Navigating the complex testing and validation phases can be difficult for biological and agricultural companies pursuing cutting-edge product development. Limited testing infrastructure, specialized expertise gaps and the need for rigorous validation in realistic agricultural environments are all challenges.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) addresses these challenges by offering flexible, comprehensive contract research services that empower innovators to swiftly and confidently validate their technologies.

Companies like Innatrix, a dynamic biotechnology startup based in the Research Triangle, find an essential partner in IALR to achieve their ambitious research and development goals.

Empowering Innovation: The Innatrix Story

Innatrix, headquartered in Durham, NC, is out to revolutionize sustainable crop protection with biological products. Founded 12 years ago, the company develops bio-based solutions—particularly novel peptides and RNA interference (RNAi)—to tackle resistant pests and pathogens that threaten agriculture worldwide. With technologies secured by two U.S. patents, Innatrix aims to enhance farmer yields by at least 10%, delivering a return on investment exceeding three times.

Innatrix’s products target challenges like late blight, downy mildew, soybean cyst nematodes and citrus greening.

However, as an early-stage company with limited infrastructure, Innatrix needed a collaborative partner to test and validate its promising innovations in realistic environments.

“We connected with IALR through a referral from another startup,” shares Jiarui Li, Innatrix CEO. “IALR provides us with great, affordable research services. Working with IALR has increased our capability to test our products.”

Comprehensive Contract Research Facilities

IALR’s Applied Research division specializes in biotechnology solutions and microorganism testing across multiple sectors, including agriculture, life sciences and consumer goods.

The research team has provided vital services for Innatrix, utilizing its state-of-the-art science labs and facilities to conduct rigorous experiments.

Like most early-stage plant product companies, Innatrix lacks extensive greenhouse and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) testing facilities, which are crucial for verifying the efficacy of its products. IALR fills this gap with specialized resources, including:

  • Indoor hydroponic systems in the VT-IALR Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center.
  • Advanced greenhouses that support both hydroponic systems and traditional soil-based methods.
  • SMART Platforms employ automated imaging to monitor plant growth continuously and precisely.
  • Growth Chambers, which offer controlled conditions for precise environmental manipulation and consistent testing outcomes.

These facilities offer comprehensive environmental control and detailed data collection, enabling companies like Innatrix to validate products under conditions closely resembling real-world agricultural settings.

IALR provides intellectual property flexibility, allowing partners to select confidentiality through Non-Disclosure Agreements or collaborative publication and intellectual property co-development.

“Every service we offer and partnership opportunity is tailored to the needs of industry.” – Dr. Scott Lowman, IALR Vice President of Applied Research

Get Flexible Contract Research and Testing Services

Tailored Collaboration and Expert Guidance

Companies come to the IALR research team with a new product or substance that needs testing. Sometimes they have an exact experiment with strict protocols in mind and need someone to execute that plan. In other instances, the company knows testing is required but defers to the expert scientists at IALR to determine how to carry out the experiment.

“We are flexible. They can come to us with their protocol or ask us to help them develop an experiment. We are flexible in that way,” says Dr. Sajeewa Amaradasa, Senior Scientist at IALR.

Innatrix brought initial concepts for their experiments but also leveraged IALR’s expertise for refinement.

“Dr. Amaradasa provided excellent input for the experimental design,” Li said.

Innatrix has collaborated directly with several IALR scientists, benefiting significantly from this interaction, and plans to enlist support from IALR’s Analytical Chemistry Lab.

Multidisciplinary Team of Experts

IALR’s research team brings diverse expertise to each project, ensuring comprehensive support:

  • Dr. Scott Lowman, Vice President of Applied Research: A molecular biologist and Vice President of Applied Research, Lowman has championed biotechnology and robotic imaging to boost agricultural productivity. He co-founded the Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center at IALR.
  • Dr. Chuansheng Mei, Chief Scientist: Mei specializes in the use of beneficial bacterial endophytes as biostimulants. His research extensively promotes crop growth through endophyte application.
  • Dr. Sajeewa Amaradasa, Senior Scientist: Specializing in plant pathology, Amaradasa investigates bacterial endophytes as biocontrol agents to manage crop diseases. His work includes identifying endophytes that promote crop health and yield, particularly in hydroponic systems.
  • Robert Chretien, Laboratory Research Associate: With expertise in molecular biology, Chretien supports the Plant Endophyte Research Center by conducting characterization assays. He tests promising bacteria across various cultivation systems.
  • Amy Turner, Laboratory Research Associate: With extensive agricultural research experience, Turner assists in building IALR’s endophyte library and testing beneficial microbes. She conducts contract research on biological product efficacy and supports hydroponic systems for crop testing.

A Proven Partnership and Future Growth

Innatrix views the collaboration with IALR as a cornerstone of its developmental process.

“Overall, I think working with IALR is an excellent collaboration,” Li said. “We plan to continue the current projects and expand into more.”

The IALR research team supports startups like Innatrix, major corporations and medium-sized companies in the plant science and biological solutions sector.

“Our flexible suite of services and multidisciplinary experts can meet a wide range of needs, from early-stage startups to major corporations. We have the expertise and resources to simplify companies’ paths from innovation to market-ready solutions.” – Dr. Scott Lowman, IALR Vice President of Applied Research

Connect with the Applied Research team