The University of Arizona is a leading research University attracting $463 million in research dollars in 2007. Seventy-one percent of these dollars were awarded to the Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, Optical Sciences, Agriculture and Science. The University was ranked fourteenth among public institutions by the National Science Foundation, based on research and development expenditures.
The University of Arizona is nationally recognized for its research in the fields of life and biosciences. Research is conducted through an interdisciplinary approach as highlighted by the BIO5 Institute.
Tucson and Southern Arizona are home to an emerging biotechnology industry sector including two of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies: Roche and Sanofi-Aventis. There are also several leading institutes and organizations including the Critical Paths Institute (C-PATh) – a joint collaboration between the University of Arizona and the Food and Drug Administration and several emerging biotech companies.
As documented by the Battelle Institute in the Arizona and Southern Arizona Bio Road maps, Tucson lacks the crucial infrastructure to really nurture the bioscience industry and as a result has seen several start-up companies leave for other states. The Bio Park will address the critical shortage of infrastructure and begin to build the critical mass that will grow and attract biotech companies in the Tucson region.
The Arizona Bioscience Park encompasses 65-acres of land in central Tucson. It is located adjacent to some of the most historic and multi-cultural neighborhoods in Tucson. The eastern edge of the Bio Park is situated along Kino Parkway, one of the major north/south transportation corridors in Tucson. The northern perimeter of the Park is located along 38th Street across from the Quincey Douglas Library / Neighborhood Center and Silverlake Park.
Regionally, the Park is strategically located 2.5 miles from the University of Arizona main campus, 4 miles from Tucson International Airport and 3 miles from downtown Tucson. The Park is located within a five mile radius of 40 biotech companies and organizations, including three major research hospitals: University Medical Center, University Physicians at Kino and Southern Arizona VA Health Care System.
Designed as an urban park, the Arizona Bioscience Park will accommodate at capacity up to 30 buildings and three million square feet of development, ranging from single story to six story buildings. The Bio Park will be designed to incorporate the best practices for sustainable development, including 17 acres of open space and significant linkages for community engagement.
Proposed University of Arizona Bioscience Research Park (PDF)
