On December 18, the Phoenix Bioscience Core (PBC) held its Third Annual State of PBC, which Spencer Fane attorneys Mike Patterson, Beth Nillen, and Brian Malkin supported and attended. PBC is a 30-acre life science innovation center district located in downtown Phoenix. Over the past two decades, Arizona’s three public research universities, the City of Phoenix, the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), and other clinical partners have all been investing in Phoenix to become a life science destination. Along with these partners, the PBC collaborates with major health systems including Banner Health, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Dignity Health, HonorHealth, Phoenix VA, Valleywise Health, and a growing number of life science companies.
PBC’s Executive Director, Scarlett Spring, welcomed leaders from across the life science ecosystem in Phoenix to share updates on what is happening with PBD and its partners. Featured speakers included the Honorable Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix; Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University; and Corey Casper, Corey Casper, MD, MPH, Chief Research Officer at Banner Health. At the event site, there was a Taiwanese Artificial Intelligence (AI) Smart Health Showcase, and Spencer Fane was a sponsor for the luncheon tour of the Showcase the following day. Additional featured speakers included a Dean’s Report from the Phoenix-based universities that support the PBC and the associated biotechnology community, Chad Sampson, Executive Director, Arizona Board of Regents.
Throughout the evening speakers discussed how Phoenix is becoming a biotechnology hub destination and new innovative programs. For example, AI is now used to help identify biotechnology companies with promising products / technologies. Students in area universities partnering in the biotechnology company are learning how to be successful entrepreneurs, so they can foster innovation after graduation, and serve not only urban but also rural areas.
Mayor Gallego described Phoenix as the “No. 1 city for startups”, where biotechnology is building upon the success of Phoenix’s semiconductor businesses and is now the largest biosequencing hub including TGen. Phoenix is leads in life science job growth among emerging markets and now includes over 450 technology and startups in central Phoenix, according to the PBC.
Phoenix is engaging in partnership ex-US including Canada and Taiwan and is a “hot spot” at JP Morgan. Where will Phoenix and all of Arizona go next with biotechnology?
This blog was drafted by Spencer Fane attorneys Brian Malkin, an attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Spencer Fane, For more information, visit spencerfane.com.
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