Galveston County Daily News, Dec. 16, 2007 Economic development officials from all across Texas courted Chris and Cathy Fredrickson as they prepared to open their biotechnology company eight years ago. They could have set up shop in Houston, Dallas or College Station, but the couple chose Galveston, in large part for its proximity to the University of Texas Medical Branch. The medical school's research appeal will get a boost in about six months when the $167 million, federally funded National Biocontainment Laboratory opens, attracting scientists from all across the world to the island.