*Japanese page
The Texas Medical Center (TMC), renowned as the world's largest medical center, is distinguished by its scale and scientific rigor. Located in Houston, Texas, this medical city comprises over 54 medical institutions, 21 hospitals, 8 research institutions, and 4 medical universities. Approximately 106,000 medical professionals and researchers are active daily, and over 10 million patient visits are conducted annually.
TMC is home to renowned medical institutions such as the MD Anderson Cancer Center, a leader in cancer treatment in the world. Additionally, there is a strong integration of medical care and research within the academic institutions, including the University of Texas Health Science Center and Baylor College of Medicine, enabling a smooth translation from basic research to clinical applications. TMC institutions consistently collaborate with industry partners globally. Houston is home to numerous life science incubators and accelerators, offering a comprehensive range of resources including lab and office space, access to medical and scientific talent, KOLs, CROs, CMOs, investors, grants, and a wide array of networking opportunities.
Compared to cities like Boston and San Francisco, Houston offers a lower cost of living and business expenses. Additionally, Texas has long upheld a business-friendly environment, with favorable taxation and regulations, making it an appealing choice for startups. However, the Japanese life science community remains largely unaware of the valuable resources Houston provides. As Japan’s life science ventures increasingly seek U.S. opportunities for business development and clinical trials, Houston should be considered a viable option for establishing operations.
For Japan’s biopharmaceutical and medical technology community, collaborating or investing with the Houston medical community provides access to cutting-edge technology, opportunities for joint research and clinical trials in the U.S., and the ability to build global partnerships while expanding commercialization efforts into the U.S. Conversely, there are significant business opportunities for introducing Houston-developed technologies and products to Japan.
We are excited to explore these possibilities for innovation and commercial growth, as we work to connect global technology hubs and create a truly global life science ecosystem.
Date: 10:00-11:30am, Wed, December 18th, 2024（JST）
Online （Zoom webinar）
(Opens an external site)
Registration due date
11:00am, Wed, December 18th, 2024（JST）
*Language:English (English-Japanese simultaneous interpretation available)
*English captions are available (you can choose to turn them on or off).
*Please note that LINK-J are not responsible for any errors or omissions in the interpretation and captions.
How to use captions: Managing and viewing closed captioning
Program
| Time （JST） | Agenda |
| 10:00-10:05 | Introduction Fred Shane CEO, Axil Capital Advisors K.K. |
| 10:05-10:20 | Overview of Houston as an Innovation Hub Speaker: Emily Reiser, Ph.D., Director, Strategy and New Ventures, Texas Medical Center (TMC) |
| 10:20-10:30 | Introducing TMCi Speaker: Emily Reiser, Ph.D. |
| 10:30-10:40 | Introducing JLABS@TMC Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS (JLABS) is a global incubator network that provides early-stage innovators with access to capital-efficient lab space, equipment and resources, including expertise, community, industry connections and entrepreneurial programs. Our goal is to accelerate life science and health technology innovations to the people who need them. |
| 10:40-10:50 | Introducing RBL LLC Speaker: Paul Wotton, Ph.D., CEO RBL LLC and Chair Rice Biotech LaunchPad |
| 10:50-11:15 | Panel Discussions Panelists: Emily Reiser, Allison Rhines, Paul Wotton Moderator: Fred Shane |
| 11:15-11:25 | Q&A from audience Moderator: Fred Shane |
| 11:25-11:27 | Closing remarks Speaker: LINK-J representative |
※Speakers are subject to change
Speakers
 | Emily Reiser, Ph.D. Dr. Emily Reiser is the Director of Strategy and New Ventures at the Texas Medical Center (TMC), where she contributes to the Texas Medical Center Venture Fund and other strategic projects across TMC. In previous roles at TMC, Emily has spearheaded accelerator programs in cancer therapeutics and healthtech, led the recruitment of entrepreneurs in residence, and supported BioBridge global relationships. |
.jpg) | Allison Rhines, Ph.D. As Head of Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS @ TMC, Dr. Rhines leads the JLABS @ TMC team in incubating and growing the JLABS community of companies, as well as in enabling strategic partnerships between JLABS companies and the broader ecosystem. Dr. Rhines completed her postdoctoral fellowship within Johnson & Johnson’s Global Public Health group. She holds her PhD in Biology with a mathematical and computational focus, as well as her BA, from Stanford University. She holds her MBA from INSEAD and her MPhil from the University of Cambridge. |
 | Paul Wotton, Ph.D. Dr. Wotton serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of RBL LLC, the biotech venture creation studio recently launched by Rice University in Houston’s Texas Medical Center, and serves on the Board of Directors of Vericel Corporation, Cynata Therapeutics, and Kytopen. An EY Entrepreneur of the Year for 2014 (NJ), Dr. Wotton’s extensive background in advancing therapeutic biotechnologies is complemented by his leadership in advanced therapies and his ability to secure high-profile transactions and impactful partnerships, such as those with Vertex Pharmaceuticals and M.D. Anderson during his tenure at Obsidian Therapeutics. Earlier, while CEO of Siglion Therapeutics, Inc., he implemented the partnership leading to eventual acquisition of the company by Eli Lilly and Company. Dr. Wotton is also the former President, CEO and director of Ocata Therapeutics, Inc. (until its acquisition by Astellas Pharma US, Inc. in 2016), the former President, CEO and director of Antares Pharma, Inc., a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company (2008-2014), a former director of Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, acquired by Asahi Kasei, and has held senior level positions at Penwest Pharmaceuticals, Eurand International BV, Abbott Laboratories and Merck, Sharp and Dohme. |
 | Fred Shane Fred Shane is a Managing Partner of Axil Capital. Fred heads the global investment team, and he is the portfolio manager for Axil’s global investments. Fred has played an integral role in co-founding and expanding Axil Capital from its inception in 2017. Fred is a seasoned investment professional with extensive experience in the VC, PE, and investment banking industries, where he has assumed a number of key positions at multiple prominent organizations. Prior to co-founding Axil, Fred was a Director in the Investment Business Department of Mizuho Securities. Prior to Mizuho, Fred was instrumental in setting up the biotech investment operations at Marubeni USA, where he gained deep experience in evaluating, executing and building value in biotech startups through the full lifecycle of the deal. Fred received his BS degree in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science from M.I.T. |
Target
- Biotech and Pharmaceutical companies that wish to conduct clinical development in the U.S. or enter the U.S. market.
- Companies that wish to distribute and commercialize U.S. medical and health tech seeds in Japan.
- Industry-academia collaborators, incubators, and accelerators interested in U.S. academia's method of seeds commercialization.
- Everyone is welcome!
Participation Fee
Free
Organizer
LINK-J
Contact
LINK-J
contact@link-j.org
