By Terren Roloff, WSU Spokane
SPOKANE, Wash. – Washington State University has two representatives on a new life science/global health advisory group recently formed by Gov. Jay Inslee to strengthen what he says is one of the state’s highest potential innovation sectors.
Lisa Brown, WSU Health Sciences Spokane chancellor, and Chris Keane, WSU vice president for research, are part of the two-year advisory council, which is tasked to identify and accelerate strategies to foster a stronger global health and life science ecosystem in Washington. This will include research, technology transfer, capital development, business climate and workforce development.
The state Department of Commerce conducted an analysis and determined that Washington’s life sciences and global health sector is growing, though not as fast as competitor states. For example, research funding to Washington from the National Institutes of Health continues to lead most other states, topping $906 million last year.
An announcement from the governor noted that the life sciences and global health sector is Washington’s fifth largest, with an average salary of more than $80,000.
The announcement added that challenges remain in critical areas such as developing and maintaining a robust local talent pool and support for commercialization of discoveries and early-stage companies.
Read more in an article from the Puget Sound Business Journal here.