Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science announced the expansion of its Helix 51 biomedical incubator, doubling the facility’s available space to support the growth of early-stage biotechnology companies seeking laboratory infrastructure and commercialization resources.
The incubator, located within the university’s Innovation and Research Park in North Chicago, has expanded into adjacent space to accommodate increasing demand from startups pursuing biomedical research and product development. The expansion adds roughly 6,000 square feet of additional laboratory and office capacity, bringing the incubator’s total footprint to just under 13,000 square feet.
Helix 51 originally launched eight years ago with approximately 6,700 square feet of wet and dry laboratory and office space. Since then, the incubator has grown to house 12 biotechnology startups. The newly expanded space is expected to create room for up to 10 additional companies focused on advancing research, development, and commercialization of therapies and diagnostics.
The incubator serves as a regional hub for bioscience innovation in Lake County, Illinois, where more than 122 bioscience companies support roughly 33,000 jobs. Companies operating within Helix 51 often develop technologies licensed from leading academic and healthcare institutions, including Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois, Rush, Lurie Children’s Hospital, Endeavor Health, Advocate Health, and Rosalind Franklin University.
Organizations are drawn to the campus for its proximity to a deep regional bioscience talent pool and the university’s research strengths in areas such as cancer, immune disorders, genetic and infectious diseases, diabetes, orthopedic conditions, and neuroscience.
Recent additions to the incubator include Saros Therapeutics, a spinout from the University of Michigan; DeepBrain, a spinout from Endeavor; Carobsyn; and the Chicago Clinical Research Institute, a contract research organization focused on Phase I and Phase II clinical trials.
Existing incubator tenants have also achieved notable milestones. UP Oncolytics, a spinout of Advocate Health, recently received designation from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity under the Illinois Angel Investment Tax Credit Program as a Qualified New Business Venture.
Additional companies currently operating within the Helix 51 incubator include BLR Bio, which focuses on fibrotic diseases and pancreatic cancer; MedNEx Device, which develops drug-device combination technologies; Monopar Therapeutics, which develops radiopharmaceutical treatments for cancer; and Saros Therapeutics, which is developing immunotherapies.
The expansion underscores the growing role of the Innovation and Research Park as a collaborative environment where startups, researchers, and students can work together to translate scientific discoveries into clinical solutions.
KEY QUOTES:
“Momentum across our campus has accelerated significantly since late 2025. We are seeing a steady pipeline of promising companies choosing RFU as the place to launch and scale.”
“We expect to onboard several additional companies in the coming weeks. At the same time, it’s rewarding to watch existing tenants achieve milestones that validate the incubator model and strength of this regional ecosystem.”
Michael Rosen — Managing Director Of The Innovation And Research Park And Helix 51 Incubator
“The expansion of Helix 51 reinforces Lake County’s position as one of the Midwest’s leading life sciences hubs. This location gives emerging biotech companies access to industry leaders, talent and cutting edge innovation — resources that ultimately translate groundbreaking research into real world therapies while creating new jobs and opportunities for innovators, students, and residents across our community.”
Kevin Considine — President And CEO Of Lake County Partners
“Our researchers and students are energized by the surge of life science activity taking place within Helix 51 and the Innovation and Research Park. These companies are creating meaningful opportunities for collaboration, experiential learning, and career pathways while aligning closely with RFU’s disease focused research strengths.”
Janice Urban — Interim Executive Vice President For Research At Rosalind Franklin University Of Medicine And Science
