FRAXA Biotech Games™. It Could Only Happen In Boston

Three years ago, I had this crazy idea that I would organize an event in Boston that would bring together the Boston biotech community to network in a friendly setting, form new relationships and potential collaborations, while raising money for research in Boston area labs. I found several people who shared my vision and together we launched FRAXA Biotech Games™. The theme is “we’re all in this together," and the beneficiary is FRAXA Research Foundation, which funds Fragile X research around the world. This event supports research in Boston Bear Lab at Picower Institute at MIT, and the Jeannie Lee Lab at Harvard/MGH. FRAXA's mission is to find effective treatments and ultimately a cure for Fragile X, the most common inherited cause of autism and learning disabilities. FRAXA collaborates with these Boston research institutions and also biotech companies such as Ovid Therapeutics.



On September 12, 2019 over 300 people from the biotech community gathered at Cambridge Crossing for our second gathering - a "friendly" competition in a series of back yard lawn games like cornhole and Kanjam. It was amazing to see my vision come to life. The mix of scientists from biotech companies like Takeda and Ginkgo Bioworks, research labs like Feng Lab at McGovern Institute at MIT, and people from companies like Morgan Stanley and Aldevron that supply products and services to the biotech industry was a perfect blend of dedicated professionals that should get to know each other better. Since I truly believe that we are all in this together to make a difference in the lives of patients around the world, this is a perfect theme for this event. This community in Boston is the home to innovation, so it is also the perfect place to convene this interesting collection of people.



Greater Boston is home to almost 1,000 biotechnology companies ranging from small start-ups to billion-dollar pharmaceutical companies. Scores of universities in the area feed the region a vast network of scientists. Several top life science venture capital firms such as Third Rock Ventures and incubators like Lab Central and Johnson and Johnson Innovation support this innovative community. It is arguably the nation’s biotechnology nerve center and hoe to innovation! And home to Bob Socci, voice of the New England Patriots, who was in the house! Thank you for being our emcee Bob.



And I believe in serendipity. By bringing together this innovation community – companies, investors, scientists, academic labs and advocates – we are increasing the chance that the right people will meet to spark that big idea. The more people we bring to Fragile X the better our chance of a breakthrough in treatments and ultimately a cure for Fragile X.

Stay tuned for more as we roll out more events to promote collaboration in Boston's biotech community. And thank you to my volunteer organizing committee, Kendall Square Association for being a community partner and Cambridge Crossing for hosting the event. And special thanks to Katie Clapp, co-founder of FRAXA for allowing me to bring this idea to FRAXA, and Keith Spiro Media, for providing media services and for believing in my ability to connect people.


Oh and the winner?!! My friends at Synlogic Therapeutics. A worthy champion. #gratitude #research


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