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Is Michigan behind life sciences?

March 10, 2008

KALAMAZOO--Leaders from across the state, including Western Michigan University President John M. Dunn will tackle the issue of Michigan's support for the life-sciences industry Wednesday, March 12, at a business forum on the WMU campus.

The event, Business Review's first Michigan Leaders Speak forum of the year, is set for 4 to 6 p.m. at the Fetzer Center. Admission is $20. To register, go to www.regonline.com/lifesciences. For assistance, call (800) 644-2846.

The forum is designed to allow registered attendees to choose from among 10 separate roundtables in which business and education leaders will tackle a range of topics revolving around the future of the life sciences in Michigan. Dunn will be co-leader with Laura Van Popering of Van Popering, McLogan Executive Search Inc. of one discussion group focused on talent recruitment

Following two, 20-minute roundtable sessions, a trio of life-sciences professionals will join a townhall-style panel session to extend the discussion. Those panelists will be Linda Chamberlain, head of the West Michigan Science & Technology Initiative; John Greenfield, director of Michigan's Core Technology Alliance; and Stephen Rapundalo, head of MichBio.

The event also will feature a keynote address by Michael Jandernoa, co-founder of Bridge Street Capital Partners and former Perrigo Co. chairman and CEO.

Other leaders who will be part of the discussion include roundtable leaders:

Randal Charlton of Wayne State University and TechTown and Dr. Jack Luderer of WMU's Biosciences Research and Commercialization Center who will talk about commercialization;

James Conner of Granger Construction and John Vander Wall of Midwest Cleanroom Associates who will lead the discussion on construction

Don Hunt of Lambert Edwards who will lead a discussion on marketing intellectual property

Steven Goldner of the Regulatory Affairs Association who will lead the regulatory affairs discussion; and

Monty Reimers of MPI Research who will discuss licensing and product development.

Partnering with Business Review for this Michigan Leaders Speak forum are the Core Technology Alliance, MichBio, Southwest Michigan First, the West Michigan Science & Technology Initiative and Western Michigan University. The forum is also sponsored by CTS Telecom Inc. and Marshall Economic Development.

Media contact: Cheryl Roland, (269) 387-8400, cheryl.roland@wmich.edu

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