Washington State Opportunity Scholarship Recipients to Tour Helix BioMedix, Inc

BOTHELL, Wash. - Feb. 18, 2016 - PRLog -- A group of twelve Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS) recipients will tour local biotechnology company Helix BioMedix, Inc. as part of the scholarship’s Industry Exploration event series. Occurring on Feb. 18, 2016, the free event provides students the opportunity to tour Helix BioMedix’s premises and interact directly with professionals in the biotechnology field.

Headquartered in Bothell, WA, Helix BioMedix specializes in developing and commercializing leading-edge bioactive-peptides. Having patented hundreds of thousands of peptide sequences, the company’s technologies are primarily used in dermatology and by skin health consumer companies around the world to address hyperpigmentation, UV protection, antimicrobial concerns, and other skin health needs.

Students will receive a glimpse of the company’s daily operations through a guided, behind-the-scenes tour of its facilities by Helix BioMedix’s scientists and innovators. Company employees will also field student inquiries about their line of work. The event’s ultimate goal is to give students a better understanding of not just the company itself, but also of the biotechnology industry in Washington as a whole.

”We are thrilled to host a WSOS Industry Exploration day, as supporting STEM is part of our mission,” said Robin L. Carmichael, President and COO. “We hope to foster enthusiasm for the biotechnology and life sciences industries as well as to provide an opportunity for dialogue regarding crafting successful career journeys.”

This visit to Helix BioMedix, Inc. is part of a regular series of professional development events known as Industry Exploration. Offered to WSOS recipients, these events connect students with companies and professionals in their fields of interest. The overall intent is to provide students a better understanding of their professional opportunities, help them make informed choices about future career options, and gain a better understanding of the qualifications necessary to be successful as they enter the job market.

This will be the first Industry Exploration event of 2016, with other location visits to occur throughout the year. Previous Industry Exploration hosts include Woodland Park Zoo, Intellectual Ventures, Ivy Softworks and Pariveda Solutions.

In the 2015-16 academic year, WSOS supports over 2,300 students attending 67 colleges across Washington.

About the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship
The Washington State Opportunity Scholarship is a public-private partnership between Washington State and private business, including founding partners Microsoft and Boeing, helping to grow the pool of skilled, homegrown talent prepared for the jobs of our innovation economy. To learn more, visit https://www.waopportunityscholarship.org/

About Helix BioMedix, Inc
Helix BioMedix, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company with an extensive library of diverse bioactive peptides and patents covering six distinct classes and hundreds of thousands of peptide sequences. Core competencies include peptide design, synthesis and characterization together with assay development, screening, tissue culture and microbiology. The company takes product development programs from theoretical concept to a qualified skin care active ingredient fully validated as to efficacy and safety. Applications for Helix BioMedix peptides include anti-aging cosmeceutical skin care and acne treatment as well as other topical anti-infective pharmaceuticals and wound healing applications. More information about Helix BioMedix may be found at www.helixbiomedix.com. The company also markets a line of solutions-based skin care, many of which contain the company’s patented SmartPeptides® biotechnology, under the Apothederm® brand. More information about the Apothederm product line may be found at www.apothederm.com.