AXOSIM CONTINUES TO SHINE DOWNTOWN
Leading biotech firm AxoSim continued to make waves in the neuroscience community this summer—both Downtown at the New Orleans BioInnovation Center and beyond.
The New Orleans-based startup, which leads the field of preclinical neuro drug discovery, made a splash in October of 2023 following its over $2 million acquisition of several assets from VyantBio’s Minnesota-based Stemonix subsidiary. Ever since, its leadership has been hard at work positioning the company for success and representing the Downtown BioDistrict on the local, national, and international scale.
Recently, AxoSim CEO Lowry Curly visited the New Orleans business podcast Out to Lunch to discuss the latest innovations from his company alongside other industry leaders on a special neuroscience episode entitled, “N.O. Brainer.”
Curly last appeared on the podcast in 2016, when AxoSim was just getting off the ground; in early summer, he returned as the leader of a company boasting two laboratories, 30 employees, 3 separate research divisions, and an impressive collection of industry-leading patents.
To listen to the full “N.O. Brainer” episode and learn more about AxoSim’s journey from start-up to superstar, please visit the link HERE.
In another news from the firm, three AxoSim research scientists were selected to present abstracts at the Microphysiological Systems (MPS) World Summit in Seattle in June.
The three selected abstracts, written by local scientists Lise Harbom, PhD, Nicholas Coungeris, and Corey Rountree, PhD, were part of a MPS World Summit program available to 40+ international organizations and companies, as well as the industry’s leading bioengineering pioneers.
We congratulate these scientists, and all AxoSim leaders, contributors, and employees, on their recent achievements and look forward to the company’s continued representation of Downtown New Orleans—and Canal Street in particular—in biotech spaces around the world.
CANAL STREET BUZZES WITH PATENT ACTIVITY
Researchers at Tulane’s Downtown Campus on Canal Street pulled in five patents in 2023, reflecting the university’s 70% increase in biomedical and academic research over the past six years. This increase also signifies the strength of Downtown’s burgeoning BioDistrict as an incubator for innovation and creation on an international scale.
Expansion of research and development of commercial ideas are core components of DDD’s recently released Economic Development Strategy. Our organization supports and applauds the work of Tulane and acts as a proud sponsor of the recently approved BioDistrict Strategic Plan to support the expansion of the burgeoning New Orleans bioindustry on Canal Street and beyond.
You can read more about our support of research and development in the DDD Economic Development Strategy HERE or explore more details of the BioDistrict Strategic Plan at the LINK.
PARKS TO BLOSSOM AROUND CANAL STREET
Throughout the summer. DDD & its partners at Manning Architects collected data to reimagine and upgrade Downtown New Orleans’ parks and open spaces—including Molly Marine Plaza on the corner of Canal Street and Elk Place. Our organization received nearly 100 input submissions as part of its ongoing DDD Parks Survey and welcomed many more suggestions from stakeholders and agencies important to implementation along the way. 
The Parks Survey aims to seek input on the conceptualization of infrastructure upgrades and programming to turn underutilized neighborhood parks and open areas into iconic, interactive, and inclusive public spaces.
Plans for Molly Marine Plaza may include art installations, green infrastructure, educational exhibits, unique and creative playgrounds, regular cultural events and programming, kiosks and refreshment concessions, and more.
To participate in this survey and make an impact on the future of Downtown’s Canal Street, please visit the link HERE.
SUMMER EVENTS BRING THE PARTY DOWNTOWN
While summer is widely considered to be slow season in New Orleans, several signature Downtown events and traditions brought residents and visitors to the DDD to soak in the sun by the thousands—spurring economic and cultural booms across the District.
Essence Festival of Culture in early July attracted more than 110K Downtown visitors (more than 28,000 people per day), while the annual Tales of the Cocktail experience drew nearly 140K visitors to the neighborhood over the course of its six days.
In August, Red Dress Run heated up the city as close to 55K attendees hit the Downtown neighborhood on Saturday, August 10th alone. Later the same month, Decadence celebrations brought crowds of nearly 80K visitors (28,000 per day) just in time for Labor Day.
DDD is immensely grateful for the presence and impact of these defining events in our District. Not only do they bring vibrance, culture, and character to our community, but they also help support our local businesses, workers, and overall economy.
We look forward to welcoming these traditions back to Downtown New Orleans and witnessing their continued growth in the years to come.
RAMPART STREETCAR SUCCESS
In late May, Downtown New Orleans celebrated the return of the Rampart Streetcar following five years of the line’s closure in the aftermath of the catastrophic Hard Rock Hotel collapse. 
Noted as New Orleans Regional Transit Authority’s (RTA) “most prominent component of the Summer 2024 Service Change,” the line’s return symbolized the rebirth of the portion of Canal Street most impacted by the construction site’s historic collapse in 2019.
Since opening, the Rampart Streetcar Line has welcomed an average of 650 riders each day, and over 20,000 riders per month in July and August—connecting commuters, visitors, and residents to the vibrant heart of the Crescent City.
This access is a welcome addition to Downtown New Orleans, and DDD looks forward to welcoming the line back to service alongside its thousands of associated riders.
For more information on the Rampart Streetcar line, please visit the RTA website at the LINK.
TULANE, NASA, & DDD UNVEIL NEW CANAL STREET MURAL
This summer, a collaboration between Tulane University, NASA Lifelines, and Downtown Development District brought new public art to the BioDistict at the corner of Canal and S. Liberty Streets.
On Tuesday, August 13th, Tulane President Michael A. Fitts and Chief Operating Officer Patrick Norton welcomed NASA Disaster Response Coordination System Manager Josh Barnes, DDD President & CEO Davon Barbour, and other stakeholders to the unveiling of “Rings of Ecology; Louisiana Explored.”
The mural, designed by SaxonLynn Arts, showcases the abundance of Louisiana’s natural resources and how satellite technology can be used to monitor, manage, and preserve them to sustain the people of Louisiana and their livelihoods.
The mural is part of the Lifelines Mural Contest, a six-year global art initiative that engages local artists and communities to create murals that shed light on the ways satellite data and tools are helping communities become more resilient. 
As Tulane continues to invest millions of dollars into the redevelopment of its Downtown campus, the mural will serve as a visible and thought-provoking reminder of the role science plays in everyday life.
DDD is proud to be part of this project, which further defines the Downtown sub-district, bolsters the aesthetic of our public realm, and furthers DDD’s Economic Development Strategy of redeveloping Canal Street.
BIOCHALLENGE IS BACK FOR 2024
This fall, Canal Street’s New Orleans Bioinnovation Center (NOBIC) is excited to relaunch its signature BioChallenge pitch competition to promote biotech development in Downtown New Orleans and beyond.
The BioChallenge, presented this year by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), invites entrepreneurs and startups to showcase their groundbreaking ideas and technologies through a pitch competition Halloween Day (October 31st) at NOBIC Canal Street campus.
The challenge is poised to ignite biotech innovation and enhance equitable and accessible preparedness and response within the Greater New Orleans region from the heart of the Downtown.
“We are thrilled to launch the 2024 BioChallenge, a NOBIC signature event that has produced many local and national success stories, said Kris Khalil, executive director, New Orleans BioInnovation Center and managing director, BioFund. “This year, we are especially excited to see the innovative solutions focusing on access and equity that our finalists will bring to the forefront.”
This year’s BioChallenge comes directly on the heels of Bio on the Bayou—a two day, Downtown-based symposium centered around academic science and biotechnology in the Gulf South region.
Come for Bio on the Bayou and stay for the chance to win big at the BioChallenge 2024—all taking place on Canal Street Downtown. For more information and tp learn more, please visit the link HERE.