opportunities

As nuclear medicine continues to advance, Indiana has an opportunity to further establish itself as a leader in this high-growth sector. This session will delve into the state’s expanding role in manufacturing, research, and workforce development to meet the growing demand for radiopharmaceuticals and nuclear medicine technologies.

Register for December FrameWORX

As we look ahead to 2025, we invite you to make your voice heard. FrameWORX is more than a series of events; it’s an open forum where ideas turn into plans and plans turn into action.

Join us throughout the year for these dynamic sessions, connect with peers, and help shape the future of Indiana’s life sciences sector.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Register here

Back to FrameWORX

BioCrossroads advances Indiana’s signature strengths in the life sciences by connecting with corporate, academic and philanthropic partners; facilitating investments in promising start ups; building new enterprises; and educating through conferences, reports and market development knowledge.

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