"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." - Carl Sagan
This moment marks the first steps towards a project very close to my heart that has been a work in progress for many months. Inspired by Gary P. Pisano’s book “Science Business: The Promise, the Reality, and the Future of Biotech” as well as my own personal experience with the frustration and the elation of biomedical discovery, I feel impelled to embark on a journey to examine the state of local life science companies as well as the status of the industries’ progress as a whole.
The problem.
America’s healthcare infrastructure is in a state of disrepair and is ill prepared to properly care for its aging population. Researchers estimate that, at the current rate, by the year 2050, 16 million elderly individuals (65+) will have Alzheimer’s disease (from 5.2 million in 2014)[1] and 1 out of every 3 people will be diabetic[2]. Healthcare costs (total and out of pocket) are skyrocketing and are projected to continue their trajectory (see figure below)[3]. The cure for our nation’s healthcare crisis, both biologically and financially, lies in our ability to provide effective and affordable preventative measures, rapid and accurate diagnostics, and targeted and personalized therapeutic interventions at all levels of wellness. As each of these steps in health are improved, diseases can be treated or eradicated with fewer and more effective interventions, instead of relying on outdated, drawn out, and costly therapies. Remarkable strides have been made toward these goals, but it is our global responsibility to ensure that this progress is made a priority and that scientific excellence is heralded with the urgency that (literally) our lives depend upon.
My future articles are in no way meant as a search for Barry Werth’s billion dollar molecule or for some miracle pharmaceutical, but instead, a preamble to what could be, or what should be, the future of life sciences. My goal is to provide accurate and informative data on the scientific pioneers of our local biotechnology sector and to illuminate the work of these individual to better our society and way of life.
[1]Center for Disease Control
[2]Alzheimer’s Association
[3]Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
***Disclaimer: I have no financial investment (stock, or otherwise) in any company being reviewed. All reviews are purely my opinion based on my own experience and should be viewed as such.
