For years, Louisiana has placed great emphasis on expanding its
life science industry, supporting research centers throughout the
state and offering initiatives that enhance the biotechnology and
biomedical fields.
The state has invested $500 million in the industry, helping to
fund research, facilities and infrastructure across the state,
including leasable wet lab incubator space. In addition, the state
has invested in Good Manufacturing Practice laboratory for stem
cell research, new research facilities at Pennington Biomedical
Research Center in Baton Rouge, Tulane National Primate Research
Center, Louisiana Cancer Research Center in New Orleans and
aggressive incentives to attract additional life science-focused
businesses.
Biotechnology and Biomedical
As new medical resources and initiatives develop, Louisiana
continues to be at the forefront of these innovative breakthroughs.
The state's collection of facilities and infrastructure is
dedicated to research and development in the biotechnology and
biomedical fields statewide.
The Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge is a
403,000-square-foot core research complex that houses eight basic
research labs, three clinical research units, 19 core service labs,
inpatient and outpatient clinics, a research kitchen, an
administrative area and more than $20 million in technologically
advanced equipment. More than 80 faculty members and over 600
physicians, scientists and support personnel focus their research
efforts on 10 research program areas: Epidemiology and Prevention,
Physical Activity and Health, Cancer, Diabetes, Obesity,
Neurodegeneration, Genomics and Molecular Genetics, Stem Cell and
Developmental Biology, Neurobiology, and Nutrient Sensing and
Signaling.
Also in Baton Rouge, the Louisiana Emerging Technology Center is
a 60,000-square-foot business incubator located on the LSU campus.
The incubator is designed specifically for new companies with wet
lab needs. The Louisiana Emerging Technologies Center lays the
groundwork for companies involved in biotechnology, health care,
environmental sciences, life sciences, agriculture and other
technologies.
The Greater New Orleans region has long been a strong health
services provider and active hub of research and biosciences
activity, and the sector remains one of the area's largest
employers. At the center of this growing industry in New Orleans is
a 2.4-square-mile area in the heart of the city's downtown medical
district, where leading medical schools, universities, hospitals
and research institutions are working to advance bioscience.
Some key developments include: approved LSU and VA hospitals,
which will create 6,000 jobs and $1.26 billion in annual impact; a
$90 million Tulane-LSU Cancer Research Center under development and
the New Orleans BioInnovation Center, a 66,000-square-foot,
state-of-the-art wet lab incubator scheduled to open in 2009. With
multiple colleges and universities offering strong biotech-related
degree and research programs in areas such as cancer research, gene
therapy, neurosciences, biostatistics and tropical medicine,
Greater New Orleans offers an optimal research environment for
scientists.
InterTech is a new science park that will help establish
northwest Louisiana as a source of science and innovation.
Established on 2,400 acres in central Shreveport and bordered by
three major medical centers - LSU Medical Center in Shreveport,
Schumpert Medical and Willis-Knighton Medical Center - this science
park is home to a variety of innovative tenants. BioSpace1, for
example, is a $12.2 million incubator for new bioscience
businesses. Companies in the 60,000-square-foot BioSpace1 facility
share $500,000 worth of equipment in a core laboratory and have
experts analyze their business plans on a yearly basis. Tenants now
operating at BioSpace1 include: Red River Pharma, a research and
development and drug manufacturing company; Louisiana Ventures, a
venture capital fund; and the offices of Embera NeuroTherapeutics
Inc., a company founded by an LSU Health Sciences Center scientist
who's working on medicine to help with drug addictions. The
foundation has a plan to fill the incubator in three years.
InterTech is expected to create 6,000 jobs over the next 25
years.
Other organizations, businesses, facilities and initiatives that
support and enhance Life Science in Louisiana include: Louisiana
Gene Therapy Research Consortium, Biomedical Research Foundation of
Northwest Louisiana, Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium, LSU
Medical Centers in New Orleans and Shreveport, Tulane Medical
Center, Biomedical Engineering Department and Institute of
Micromanufacturing at Louisiana Tech, School of Pharmacy at
Northeast Louisiana University, College of Pharmacy at Xavier
University, UNO's National Biodynamics Laboratory, LSU School of
Veterinary Medicine, Center for BioModular Microsystems, Center for
Advanced Microstructures and Devices at LSU, and primate centers
associated with University of Louisiana at Lafayette and
Tulane.
