Intuitive Genomics Joins BRDG Park's Growing List of Tenants

BRDG Park welcomed Intuitive Genomics, a bioinformatics services and software provider, into the BRDG Park community in August.  The company, co-founded by Danforth President Jim Carrington, is a biosciences firm serving the large-scale, genome data analysis needs of private and public research-intensive institutions.  Intuitive Genomics develops proprietary software and strategies to analyze large genome datasets, allowing researchers and institutions to find and understand the important information within these datasets to address their specific needs.

Intuitive Genomics offers bioinformatics services including high-throughput sequencing, genome sequence assembly, automated gene prediction and annotation, transcriptome analysis, polymorphism discovery, metagenomic sequence assembly and analysis, data visualization, global analysis of DNA/protein interactions and epigenetic modifications, and is able to develop custom bioinformatics pipelines based on client needs.

"With the addition of Intuitive Genomics to BRDG Park, we have revolutionary bioinformatics technology at our fingertips," said Sam Fiorello, President of BRDG Park.  "The company is a wonderful addition to our diverse group of tenants and we are excited to welcome them into the BRDG Park community."

Intuitive Genomics joins Divergence, Inc., St. Louis Community College, Nidus Investment Partners, Monsanto, Phycal, LLC, Novus International, Inc., GAIN, Global Patent Group, LLC, Allied Blending and Ingredients, Inc., HighQuest Partners, Conagen, Inc. and SyMyco in BRDG Park's Building I.

Ag-Biotech Company from India to Establish first U.S. Operations

Governor Jay Nixon Congratulates SyMyco and BRDG Park

On August 9, Governor Jay Nixon visited the Bio-Research and Development Growth Park at the Danforth Plant Science Center to tour BRDG Park facilities and to announce that SyMyco, a subsidiary of Symbiotic Sciences (www.symbioticsciences.com) based in New Delhi, India, is establishing its first laboratory facility in the United States at BRDG Park's Building I.  SyMyco is a joint venture partner with Mycorrhizal Applications, Inc. (www.mycorrhizae.com), an Oregon company.  BRDG Park's latest tenant plans to create 80 new jobs in Missouri within the next five years.

SyMyco researches the relationships between friendly fungi and plant roots, and makes products to reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and increase crop yield and resistance to weeds and disease.

According to Aditya Malhotra, SyMyco President, the company's decision to choose BRDG Park was directly influenced by its proximity to the Danforth Plant Science Center, the world's largest independent plant science research institute.

"At SyMyco, we appreciate the accessibility to the intellectual capital of world-renowned plant scientists and vital facilities that the Danforth Center campus offers," said Malhotra.  "Because of this, we believe that establishing our U.S. base at BRDG Park is an ideal platform to help us grow our business and to deliver technologies to farmers that will not only enhance their profitability, but will also help them do so in a more sustainable manner."

Incentives from the State of Missouri also impacted the company's decision to move to St. Louis and BRDG Park.  The state of Missouri provided SyMyco with an incentive package that includes a $250,000 low-interest loan from the Missouri Technology Corp. to build a specialized growth chamber to produce microbes, and $1 million in Missouri Quality Jobs Program tax credits, to be received only after SyMyco creates the required number of new jobs.

"SyMyco is our first foreign-owned company to move to BRDG Park and we expect more companies from other countries to establish their United States headquarters here in the future," said Sam Fiorello, President of BRDG Park.  "SyMyco is a perfect tenant for BRDG Park and will be able to take advantage of all the available research, resources and relationships through the Danforth Plant Science Center, as well as companies and organizations based in St. Louis that have complementary technologies."    

In addition to a state-of-the-art wet lab and office space, BRDG Park designed a custom growth chamber to meet SyMyco's distinctive needs for its laboratory space. 

Allied Blending & Ingredients Opens First Satellite Location in St. Louis 

Randy Schmelzel (right), President of Allied Blending, and John Fannon, Ph.D., Vice President of Technical Services for Allied Blending, at the grand opening.

July 28 marked the grand opening of Allied Blending & Ingredients Inc.'s first satellite location in St. Louis at BRDG Park's Building I.  The Keokuk, Iowa-based food blends and ingredients manufacturer is using the BRDG Park research lab for product development research and testing on formulations for processed cheese.

"Plant based products comprise many key components of our ingredient formulas for processed cheese, so it makes sense for us to be located in St. Louis at the world center of cutting-edge plant science research and technology," said John Fannon, Ph.D., Vice President of Technical Services for Allied Blending, who will be working in the BRDG Park location.  "We look forward to expanding our opportunities to establish new relationships in such a vibrant atmosphere."

Allied Blending's grand opening welcomed speakers including Fannon, Sam Fiorello, President of BRDG Park, Dr. William H. Danforth, Chairman of the Danforth Plant Science Center, and Denny Coleman, President and CEO of the St. Louis Economic Council.

"BRDG Park enjoys a strong sense of community with an array of companies representing a diversity of commercialization opportunities in the plant and life science industry," said Fiorello.  "We are pleased that Allied Blending is adding to the varied range of tenants in Building I."

Allied Blending also has laboratories for its tortilla blends and concentrates division in Los Angeles, bakery research in Keokuk, Iowa, and manufacturing facilities in three states, including its Iowa headquarters.