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Initiative to Strengthen Presence of Life Sciences in Central Indiana
Leaders of Central Indiana's top research, academic and economic development organizations announced on Wednesday an effort to develop the region as a world-class center for the life sciences industry.
The Central Indiana Life Sciences Initiative — led by the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), the City of Indianapolis, Indiana University, Purdue University and the Indiana Health Industry Forum — will seek to increase the number of jobs, businesses, and research opportunities in the life sciences industry in Central Indiana through four goals:
- Leverage sufficient investment capital for life sciences projects.
- Retain and attract a critically skilled life sciences workforce.
- Strategically market the region as a world-class health and life sciences hub.
- Develop successful collaborations, including a downtown research community.
CICP will head the Initiative with staff support provided by the Mayor's Office and IHIF. Initial funding of nearly $1 million comes from CICP and the City of Indianapolis. The city's contribution of $750,000 was negotiated through changes to an incentive settlement with Sallie Mae, which purchased the former Indianapolis-based USA Group.
The Initiative comes on the heels of a February 2002 study by the Battelle Memorial Institute which observes that Central Indiana has significant existing assets to be a major world player in life sciences. The life sciences sector grew 40 percent faster than any other industry in the state over a seven-year period in the 1990s, according to the study.
The Initiative will be led by a core group, including Indianapolis Mayor Peterson, CICP President David Goodrich, Eli Lilly and Company Chairman, President and CEO Sidney Taurel; IU President Myles Brand; and Purdue President Martin Jischke. This group will work with other regional leaders to guide the Initiative.
More information on the Central Indiana Life Sciences Initiative, including the Battelle study, is available at: http://www.cilsi.com