TechConnect - The Nano Issue

where institutions collaborate efficiently and unselfishly—a vital but hard-to-find asset in the bioscience industry.

“For an emerging bioscience market like Arizona, it was important to have representatives from companies in metro Phoenix, Flagstaff and Tucson in the pavilion with us. Who better to be an advocate for our efforts?” notes Roderick Miller, vice president of international economic development for the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. “They did a great job of being ambassadors for the state, and that’s the kind of leadership we need.”

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THE ARIZONA PAVILION AT BIO 2009 IN ATLAN TA

arizona representation at
BIO 2009 included:
Bio Visibility
Arizona ups presence at international
BIO 2009 conference
writinG by :: Jim mcpherson

or the eighth
straight year, Ari-
zona showcased its
growing assets and
reputation at the
world’s largest annual biotechnol-
ogy convention and exposition,
BIO 2009.

The Arizona Department of Commerce and Arizona BioIndustry Association led the state delegation, along with economic-development, non-profit, and industry partners at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The May 18-21 event drew more than 14,000 registrants from 48 states and 58 nations.

“Arizona is one of the fastest-growing states in the biosciences in our research capabilities and our industry base,” says Commerce Director Don Cardon.“BIO 2009 in Atlanta provided a perfect venue to further showcase Arizona’s recent successes to the global bioscience community.”

The international expo offered
organizations of all sizes an
opportunity to promote their
products and services while
connecting with the industry’s
leading researchers, company
executives, investors, and others.
“Our company’s experience
was very successful in the number
of contacts and collaborations
that we were introduced to in
Atlanta,” says Loretta Mayer,
chair and chief scientific officer
of Senes Tech Inc. in Flagstaff.“
Each year as our participation
at BIO has grown, we receive
progressively increasing benefits
from attending.”
A delegation of more than
100 science and business
professionals represented the
state at the Arizona Pavilion
in the exhibition hall, where
thousands of bioscience leaders
visited booths of companies,
states and nations. Despite the
state and national economic
downturn, private and
public-sector contributions
enabled Arizona to invest
in a prominently located,
1,000-square-foot booth.

The booth’s design promoted the state’s core scientific competencies in cancer therapeutics, neurological sciences, bioengineering and bioimaging. Also evident was Arizona’s reputation as a locale

+ Companies:

Apthera, Arizona

Public Service, Avolix Pharmaceuticals, Bank of America, BioFeedstocks Global, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Celebration Stem Cell Centre, Clinical Information Network, Dedicated Phase 1, High Throughput Genomics, iClient Global, ImmuneRegen IR BioSciences, InNexus Biotechnology, Kemeta

LLC, Mission3, Primus Pharmaceuticals, Provista Life Sciences, Regenesis Biomedical, Salt River Project, Senes Tech, TGen Drug Development Services, Vomaris.

+ Economic Development
agencies:

Arizona Department of Commerce, Canadian Consulate (Phoenix), Town of Gilbert, Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, and the cities of Chandler, Flagstaff, Goodyear, Scottsdale and Surprise.

“The annual BIO convention was a great opportunity for bioscience firms in all stages of development to gain global visibility,” says Bob Eaton, president and CEO of Arizona BioIndustry Association. “Many of the major players in the world of biotechnology attended, and endless opportunities existed to meet potential research collaborators, business partners, investors, and customers.”

The Arizona delegation’s number of contacts totaled 438 industry leaders compared with 423 in 2008. “The numbers tell me that interest in Arizona is strong and our approach is working,” Cardon says.

Arizona BioIndustry Association unveiled a new online map of Arizona bioscience firms and organizations and a special BIO edition of TechConnect was distributed. On-the-spot news and information updates were available to conference-goers and folks back home in Arizona via Facebook.

Like the current state of the global economy, BIO 2009 had its ups and downs, says Nina Ossanna, director of business development, BIO5 Institute at The University of Arizona, and vice chair of Arizona BioIndustry Association’s board of directors.

“While there was a lot to be pessimistic about—just over 14,000 attending, a sobering address by BIO President & CEO Jim Greenwood at Tuesday’s luncheon, and definitely more sellers than buyers at the partnering sessions—there was still the optimism about the present and future role of biotech to solve the major problems of disease, adequate food and alternative fuels,” Ossanna says. “Today’s difficulties seem to be viewed as a temporary blip in the road. And, the opening reception with the B-52s in concert showed that we can still rock on.”