The New Orleans 500 is an annual publication from Biz New Orleans that recognizes business leaders who are making an impact in the ten parish region around New Orleans. Dr. Frazier was selected for the third year in a row and was honored to be included among this oustanding group of people.
Obatala CEO Speaks at USPTO Event
Trivia Frazier, PhD, MBA, was invited by the United States Patent and Trademark Office to be a part of the Women's Entrepreneurship (WE) event on November 17, 2023 in New Orleans. As a biotech leader, she shared how important intellectual property is a key asset to the abiltiy of company's like Obatala to succeed.
Obatala's COO Speaks at Louisiana Small Business Summit
David Bode, Obatala's COO, participated in a panel discussion as a part of the Louisiana Statewide Business Summit at the Cajundome & Convention Center in Lafayette, LA. His session was focused on the various types of support offered to small businesses by Louisiana Economic Development, the official state agency responsible for strengthening the state's business environment and creating a more vibrant Louisiana economy. Obatala has taken advantage of numerous programs and was thankful for the opportunity to share this information with other entrepreneurs in the state.
Obatala's CEO Joins Black Tech HBCU Tour
As a part of [NOLAvate Black's][1] inaugural Black Tech HBCU Tour, Dr. Frazier participated in a panel discussion on "preparing HBCU Talent for Health Innovation" at Xavier University. NOLAvate Black is a non-prfoit committed to mapping accessible pathways into the tech industry by sharing resources to help professionals advance their careers. The Black Tech HBCU Tour was an opportunity for attendees to learn about various careers in tech, including healthcare and biotech. Joining Dr. Frazier on the panel were Kwame Terra of bEHR Health Systems, Dr. Kenneth Bota of Propel Center, and Chad Evans of Morehouse School of Medicine. [1]: https://nolavateblack.com
Obatala Sciences wins Minority Health Products and Service Firm of the Year from U.S. Department of Commerce
The award is the highest level of national recognition that a minority business enterprise can receive.
NEW ORLEANS (Oct. 16, 2023) – Obatala Sciences announced today it has received the Minority Health Products and Services Firm of the Year Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce. This national award will be presented at the National MED Week Conference by the Minority Business Development in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Trivia Frazier, Co-founder, President, and CEO of Obatala Sciences will be on hand to receive the honor.
“I am both honored and humbled to accept this award on behalf of Obatala Sciences,” Dr. Frazier stated. “It highlights our commitment to our mission of disrupting the method of traditional drug development, and supporting research that leads to the discovery of safer, more efficacious therapies for all patients who suffer from metabolic diseases such as obesity and type II diabetes, regardless of their ethnic, socioeconomic, and demographic backgrounds.”
Obatala Sciences is committed to developing products that revolutionize the current drug development process, thus improving the overall healthcare industry by enabling innovative therapies that improve quality of life for patients across the globe. The company has an established, robust pipeline of human-derived hydrogels for growing cells in 3 dimension, adult human stem cells from a biobank of diverse patient populations, media for growing and differentiating cells, and complete tissue chip kits, such as fat-on-chip systems, which are currently available, and pancreas-on-a-chip systems, which are under development. These kits provide an essential platform for drug discovery and development. When these tools are combined, Obatala Sciences’ products provide research scientists in pharmaceutical companies, biotech, academia, and government laboratories with more accurate models that mimic the human condition and enable a better understanding of the pathology they are investigating.
Obatala Sciences was nominated for the national award by the New Orleans BioInnovation Center (NOBIC), an economic accelerator working to grow Louisiana’s biotech ecosystem and improving healthcare worldwide.
“Dr. Frazier and her team at Obatala Sciences are a role model to the minority business community,” says Kris Khalil, executive director, NOBIC. “We are thrilled to see them earn this national recognition and be a representative of the great work that is being led here in the New Orleans BioDistrict.”
The U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) National MED Week Awards are the highest level of national recognition that a U.S. minority owned firm can receive from the Department of Commerce. These prestigious awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of minority entrepreneurs, as well as the individuals and organizations that have demonstrated their commitment to advancing minority business enterprises.
“The National MED Week Awards serve as a testament to the minority business community’s invaluable impact on our economy and communities,” wrote Donald R. Cravins. Jr., Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development. “You dedication, innovation and resilience embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship that that’s the nation forward.”
To learn more about Obatala Sciences visit their website here. For more information on NOBIC, please visit here.
###
Editor’s Note: High-resolution images and Broll are available here. (add link to a dropbox or Google Drive folder)
About Obatala Sciences: Founded in 2017 with the goal of advancing research in the fields of obesity, diabetes, and regenerative medicine, Obatala Sciences is a biotechnology company that offers research products and services to scientists in medical industries and academia. Obatala prides itself in making high-quality products that researchers use to discover better therapies for diseases that significantly impact the human population. Obatala is named for the West African deity tasked with sculpting the human body. Co-founded and run by an African-American female from New Orleans, Obatala Sciences is committed to creating more accurate models of human tissue, starting with their building blocks: the cells. For more information, please visit ObatalaSciences.com.
About New Orleans BioInnovation Center: The New Orleans BioInnovation Center (“NOBIC”) is a nonprofit business incubator focused on advancing life science entrepreneurship and technology commercialization in Louisiana. The mission of NOBIC is to create a successful biotech ecosystem by providing emerging companies with customized commercialization services, premier facilities and a comprehensive support network. Through relationships with research institutions, economic development organizations and industry stakeholders, NOBIC helps its clients de-risk novel technologies, attract funding and improve global health outcomes. For more information, visit neworleansbio.com.
Obatala's CEO Participates in Nucelate New Orleans Launch Event
Dr. Trivia Frazier delivered the keynote address at the Nucleate New Orleans launch event on October 11th, which was held at the New Orleans BioInnovation Center. Nucleate is a student-led nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the next generation of biotech leaders. Nucleate has chapters across the United States, and the New Orleans chapter was recently founded. In addition to Dr. Frazier's keynote, a panel discussion was held that included Kris Khalil, Executive Director of the BioInnovation Center, Dr. Sunyoung Kim, CEO of Chosen Diagnostics Inc. and a Professor at LSUHSC, Erin Kiskaddon, an Ecologist at the Water Institute, and Dr. Clay Christian, Director of Commercialization at the Tulane Innovation Institute.
Obatala CSO and CMO Speak at IFATS Conference
Dr. Jeffrey Gimble, Obatala's Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer, and Dr. Cecilia Sanchez, Obatala's Chief Scientific Officer, spoke at the International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Sciences. Dr. Gimble is a board member and past president of IFATS and served as an introductory speaker for a session entitled, "Regenerative Medical Advances in Military Medicine and Surgery Based on the Work Ongoing at USUHS, Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Medical Centers". Dr. Sanchez presented on a talk entitled, "ncorporating Patient Diversity within Adipose Tissue Models for Metabolic Disease Screening".
Obatala CSO Joins SBIR Panel
Dr. Cecilia Sanchez was an invited speaker during the SBIR & STTR: America's Seed Fund event hosted by The Idea Village and Greater New Orleans, Inc. This event included representatives of other SBIR-funded companies in New Orleans including Chosen Diagnostics and members of the SBIR Consortium. The SBIR and STTR funding mechanisms have been crucial for Obatala's initial formation and growth.
Dr. Cecilia Sanchez to Present at IFATS Conference
Obatala's Chief Scientific Officer will present recent work at the annual International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science Meeting in Washington, DC on October 4. If you want to set up a meeting during the conference, please contact us.
Obatala CBDO to Speak at Festival of Biologics
Dr. Jae Sly, Obatala's Chief Business Development Officer, will lead a panel discussion on fundraising during the annual Festival of Biologics event in Basel, Switzerland on October 11. She will also be attending the BioTechX Europe Meeting in Basel from October 4-6. Contact us if you would like to set up a meeting.
Obatala CEO Interviewed by The New Orleans Advocate
Dr. Trivia Frazier was interviewed by Anthony McAuley, a Staff Writer with the New Orleans Advocate/Nola.com. She discussed Obatala's next steps in growth as well as new product launches and distributor partnerships.
Obatala Sciences Participates in GNO Inc. HBCU Intern Program
Obatala was proud to again participate in the Greater New Orleans Inc. Historically Black Colleges and Universities Startup Internship program. The program connects HBCU students with innovate companies in the New Orleans area to give them training and exposure to entrepreneurship. Obatala hosted two students from Southern University New Orleans, who provided assistance in the laboratory and contributed to Obatala's daily operations.
Obatala's Chief Medical Officer Speaks at AAOS Biologics Meeting
Dr. Jeffrey Gimble, Obatala's Chief Medical Officer and co-founder, was an invited speaker at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Next Generation of Biologics Symposium in July 2023. He spoke about "New Cartilage Restoration Technologies from the US and Europe".
Obatala Staff Publish New Research Article on Biomaterial
Obatala's scientific staff joined with researchers at Louisiana State University, the University of Karachi, and Ohio State University to publish a paper that describes various aspects of a new biomaterial developed at Obatala. The paper discussed rheology studies, quantitative studies, proteomics studies, and electron microscopy. The hydrogel demonstrates biocompatibility as a coating material and as a 3D scaffold for the growth of multiple cell types.
Obatala's CSO Presents Poster at MPS World Summit
Dr. Cecilia Sanchez presented a poster entitled "Human-Derived Hydrogels to Support Stem Cell-Derived Microphysiological Systems" at the 2nd annual MPS World Summit in Berlin, Germany. Many conference attendees spoke with Dr. Sanchez about Obatala's new human-derived hydrogels, ObaGel ECM and ObaGel Coating. The poster can be viewed here.
Obatala COO Speaks on Tulane Biomedical Sciences Panel
David Bode, Obatala's Chief Operations Officer, joined a panel of New Orleans-based biotechnology professionals to share insights and advice to PhD Students in Tulane Unviersity's Biomedical Sciences program. Other members of the panel included Molly Hegarty, Foudner & CEO of Junum, Shafin Khan Vice President of External Affairs and Innovation, and Kris Khalil, Executive Director of the New Orleans BioInnovation Center. The panel was one component of a full-day of training intended to give the students perspective on careers in industry and the process of commercializing new technologies.
Obatala CSO Speaks at Rome Regenerative Medicine Conference
Dr. Cecilia Sanchez spoke at the 12th International Conference on Regenerative Surgery in Rome, Italy. Her talk, "Human derived hydrogels for microphysiological systems, drug delivery, and Regenerative Medicine" discussed various applications of Obatala's three human-derived hydrogels, ObaGel, ObaGel ECM, and ObaGel Coating.
Obatala Sciences CEO to Attend BIO Conference in Boston
Dr. Trivia Frazier will attend the annual Biotechnology Industry Organization Conference in Boston from June 6-8. Dr. Frazier is a regular attendee of the meeting and spoke during the 2022 Conference.
Obatala Sciences Celebrated by U.S. Commercial Service for Market Expansion
Obatala's recent expansion into international markets via its distributors Stratech in the United Kingdom and Asone in Japan was recognized by Kendee Yamaguchi, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Field at the International Trade Administration. Obatala has been supported by the New Orleans office of the U.S. Commercial Service in its efforts to expand its service and product offerings to international markets and is very thankful to Erin Butler, Charlotte Conerly, and John Henry Jackson for all their hard work. As a part of the recognition ceremony, Obatala's COO and CEO participated in a roundtable with DAS Yamaguchi to provide feedback on the challenges and opportunities Obatala faces as it seeks to grow outside the US.
Obatala CSO and COO to attend 2023 MPS World Summit
Dr. Cecilia Sanchez, Obatala's CSO, will present a poster during the 2nd Annual MPS World Summit in Berlin from June 26-30. The poster, "Human-Derived Hydrogels to Support Stem Cell-Derived Microphysiological Systems" will describe Obatala Sciences' two newly launched human-derived hydrogels, ObaGel ECM and ObaGel Coating. Obatala's COO, David Bode, will also attend and be available for meetings at Booth 14.