Frequently Asked Questions

The BioInnovations Gateway (BiG) is an innovative new resource for life science entrepreneurs and students. BiG is a life science training center and business incubator. BiG is providing a mechanism to mutually benefit research-based training, life science start-up businesses, and educational activities through the use of shared facilities, equipment, technical resources, and talent. The facility and programs are designed to support and nurture both the start-up business and the student striving to enter the industry.

The BiG facility consists of office and laboratory space adjacent to, but separately secured and administered from the academic GTI biotech/biomanufacturing and BioInnovation Gateway laboratories and classrooms. In all, more than 25,000 square feet have been customized to the needs of BiG’s tenant clients and students.

Prototyping laboratory facilities exist in Utah for cash-strapped early stage companies. Additionally, many start-up life science companies face significant hurdles due to the need for very expensive and sophisticated instrumentation and equipment. BiG enables its tenant companies to utilize under-market laboratory and office space and appropriate equipment without the initial capital outlay.

In the larger vision, Utah cannot grow our life science business sector without an appropriately trained workforce. If Utah is to prepare our students to become the workforce of tomorrow, given the extreme limitations of funding, new paradigms such as BiG must be employed. Students participating in the BiG model within the biomanufacturing/biotechnology programs are better prepared and highly marketable to our Utah industry.

For companies, BiG represents:
Affordable office/laboratory space
Access to capital intensive equipment
Availability of skilled interns
Opportunity to help train the next generation of workers
Grooming of potential employees
Access to contract research capabilities
Collaborative environment
Business services and coaching

For students and teachers:
Biotechnology skills development/Internships/Experiential learning
Advanced skills on advanced equipment
Improved employability
Professional development
Networking with entrepreneurs
Networking with Chief Scientists

For the State of Utah:
High wage job growth
New company formation
Skilled life science workforce
Pipeline of students into research universities
Pipeline outlet for university technology
New technology development
Tax Base growth

BiG private labs can support up to seven life science companies simultaneously. Each start-up company has a secure, dedicated laboratory (labs differ in size). Each individual “lockout” laboratory space includes chemical benches, gas, vacuum, air, an emergency power outlet, deionized water, and hazardous material refrigerator. Some of these labs also have chemical fume hoods and biosafety cabinets with separate office space.
Additionally, there are four shared laboratories in BiG: a wet/analytical lab, a dry/biomanufacturing/electronics lab, a prototyping lab/machine shop, and a clean room with a pass-through steam sterilizer and separate media-prep and gowning areas. The range of resources in one location is one of the unique aspects of BiG.

The wet/analytical lab includes:
Nicolet 6700 FTIR with ATR
HPLC- prep and analytical
Gas Chromatograph/ Mass Spectrometer
UV Digital Spectrophotometer (Biorad)
Refrigerated Centrifuge (Eppendorf)
Analytical Balance (Sartorius)
Top loading balance
Vortex Mixer
-80o Upright Freezer
-20o Upright Freezer
Nanodrop spectrometer
CO2 incubator
Inverted phase microscope (Nikon)
Icycler Thermal Cycler (Biorad)
BioProfile Chemical Analyzer (Nova Biomedical)
Shaking Incubator
Fermenter and Bioreactor

The prototyping/machine shop includes:
Haas TM1 CNC mill
Z Corp 3D printer
Shopbot CNC router
Shopbot CNC router
Boy injection molder
Tippman 7 ton die cutter
Floor drill press
Desktop drill presses
Slip roller
Seamer
Scroll saw
Band saw
Spot welder
Jointer
Planer
Burke vertical/horizontal manual mill
Southbend lathe
Megatron injection molder
Motoman K3S robot arms
Universal Laser

Clients of BiG are generally early stage biotechnology and biomedical device companies which have developed and protected technology, with a developed business plan but which are not yet profitable. Because facility use rules prohibit actual manufacturing for sale, companies involved in research and product development, validation and testing (through alpha and beta), and preclinical testing offer the best opportunities for use of the facilities and opportunities for student training.

BiG is not for everyone. Each client of BiG must be committed to the shared and student experiential functions of BiG. Companies will be asked to provide technical and/or business seminars in classrooms annually and encouraged to hire appropriately trained students as interns.

BiG is seeking both strategic and corporate partners to support our efforts. Currently, the Granite Technical Institute (GTI) is a strategic partner in the development of BiG. GTI conducts biomanufacturing and biotechnology in adjacent classrooms and shares the BiG laboratory facilities for training purposes.

To advance opportunities toward success for start-up companies and student experiential learning, strategic partnerships with other higher educational institutions locally and statewide are under development.

BiG is also seeking service providers. Legal, accounting and other business service providers may have interest as the spin-out companies grow and mature. Partnering with BiG and its operations will provide opportunities to develop early and meaningful relationships with early stage company clients.

BiG is also seeking financial support. BiG is both a business economic development and an educational endeavor and will need additional financial support to maintain viability. If your organization is committed to building an effective, highly trained workforce to expand Utah’s economy, we encourage you to tour our facilities. If you are interested in learning more, please contact us.

Acceptance into BiG may be granted following an application, review and interview process. Interested life-science companies may also tour the facility. For information and an application, please contact:

Sejal Chaudhari
Lab Manager
sdchaudhari@graniteschools.org
385.646.4532

Sandra Hemmert
CTE
smhemmert@graniteschools.org
385.646.7035

Contact Information

Sejal Chaudhari
Lab Manager
sdchaudhari@graniteschools.org
385.646.4532

Sandra Hemmert
CTE
smhemmert@graniteschools.org
385.646.7035