 |
|
|
BioInnovation Center Fellow Profile: Justin Levy, J.D.
 When BioInnovation Center fellow Justin Levy packed his bags and headed to New Orleans to attend law school at Tulane University, he admits he wasn't sure what to expect from the city. After growing up in Boca Raton, Fla., and graduating from Boston University with his degree in biomedical engineering, Levy anticipated a city filled with excitement, and he said he wasn't let down. "After living through the music, the food, and the people, it became clear that I was going to stick around for a while," said Levy. He loves the city, he explained, because he persistently discovers new things such a small place. "Few places in the world offer the hidden gems of New Orleans while still remaining a small city," Levy said. "I feel like I could live here another decade and never try all the restaurants, hear all the music, or see every gallery." Levy began his internship with the BioInnovation Center in May 2008, and was hired as a fellow upon his graduation from Tulane School of Law in 2009. Since then he has worked on many of the Center's commercialization projects, and he has found New Orleans to be an exciting atmosphere for biosciences. "Our immense research institutions around the city make it clear that New Orleans has the inventors, technologies, and capabilities to create new bioscience tools and creations," Levy said. He added that New Orleans' potential stands out because of its relatively recent surge in biotech commercialization compared to other cities with equally respected research institutions. "New Orleans is in the unique position to learn from everyone who has come before us to create the ideal bioscience sector while mixing in our local culture," he said. "Learning from others while depending on our New Orleans' technologies will make our city a bioscience center." While Levy has had a hand in commercialization projects that vary widely in purpose and design, one of those he currently finds most compelling involves a novel method of remediating groundwater of dangerous chlorinated compounds, developed at Tulane by Dr. Vijay John. "The technology is cheaper and more efficient than other technologies available now," he explained. "We are extremely excited about the applications of this technology to clean up close to 300,000 contaminated sites around the country." Outside of his projects with the BioInnovation Center, Levy said he likes to grab a to-go mug from the Bottom of the Cup Tea Room in the French Quarter, and continue to explore. "I love tea, and I love strolling around to find new places." His long-term goals translate from both his personal and professional experiences here. "I hope to be involved with developing small businesses in New Orleans, whether that is through working with a small company, or continuing to work with technology transfer in universities," he said. Though he's lived in many cities, New Orleans seems to have become the place that Levy calls home.
http://www.neworleansbio.com/pages/newreleases.html |
|
