Life Sciences
Perspective of Susan Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH
Chancellor, University of California, San Francisco
Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Distinguished Professor
When it comes to translating biological discoveries into useful products, success often breeds success in Northern California today. This pipeline drives economic growth in the Bay Area and beyond. The goods and services created provide health and quality-of-life benefits that are enjoyed globally.
Here there is an established infrastructure of biotechnology companies, venture capital firms, and experts in all aspects of biotech business development — a talent pool than can help move discoveries out of the lab and into the marketplace.
But the seeds that grow into entirely new areas of product development almost inevitably are discoveries that originate in the laboratories of university scientists exploring basic biological phenomena. Among Bay Area universities, UCSF alone has generated more than 600 patents over the past decade. The ongoing excellence of the region’s universities continues to attract the best and brightest young talent from all over the world. These young researchers in turn continually reinvigorate our universities, and many decide to make the Bay Area their home, enticed by good jobs and a welcoming environment.
While UC Berkeley had already been a force to be reckoned with in the life sciences, during the 1960s ambitious leaders of medical schools at UCSF and Stanford spearheaded their universities’ efforts to build stronger research programs. In the 1970s, scientists at these universities led the recombinant DNA revolution and were instrumental in establishing the biotech industry. UC Davis also quickly joined the ranks of world-class life sciences universities. Over time, a strong network of life sciences entrepreneurial talent developed and the Bay Area continues to benefit. UC scientists now have founded one-in-three biotech firms in California, including five of the world’s largest biopharmaceutical companies.
To help bring life sciences research to fruition, in 2009 – a bad year for the broader economy – venture capital firms invested $3 billion in biotech and medical-device start-ups in California.
Our Northern California universities attract not only talent, but also bring in critical federal research funds. These four universities all are leading recipients of funds from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal agencies that fund life sciences research. (Nationwide, UCSF trails only Johns Hopkins University in NIH funding.) UC Santa Cruz also has become a formidable engine of discovery and innovation, especially in genomics research and ecosystem studies, and our two Bay Area national laboratories now boast a strong research focus on clean energy and even biomedical research.
Based on measures of research funding, research impact, and faculty recognition and awards, dozens of graduate programs in the life sciences at Northern California universities rank among the top five nationally.
Despite the evident strengths of our Bay Area life sciences research infrastructure, we should not be complacent. We must tend to the seeds that will generate the newest life sciences industries. Fortunately, there are signs that support remains strong. Voter, donor and state support for research on stem cells and regenerative medicine evidences a collective will to keep the Bay Area and California at the forefront of life sciences innovation.
QUOTES FROM OTHER REGIONAL LEADERS IN LIFE SCIENCES
(possibly on the incredible research achievements within the Bay Area or possibly their concerns regarding potential obstacles to the region’s continued leadership)
Darlene Solomon, Ph.D.
Agilent Chief Technology Officer
Agilent Technologies
Agilent’s relationships with Bay Area universities provide tremendous benefits to our life sciences research and development. We have numerous highly successful research
collaborations with Bay Area universities such as Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC San Francisco and UC Davis. They help us assess and shape the value of new measurement
capabilities while they are still in R&D. These universities provide the next generation talent we depend upon, and our proximal location encourages frequent exchange through
seminars, visits, student mentoring, intern hiring and other forms of partnership. The expertise and vitality of university-level research and discovery in the Bay Area enable
significant advances in Agilent’s life science discoveries and solutions.
FACTUAL DATA
Gail Maderis, President and CEO, BayBio, provided the following statement and statistics.
Northern California is seen as a model for other life science clusters, having grown serendipitously from one revolutionary technology into an important pillar in Northern California’s economy – today, bioscience is the life blood of the region.
- Northern California is the largest cluster of life sciences companies in the United States with over 1,377 companies with over 110,000 employees.
- Cetus, the world’s first biotech company was founded in Emeryville in 1971 and Genentech opened its doors in South San Francisco in 1976.
- Northern California companies have 560 products on the market and 463 products in Phase II and Phase III clinical trials.
- According to PWC MoneyTree, Northern California companies secured $1.7 billion in venture capital in 2009.
HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE IMPORTANT BIO RESEARCH CENTERS
(large number of centers – need to establish parameters for selecting centers to highlight)
BIO-RELATED RESEARCH ASSETS
The following map presents the Bay Area’s unparalleled bio-related research assets which extend throughout the region. (View Map)
