Hartford Business Journal Special Editions

32 Hartford Business Journal • November 26, 2012 www.HartfordBusiness.com Celebrating 20 Years of Business News TECHNOLOGY 20 Years of The arrival of Jackson Labs on the UConn Health Center campus, which is part of a $1.1 billion investment, is seen as a major boost for genomics research in the state, which already has a strong base here. Across the street from the Health Cen- ter, the University of Connecticut›s Cell and Genome Sciences Building opened in 2010, adding another 117,000-square-foot state-of-the-art research facility to Farming- ton's impressive portfolio. More importantly, the building is based on a model of collaboration, because it brings under the same roof scientists, incubator companies and commercialization execu- tives who are trying to turn research into marketable businesses or products. The facility, which received $52 million in renovations, is equipped with sophisticated technologies and also houses UConn›s major research programs including the UConn Stem Cell Institute and the Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology. About eight incubator companies also work there. The facility is symbolic of the greater role UConn has begun to play in technology transfer over the past 20 years, as the school attempts to bring more of its research out of the lab so it can be turned into commercial- ized products. Yale University, with its Science Park, has been the benchmark for tech transfer in the state over the last two decades. In fact, Yale has played a role in devel- oping many bioscience startups in the last two decades, including Alexion Phar- maceuticals, Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Rib-X Pharmaceuticals, Cellular Genom- ics Pharmaceuticals (CGI), Optherion and Proteolix. The future challenge, however, will be figuring out how to continue to build the state's technology and bioscience industries and research centers with the geographical cards Connecticut has been dealt. With key research areas developing at Yale in New Haven, as well as Farmington and Storrs, the geographic connectivity isn›t perfect. One possible solution could be the "Innovation Ecosystem," program recently launched by the state, which will create ecosystem hubs in Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, and Storrs to provide a set of financial, technical, professional, and men- toring resources to emerging companies, as well as collaborative workspace. Tech promoter CT Innovations has cer- tainly played a huge role in generating the development of high-tech companies and in turn jobs in the state by providing capital and operational guidance. To date, CT has assisted well more than 100 emerging firms with research, product and market development — in the process attracting over a billion dollars in private investments. Despite indications that the job market for IT professionals in the state in lagging behind, some are very optimistic that things are heading in the right direction. "The outlook in demand for information technology workers is bright — both in the near future and over the long run. This is especially true for higher skilled positions in the field," said Andy Condon, director of the state Department of Labor's Office of Research back in February. "Our current projections, which cover the period 2008- 2018, forecast the need for more than 1,400 annual new and replacement IT positions throughout the 10-year period." Condon said they are anticipating more than 13 percent growth in IT jobs in that 10-year period ending in 2018. Ultimately, only time will tell what the next 10 years will bring for Connecticut in the bioscience and technology arenas. Although still a work in progress in many ways, the state is making strides to not only develop new businesses, but to advance the type of cutting-edge research and develop- ment that can sustain such growth over the long term. n from page 30 To date, CT has assisted well more than 100 emerging firms with research, product and market development — attracting over a billion dollars in private investments. Rob Heckel, Marsha Roach and John Hambor, from left to right, of CellDesign have been conducting stem cell research that is attracting the attention of pharmaceutical giants. Dr. Xiangzhong "Jerry" Yang, the late professor of animal science and head of the University of Connecticut's Transgenic Animal Facility, stands with Aspen and her four cloned offspring, the first animals cloned from an adult farm animal in the U.S. Aspen, the genetic template for the cloned cows, is at the far right. P H O T O / S T E V E L A S C H E V E R

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