HUNTSVILLE, Ala. —
Big changes are coming to HudsonAlpha! The biotech research institute’s rapid growth demands an expansion in new leadership!
FOX54’s Keneisha Deas spoke with those leaders, and has a look on HudsonAlpha’s new direction during the pandemic.
With more than 1100 employees and 48 life science companies, HudsonAlpha is expanding. “We are truly growing leaps and bounds. It’s wonderful. It’s very exciting about the research and science that we do,” said HudsonAlpha President, Dr. Rick Myers. “It’s been exciting to be able to do that, even during COVID continuing to grow, and of course, that’s part of what North Alabama and Huntsville is,” added Myers.
The institute’s advancement in genomics and life sciences brings on new leadership roles. By this summer on July 1st, Dr. Myers will serve as HudsonAlpha’s new Chief Scientific Officer and President Emeritus. Dr. Lamb will serve as the new president of the institute. “So the leadership expansion mirrors the kind of expansion you see in our research, on our campus, with our buildings, and with our education,” said VP HudsonAlpha Educational Outreach, Dr. Neil Lamb.
The campus physical expansion includes a new 6,000 square foot greenhouse and a 96,000 square foot headquarters space for biotechnology research, Discovery Life Sciences. With all this new advancement, FOX54 asked the leaders about potential challenges: “There will always be challenges, anytime a transition in expansion in leadership. Fortunately Rick, and I have worked together for sixteen years at this point, so we have a good sense of how the other works and what we’re thinking,” said Lamb.
“Just organizing and managing that is challenging. Science and research itself change so rapidly that that’s always been a challenge but it’s also one of the reasons it’s so exciting. New discoveries, new directions, new technologies. That’s part of what we are,” added Myers.