Spring 2011 issue of Horizons

General Topics

What Is Life Sciences? According to the Missouri Biotechnology Association (MOBIO), which is focused on maintaining the growth of the biotechnology industry for the state, life science research and work are critical to our world’s future. In the next 20 years, people will place a much greater value on resources such as clean water, clean air, a stable global climate, productive land, biological diversity and healthy and secure communities. Much of the world already is looking to science to provide innovative solutions, and researchers are beginning to think about how we can answer and meet key questions and challenges. The answers to these questions lies in the life sciences. The concept of life sciences is a recent one that is based on meeting the food and health needs of a rapidly expanding world, while recognizing the importance of environmental sustainability. Life sciences is about trying to meet these unprecedented challenges by recognizing, developing, utilizing and managing the interconnection of several different disciplines— agriculture, pharmaceuticals and food. The term “life sciences” describes an interconnected system that shares common goals and technologies. The common goals are to help people around the world lead longer, healthier lives, at costs that they and their nations can afford and without continued environmental degradation. The shared technologies are those of advanced bioscience, including genomics — a group of technologies that dramatically increases the speed and power of genetic research. Understanding gene sequences and functions permits a dramatically faster, less expensive development of knowledge that can be practically applied to solve complex human problems in many areas, such as agriculture, nutrition, health, material sciences and environmental sustainability.

It is important that people globally begin thinking about addressing the critical needs and issues that are affecting individuals now and will continue into the future. Life sciences help us meet the food and health needs of this rapidly expanding world in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Missouri To Consider Legislation For Life Sciences

Many in the life sciences industry are keeping their fingers crossed that the Missouri General Assembly will consider passage of the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act (MOSIRA). According to MOBIO, MOSIRA will foster economic growth and the creation, attraction, and retention of quality jobs related to science and innovation in Missouri. It will enable the state to capitalize on its existing assets that make it a national leader in science and innovation. By providing a stable source of funding, the act will make Missouri a leader for science and innovation entities to locate and grow which will create new jobs, foster economic growth, advance scientific knowledge, and improve quality of life. The legislation functions by capturing the new growth in state income taxes generated by employees working in Missouri within designated science and innovation fields and reinvesting this revenue to assure future and continued growth in this important sector of Missouri’s economy. It’s important to note that funding through the act will not involve the use of existing general revenue funds. Missouri Life Sciences Initiatives Missouri has an active and growing life sciences community, encompassing world-class research institutions; as well as strong plant, animal and medical sciences companies. Missouri is also home to a fertile technology transfer, incubator and start-up environment and has

Raise Your Expectations

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