Jeffrey Laidlaw, M.S., M.A., has joined BioLabs as director of operations for its new location at Pegasus Park in Dallas. Adam Milne, Chief Operating Officer of BioLabs, announced.
Biolabs is a co-working space for life science startups with s headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
“We were looking for someone who has both an impressive track record in facilities management and deep ties to the biotech community in North Texas,” Milne said. “Jeff began his career as a research scientist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and then joined some of the region’s fastest-growing life science startups, managing lab operations and training.”
Milne said Laidlaw will lead efforts to build and equip state-of-the art facilities for entrepreneurs at Pegasus Park.
Laidlaw most recently was Environmental Health, Safety and Facilities manager for Peloton Therapeutics, where he oversaw an office and lab expansion project and managed space for satellite offices in San Francisco. When Peloton was acquired in 2019, he became part of the team that integrated the company’s assets and operations into Merck & Co., its new owner. He previously worked in technical support, research and safety positions at Arog Pharmaceuticals/Dava Oncology CRO Services and Reata Pharmaceuticals.
Laidlaw holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Dallas, and a Master of Arts in Biology from Southern Methodist University. He is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP).
“We’ve long needed a place close to our universities where people can take their science and develop it. I grew up here, and I want to see our region be successful and create jobs for people who want to stay and thrive,” Laidlaw said in the announcement. he says. “BioLabs at Pegasus Park will be the engine that drives innovation, giving startups a better chance to connect with capital, partnerships and technical assistance to help them succeed. That’s a process that eventually leads to better outcomes for patients, which is what’s most important.”
BioLabs at Pegasus Park is scheduled to open Fall 2021. It will include nearly 40,000 square feet of state-of-the-art, flexible lab, training and office space to serve as the epicenter for regional life science innovation and enable biotech trailblazers in their pursuit of the next big scientific breakthrough, the news release said. It can accommodate up to 35 startups at capacity.
BioLabs is a membership-based network of shared laboratory facilities located in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts; Durham, North Carolina; San Diego and Los Angeles, California; New York City; Princeton, New Jersey; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and now Dallas.
