Sid Martin Biotech wins awards in Tamps

ALACHUA – The Sid Martin Biotechnology Incubator (SMBI) in Alachua was ranked as one of the best university incubators in the world this month, during the 16th Annual BioFlorida Conference.

During the conference, key personnel from SMBI received awards displaying their aptitude as business leaders and entrepreneurs of biotechnology.

Patti Breedlove, director of the SMBI, was a recipient of the BioFlorida Leadership Award.

Under Breedlove’s leadership, SMBI was ranked by Sweden-based research group University Business Incubator (UBI) as the world’s best incubator.

The ranking came after an extensive analysis of 150 incubators in 22 countries.

“The award is really gratifying, a whole group of us here work hard every day and it is nice to see our work recognized,” Breedlove said, “We have been really fortunate, and had such a good unique opportunity to do things that are hard in other places; it’s been a lot of fun.”

Breedlove has been working for SMBI since 1998, starting in a junior position and working her way up to director.

James Talton, CEO of Nanotherapeutics, a graduate company of SMBI, was awarded the Weaver H. Gaines Entrepreneurship Award.

Talton received the award for making extraordinary contributions to the growth of the life sciences. He could not be reached for comment.

The 16th annual BioFlorida conference was held in Tampa, Fla. from Sept. 15 to 17.

BioFlorida is known as the voice of Florida’s life sciences industry.

It hands out four awards each year.

Guests of the conference included business executives, scientist and stakeholders.

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