CSU Infectious Disease Research Center named 2019 bioscience/medical manufacturer of year

DENVER -- Colorado State University’s Infectious Disease Research Center was named the 2019 Bioscience/ Medical Manufacturer of the Year at the Colorado Manufacturing Awards on April 4 in Denver.

The Colorado Manufacturing Awards are presented by CompanyWeek, which provides digital media reporting on the regional manufacturing economy, and Manufacturers Edge, the official representative of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership in Colorado.

The Center was honored for its work to support the development and manufacturing of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccine products on behalf of government, academic and private sector organizations.

Finalists for the award included Cambrex and Osypka Medtec, both based in Longmont.

The Infectious Disease Research Center offers university investigators, government scientists and industry representatives opportunities to collaboratively research the basic biology, biochemistry, molecular biology and epidemiology of bacteria and viruses that cause human and animal diseases.

Ray Goodrich, director of the Infectious Disease Research Center, said he and his team were thrilled to be recognized for their efforts.

“We work hard to integrate academic research and entrepreneurial companies at our world-class bio-manufacturing operation,” he said.

Goodrich is also a professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, part of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at CSU.

Dan Powers, director of CO-LABS, a consortium which includes federal research laboratories, universities, state and local governments, economic development organizations, private businesses and nonprofit organizations, nominated the Infectious Disease Research Center for the award.

In his nomination, Powers highlighted the work of the Rocky Mountain Regional Biocontainment Laboratory, Research Innovation Center, and BioMARC, which makes vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics — all of which are based at the Infectious Disease Research Center on CSU’s Foothills campus.

He also described the ways each of the facilities support innovation and education in the bioscience and medical realms throughout Colorado.

“The Infectious Disease Research Center competed against some of the top manufacturers in Colorado,” said Alan Rudolph, CSU VP for research. “This is an exceptional award to win, especially for an academic institution.”

2019 was the fourth year for the event and the first to include competitors beyond Colorado.

Bart Taylor, CompanyWeek founder, said the awards strive to elevate the companies and institutions doing the most “moving and shaking” across a dozen different manufacturers.

“Manufacturing is how you build wealth in your community,” he said in a story published on CompanyWeek.

“You have good jobs, you’re bringing in raw materials, and you’re selling the products outside your community.”