National Coalition Focuses on Bioscience Education

 AZBio Joins Bioscience Leaders Across the United States To Create the Coalition of Bioscience Institutes (CSBI)

[Boston,June 20, 2012] – The Arizona Bioindustry Association (AZBio) has joined with state bioscience organizations and institutes from coast-to-coast in a nationally coordinated effort to ensure America’s leadership in bioscience innovation by delivering industry-led life science education, workforce development and entrepreneurship programs across the county.  AZBio is a member of this newly established group – the Coalition of Bioscience Institutes (CSBI).  The formation of CSBI was announced at the 2012 BIO International Convention, the industry’s global event for biotechnology that is hosted by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO).

 “Collaboration has been our most successful strategy in driving the growth of AZBio programs and education over the last year” said Joan Koerber-Walker, president and CEO of AZBio. “AZBio Student Discovery Sessions at the AZBio Awards in October 2011 and AZBio Expo in May 2012 showcased the work of talented students while giving them the opportunity to gain industry feedback. Unveiled Monday June 18th at the BIO International Convention, the new AZBio Expo Online™ brings together the best of Arizona’s bioscience community with videos, webinar presentations, white papers and more.  This virtual exposition showcases the wonderful opportunities we have for commercialization and innovation along with key insights and lessons from local leaders from a biobusiness perspective.  The AZBio Expo Online™ serves as a powerful tool for both educators in K-20 as well as for those of us committed to developing our bioscience workforce and our entrepreneurial talent here in Arizona.  By sharing assets like the AZBio Expo Online™ with other state bioscience organizations through CSBI, we are positioned to make an even greater contribution to the life sciences across the biotech industry.”

“Arizona’s bioscience industry is our state’s fastest growing econimic sector and AZBio is at the heart of a statewide effort to build a thriving bioscience industry in our state” said David Drennon of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “AZBio’s affiliation with the CSBI will allow programs developed here to be shared with other states and introduce our communities to the benefits of successful programs developed around the United States. Arizona’s collaborative spirit is a key reason for our success and this is a great example of how, by working together, value is created and shared both here in Arizona and across the country.”

“CSBI is leveraging resources across the United States, including the iBIO’s Institutes’ current programs, to speak with a united voice for the biotech industry on life science education, workforce development and entrepreneurship,” said CSBI acting co-chair, Lance Hartford, executive director MassBioEd. “We focus on programs that the life science industry is uniquely positioned to deliver and can be replicated across many states and scaled-up nationally.”

Currently, CSBI is identifying leading state programs for national consideration.  These programs include teacher-training initiatives such as iBIO Institute’s TalentSparks!; workforce competitiveness programs including Oregon Bioscience Association’s BioPro and BIOCOM Institute’s BioCollaborative; and BayBio Institute’s Expert Network resource for entrepreneurs.  CSBI is also designing a web-based clearinghouse of all current state-level programs focused on life science education, workforce training and entrepreneurship.

Working together since December 2011, CSBI serves as an umbrella for standard practice sharing  joint fundraising and national initiatives for life science (STEM) education (student education, career exploration and teacher professional development); workforce development (workforce training, incumbent worker professional development, dislocated worker training); and entrepreneurship. CSBI provides the opportunity for state bioscience organizations to share knowledge with the goal of improving bioscience education and innovation, while maximizing industry support. With its focus in these areas, the CSBI complements the life science policy work of the Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA), formed by BIO in 2002.

CSBI founding  organizations include AZBio,  BayBio Institute, BIOCOM Institute, the Biotechnology Institute, iBIO Institute, KansasBio, MassBioEd, MdBio Foundation and the Oregon Bioscience Association.   Forty-one state bioscience organizations are CSBI members with nine (9) additional groups expected to join.  CSBI is co-chaired by BayBio Institute executive director Lori Lindburg and MassBioEd executive director Lance Hartford.  The Biotechnology Institute serves as CSBI’s administrative organization. By partnering, CSBI members bring unprecedented access to programs, facilitate national communication, and connect an extensive network of industry professionals.

ABOUT AZBio

The Arizona Bioscience Industry is on the move and making great strides forward in discovering and delivering solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges:

•  Diagnosing and treating disease

•  Sustaining and Improving the quality of life with innovative medical devices

•  Developing new sources of green energy

•  Pioneering new science to feed the world

•  Creating solutions that are both sustainable AND affordable.

As Arizona’s statewide industry association, AZBio is committed to working with our members across Arizona to support our industry as together we move forward faster. We are committed to building the biosciences industry in Arizona by providing access to the key resources, connections and information in our biosciences community. This provides the foundation to be able to Connect, Collaborate, Innovate and Succeed; thus supporting the growth of a thriving economic environment for Arizona’s Bioscience Industry today and in the future.

Learn more at www.azbio.org

ABOUT THE BIO INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION

The BIO International Convention will highlight the latest trends and the newest opportunities for executives, investors, scientists, policy leaders, and media from around the world. Speakers at the sessions will share breakthroughs in medicine, diagnostics, the environment, energy production, business operations, financing, partnerships, policy issues and food and agriculture. The Convention also features the BIO Business Forum, a unique platform for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, academic research institutions, and investors from around the world to gather and discuss strategic opportunities. For registration, conference agenda and exhibitor information, visit 2012 BIO International Convention.

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Members of the Coalition of State Bioscience Institutes (CSBI)