Arizona Biotech News - Non-profit aids bioscience

Arizona Biotech News - Non-profit aids bioscience
Bolstering research, attracting firms are goals

Kerry Fehr-Snyder
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 17, 2006 12:00 AM

Business leaders this week formed a non-profit corporation to boost
Arizona's bioscience industry and are trying to recruit an
internationally known leader to head the organization.

Science Foundation Arizona is being created to attract private and
public funding for biotech and biosciences, distribute the funds to
key research efforts and lure new companies.

Its precise projects have yet to be decided, but they could range
from recruiting a pharmaceutical operation to funding expansion of
the Translational Genomics Research Institute or the University of
Arizona College of Medicine in downtown Phoenix, one official said.

"We're in the final stages of examining what it would take to stand
on the shoulders of what exists now and be among the best in the
world," said Don Budinger, one of Science Foundation Arizona's
organizers and director of the Rodel Charitable Foundation of
Arizona.

The group's overall mission is "to build and strengthen medical,
scientific and engineering research programs and infrastructure in
the areas of greatest strategic value to Arizona's competitiveness
in the global bioscience economy," Budinger said. He helped lure
computer wafermaker Sumitomo, now called Sitix, to Phoenix in the
1990s.

Budinger was one of four men who filed papers with the state on
Wednesday to incorporate the science foundation as a 501c(3) non-
profit. The others were John Murphy of the Flinn Foundation, Tom
Browning of Greater Phoenix Leadership and Steven W. Lynn of Uni-
source Energy, parent company of Tucson Electric Power.

Science Foundation Arizona is modeled in part after Science
Foundation Ireland. The Ireland group is led by William Harris,
former director of the Biosphere 2 Center in Oracle, near Tucson.

Harris is reportedly Arizona's top choice to lead Science Foundation
Arizona, although he apparently is weighing several offers despite
the state's efforts to court him since early December. He is a
consultant for Arizona's bioscience efforts. His contract with
Science Foundation Ireland is set to expire at the end of March.

"Bill Harris is the man who led the effort to reform Ireland's
economy and would be a great asset to Arizona," Gov. Janet
Napolitano said through a spokeswoman.

More here:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0217scifoundation.html

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