Bioscience Facilities and Infrastructure

Peter M. Pellerito, BIO Senior Policy Adviser

Investments in basic and applied research facilities at universities and life sciences-related institutes is an essential step in the innovation process. Because the industrial applications of the industry have dramatically changed in the past ten years, state-of-the art research demands modern research facilities.

State governments, academic research centers, and private developers are acutely aware of this competitive advantage and have increasingly integrated the physical facilities into the long-term vision and strategy for economic development by providing physical space to leverage public-private partnerships in early stage commercialization efforts.

ARIZONA: In 2017 the State of Arizona passed legislation that provides state bonds to expand, and maintain university research infrastructure at Arizona public universities. The measure establishes a University Capital Infrastructure Fund with subsets for each university and prescribes a formula to calculate amounts appropriated to each university fund for 2019 and beyond.

FLORIDA: The University of Central Florida Life Science Incubator opened in May 2018. The majority of the $4 million cost was provided from Florida Hospital with funds it had received from the City of Orlando and the State of Florida to establish its own incubator, including additional funds provided by UCF and Tavistock Group.

In February 2019, the Jupiter Town Council approved a memorandum of understanding with Beacon Pharmaceuticals to develop an accelerator facility with office and lab space for up to 50 life science companies, as well as a CRO focused on “right to try” drugs and a drug cell manufacturing center. Beacon Pharmaceuticals would pay annual rent to the town, and Beacon would be eligible for an award of up to $600,000 over 10 years dependent on job creation milestones.

GEORGIA: In June 2018, the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Cell Manufacturing Technologies (CMaT) opened at Georgia Tech’s Marcus Center for Therapeutic Cell Characterization and Manufacturing (MC3M). The new facility operates as MC3M’s translational arm, and provides space for collaboration between engineers, clinicians and industry to develop and validate manufacturing processes for cell therapies. Funding was provided by the NSF, Georgia Tech, the Georgia Research Alliance and The Marcus Foundation.

CALIFORNIA: BioLabs, in partnership with the Lundquist Institute (formerly the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute or LA Biomed), a nonprofit biomedical research organization, announced that they opened a new Los Angeles innovation center in 2019. The facility will house up to 30 spinoff and outside startup companies, and will include lab and office space, a lecture hall, a data center and a freezer farm for bio-banking.

 The California Health Facilities Financing Authority issued $50 million in tax-exempt revenue bonds to raise funding for the $63 million project, with another $3 million contributed by Los Angeles County.

MASSACHUSETTS: In March 2018, the Baker administration announced the development of the Berkshire Innovation Center in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The state is committing $12.5 million through an allocation to the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, with additional funding coming from MassDevelopment, the City of Pittsfield and the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority. The $13.7 million project is intended to support the growth of small to mid-sized life science and advanced manufacturing companies in Western Massachusetts. The center will include training facilities, shared wet lab space and equipment, clean rooms, office and event space.  

In October 2018, the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency awarded the Worcester Business Development Corp (WBDC) a $15 million grant to help fund development of a biomanufacturing campus. The Massachusetts legislature authorized the conveyance of the state land to the WBDC in 2016. WuXi Biologics will anchor the new campus.

NEW YORK: BioLabs@NYULangone opened in 2017 as a coworking and shared lab space for up to 35 life science startups. The space was funded with $5 million from the New York City Economic Development Corporation through the LifeSci NYC initiative, $5 million from the academic medical center NYU Langone, and $2 million from Empire State Development.

JLABS @ NYC, located in the New York Genome Center, opened in June 2018. The new JLABS location is a collaboration between Johnson & Johnson Innovation, New York State and the New York Genome Center. With space for up to 30 startup companies, the incubator serves emerging life science companies and connects them with J&J Innovation resources, including funding, services, expertise and events. The State of New York provided $17 million for the project.

PENNSYLVANIA: The University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) announced in February 2018 that they are transforming a warehouse into a $200 million immunotherapy research center. The UPMC Immune Transplant and Therapy Center is intended to serve as the anchor of a new life science-based innovation district to attract R&D companies to Pittsburgh.

TEXAS: In April 2018, the Texas Medical Center and the state of Texas announced plans to create TMC3, a $250 million translational biomedical research center to foster collaborations between biopharma companies, physicians and researchers. The Texas Medical Center is contributing $40 million towards the project, with $36 million being contributed each by four partner academic institutions: Baylor College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

MISSOURI: St. Louis Economic Development Partnership and St. Louis County have developed a master plan to create an agtech innovation district called 39 North. Anchored by the existing Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and Bayer’s plant science division, officials intend for the district to attract agricultural talent and startups. In April 2018, local, federal and nonprofit sources contributed $6.8 million to redevelop an interchange to better connect the district. Officials are now seeking additional tenants and private investment.

NEW YORK: In 2018, the New York City Economic Development Corp. issued a call for proposals to develop an Applied Life Science Hub. With $100 million from the city, the agency is seeking a mission-driven organization or joint venture to match its investment and offer a site to create an R&D space for pharma companies and startup biotechs. This initiative is a centerpiece of the $500 million LifeSci NYC plan announced by New York City mayor Bill de Blasio in 2016.