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Councilman Greg Stanton's
Arcadia News
September 2004
Bioscience projects push forward in Phoenix
Knowledge economy may not be a term that comes up at the dinner table as you discuss the day's events with your family, but it is a term that indicates an exciting future for you and your family, right here in Phoenix. A relatively new term, knowledge economy refers to the use of knowledge from areas such as educational and research institutions to produce economic benefits. A successful knowledge economy is a win for our community because it fits perfectly in the strategic, long-range goal of diversifying our economy and bringing higher-wage jobs to our community.
As part of the knowledge economy we are building in Phoenix, the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and International Genomics Consortium (IGC) bioscience research institutions will have positive impacts on the future of our health as well as shape the future of our community and economy. For Arcadia residents that live in relatively close proximity to downtown Phoenix, this means increased job opportunities and higher wages in a cutting-edge industry as well as opportunities for improved health care.
TGen will make and translate genomic discoveries into advances in human health. Translational research is a new field that uses innovative advances from the Human Genome Project to develop therapies for cancer, neurological disorders, diabetes and other diseases.
The IGC is a non-profit research institute whose mission it is to revolutionize the treatment and prevention of cancer and complex diseases by applying post genome science to advances in human health.
In addition, Arizona State University and the University of Arizona recently announced plans for a joint medical school in downtown Phoenix. The Arizona Biomedical Collaborative, a joint effort of the Arizona State University and University of Arizona, will build a facility to conduct academic research in partnership with TGen. This is a project I have long supported and worked tirelessly to bring to the downtown area because it greatly adds to the educational foundation that is critical to building a strong educational future for our community.
In June of 2003 we broke ground on the first building in the Phoenix Bioscience Center at Copper Square, which will be the home of the TGen Research Center, IGC headquarters, university medical school and other cutting-edge projects. Today, construction of the 170,000 square feet, six story research facility is on schedule, and completion is planned for December. Within five years, the facility is projected to employ 450 people earning an average annual salary of $70,000.
Recent advances to complete the TGen/IGC headquarters and plans for the new university medical school equal great strides in our knowledge economy.
Attracting TGen and IGC to Phoenix to expand our knowledge economy is a process that began nearly four years ago. I took my role as lead councilmember on the project very seriously and regarded it as a high priority. As chairman of the city council's Knowledge Economy Subcommittee, I am committed to continuing the work I began with our bioscience research facilities.
If you have any questions about this or any other issue in the Arcadia area, as always, please feel free to contact me office at 602-262-7491, send an e-mail to greg.stanton@phoenix.gov or visit my Web site at phoenix.gov/district6.
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