Why is Arizona chasing the same bioscience “prize” as everyone else?
While it’s true that all 50 states have formal initiatives in the biosciences, Arizona is taking a different approach than most. Arizona is one of few states to compile and put into action a strategic long-term (10 years) plan in the form of Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap. Further, Arizona is targeting its resources and efforts on specific disciplines in which it already excels—bioengineering, bioimaging, cancer research, and neurological sciences in the near-term, followed by agriculture biotech, diabetes, asthma, infectious diseases, and other disciplines. Arizona is not attempting to become the next Boston or Bay Area—regions that have the resources to compete in broad areas of the biosciences.
While it’s true that all 50 states have formal initiatives in the biosciences, Arizona is taking a different approach than most. Arizona is one of few states to compile and put into action a strategic long-term (10 years) plan in the form of Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap. Further, Arizona is targeting its resources and efforts on specific disciplines in which it already excels–bioengineering, bioimaging, cancer research, and neurological sciences in the near-term, followed by agriculture biotech, diabetes, asthma, infectious diseases, and other disciplines. Arizona is not attempting to become the next Boston or Bay Area–regions that have the resources to compete in broad areas of the biosciences.
