Indiana Life Sciences: A Growth Industry
Indiana is fertile ground for a life sciences co-op. In fact, some
may have wondered why the Central Indiana Life Sciences Initiative
wasn’t organized long before February 2002.
With Indiana University to the south, Purdue University to the
north, and Indianapolis – home to nationally recognized and
emerging biotechnology and life sciences industries – in the
middle, it was only a matter of time before the field emerged as
an economic force that is expected to bolster life sciences and
technology growth.
The non-profit partnership brings together IU and its School of
Medicine, Purdue, the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, the
City of Indianapolis and members of the Indiana Health Industry
Forum. The life sciences “corridor” in the state’s
heartland combines a varied industry base with internationally recognized
university research centers. The area is home to Eli Lilly &
Company, the Cook Group, Guidant, Roche Diagnostics, and Dow AgroSciences,
among others, and total university research funding for IU and Purdue
is more than $236 million.
In the first major push to promote the life sciences industry,
last year the Indiana University Emerging Technology Center was
opened in downtown Indianapolis as an incubator for new businesses.
Research studies show that eighty-seven percent of businesses started
in incubators succeed, and a similar percentage remain in their
start-up communities.
CILSI partners anticipate investing at least $1.5 billion in Indiana
life sciences over the next five years to support construction projects,
retain and attract a skilled workforce, and develop successful business
collaborations. According to Indianapolis Downtown Inc., nearly
$690 million in life sciences projects currently are under construction
in the Hoosier capital, meaning more science labs and medical clinics
are being built than office, retail and residential projects.
IU participation in CILSI already is evident. Last October, scientists
at the Bloomington campus and three other research centers announced
that they had developed a more effective mass spectrometer, a scientific
device used to identify elements or compounds in an unknown substance.
The new device is more accurate than current models because it can
detect all atomic and molecular components at once.
For more information, go to www.indygov.org/mayor/cilsi.
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