Economically Speaking: Life sciences to be state's key industry

Last month, scientists announced the completion of the rough draft of the human genetic code. This major announcement, the biotechnology equivalent of man walking on the moon, represented a huge success for Missouri's life sciences industry one of the state's targeted industries for purposes of economic development.

Scientists at Washington University's Genome Sequencing Center, one of the five largest sites for the government-funded Human Genome Project, were among those sharing the credit for the decoding of our genetic make-up.

Biotechnology is the driving force behind a coming medical revolution and the completion of the human genome is a beginning rather than an end. Now that a rough draft of the human genome is complete, scientists can begin the long process of identifying genes and determining their functions. The resulting knowledge will hopefully result in innovative medical treatments.

Growth in the life sciences offers the potential for the development of new medicines and revolutionary medical treatment. A few years ago, the idea of curing a patient by altering DNA sounded like science fiction. Yet last month, doctors in France were able to successfully use gene therapy to cure three babies of a potentially fatal immune disorder. This is just one example of biotechnology's life-saving potential.

Although it certainly received the most attention, the mapping of the human genome was not the only aspect of Missouri's life sciences industry receiving special recognition. Last month Governor Carnahan was named Governor of the Year by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) for his decision to designate life sciences as a target industry in Missouri and for his leadership in promoting legislation that furthers the expansion of life sciences.

BIO is a consortium of organizations that are involved in the research and development of health care, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. The consortium represents more than 850 biotechnology companies, academic institutions and state biotechnology centers in 47 states and 26 nations.

We in Missouri know firsthand the impact that life sciences industries have on our lives and our economy, but we would like the rest of the world to know too. Detailed information about both the Human Genome Project and the Governor's award can be found at the Department of Economic Development's new Web site, www.lifesciencesgateway.org.

Through lifesciencesgateway.org, businesses and research institutions will be able to access a wide variety of research and business development resources related to the life sciences, as well as publicize their successes to an international audience through the exchange of science and business news, research data, journal articles and business reports.

The Web site will also allow companies to bring their products to market more quickly by bringing together scientists, institutions of higher education, life sciences companies, and venture capital firms around the world.

Currently, more than 100 companies associated with the life sciences call Missouri home. The life sciences support more than 111,000 high-tech, high-wage jobs for Missouri residents and the industry comprises nearly 5 percent of Missouri's gross state product.

At the Department of Economic Development, we are helping to map Missouri's future through the life sciences. It is our hope that through partnerships with Missouri's life science companies, as well as support from government leadership, more successes like the Human Genome Project will follow, creating even greater economic and fiscal contributions.

(Joseph Driskill the executive director for the Missouri Department of Economic Development.)