SynderBio, Inc., an Iowa-based startup company founded on patented technology developed at the University of Iowa, received the $5,000 Partnering for Innovations challenge prize at the March 20-21 Iowa Biotech Association's Partnering for Growth Biotech Innovation Showcase & Forum.

Co-founder of the company is Sarah Vigmostad, associate professor of biomedical engineering. She also is associate faculty research engineer IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering and researcher at the Iowa Institute for Biomedical Engineering.

SynderBio’s technology represents a new rapid and label-free approach to isolate and enrich malignant cancer cells from biological specimens in which there is a mixture of cancer and non-cancerous cells – something that is routinely done during cancer diagnosis and is especially vital for Next-Generation Sequencing.

The day and a half-long event brought together innovators, investors and biotech leaders, creating an opportunity for learning, investing and networking with various sectors of the biotech industry. Start-up presentations were focused around the development of biofuels and biomaterials; advances in food, ag and plant genetics; progress in animal health; as well as human health and medical technology.