Southern Arizona is becoming known as one of the nation’s most innovative bioscience centers and is home to Roche Tissue Diagnostics, Accelerate Diagnostics, Critical Path Institute, BD and HTG Molecular, to cite just a few firms here.

Our educated workforce benefits from two top-ranked research universities and a well-respected community college. This combination forms a strong foundation for any bioscience company looking to locate in the Southwest.

With a myriad of academic and technical life sciences programs at the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Pima Community College, the Tucson region has a young, educated workforce and first-rate training opportunities. Collaboration opportunities are numerous and cutting-edge research facilities provide a strong draw for companies from start-ups to well-established firms.

AZBio is the state affiliate in Arizona of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, the preeminent national association for biotechnology companies, and of AdvaMed, the largest association representing manufacturers of medical devices, diagnostic products and medical information systems. AZBio advances the growth of bioscience companies through advocacy, connections, purchasing power and workforce development.

The region is on the forefront of bioscience, clearly defined in the Southern Arizona Bioscience Roadmap. Developed by the Flinn Foundation and Battelle, the roadmap is a 10-year vision for the future. The plan includes current strengths and strategies – such as mobilizing public and private leadership, investing in higher education, attracting a greater share of funding and developing scientific and technical talent.

• In 2018, The University of Arizona Health Sciences (UAHS) and Banner Health received the largest National Institute of Health (NIH) award in Arizona history— $60 million for the All of Us Research Program.
• $297 million – the gold-standard measure of NIH research funding hit another new high in Arizona in 2021—in dollars and national share.
• $240 million – VC funding for bio firms in Arizona saw a record high in 2021

Tucson is home to the University of Arizona College of Medicine, a national leader in advancing health and wellness through education, research, and patient care. In addition to the University of Arizona, Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University, offer numerous leading programs in areas of importance to bioscience, including biomedical research, engineering, pharmacy, nursing, optics, business, and entrepreneurship.

• The University of Arizona’s BIO5 Institute aims to harness the collaborative power of five core research areas—agriculture, engineering, medicine, science, and pharmacy—to find bold solutions to complex problems. In the last five years, BIO5 Institute-affiliated research has brought in $363+M as a result of $47M in Technology and Research Initiative Fund (TRIF) funding.
• Pima Community College is constructing a new state-of-the-art Center of Excellence in Applied Technology that provides the training needed for advanced manufacturing across industries, including medical device manufacturing.

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

Tucson is the home of the University of Arizona, a world-class research university with a history of working on cutting edge technology and translating it into practical applications. Projects have ranged from the development of new cancer treatments to pioneering breakthroughs in heart transplantation. The University of Arizona produces more than $750 million in annual research and is ranked as one of the top 20 public research universities in the nation.

• Known for its exceptionally strong research and academic programs, the UA is one of only 62 members in the prestigious Association of American Universities.
• The UA is nationally recognized for interdisciplinary graduate programs in biomedical engineering, neuroscience, pharmacology and toxicology, cancer biology, applied mathematics, genetics and more.
• The UA’s College of Science, a national leader in Applied Bioscience programs, offers a Master’s Degree in Applied Bioscience.
• UA Faculty includes Nobel and Pulitzer prize winners.

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

• The Biodesign Institute, the nation’s first interdisciplinary research institute devoted entirely to innovations, has disclosed more than 500 inventions since inception.

PIMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

• Pima Community College, the eighth-largest community college in the country, has an annual enrollment of more than 36,000 students and offers applied degree programs in bioscience topics.
• Pima Community College offers a Clinical Research Coordinator degree, preparing students to test new medications and treatments that can help millions of patients.

The Tucson region has the scientific base and the intellectual, financial and commercial leadership to become the pre-eminent location for diagnostics companies. The region is already home to internationally recognized/emerging leaders in diagnostics such as Roche Tissue Diagnostics, HTG Molecular, Accelerate Diagnostics and others, and the community has world-renowned spa destinations such as Canyon Ranch and Miraval that have unparalleled reputations for promoting healthy living. No other community has these assets combined with a world-class, top-ranked research university, a strong and culturally diverse portfolio of people, facilities and real estate, and a lifestyle that attracts and retains the Creative Class.

Accelerate Diagnostics Bio5 Institute HTG Molecular Kelpac Medical Roche Tissue Diagnostics

Sunquest SynCardia Systems, Inc. The Critical Path Institute Vante BioPharm Xeridiem