More than 21,000 bioscience workers — 410 per 100,000 residents — are employed in the greater Washington region, according to a new fact sheet released Wednesday.
The Greater Washington Board of Trade also found the region has one of the most educated work forces in the country, with 21.4 percent of all adults having advanced degrees. These two factors make the area a hot spot for bioscience companies, according to the board.
“It’s a strong biotech picture in the region,” board spokeswoman Marie Tibor said. “It hasn’t changed dramatically in recent years, but it’s been a strong sector for us.”
Tibor said many bioscience firms are attracted to the area because of federal spending on new medicines and other treatments.
One example is the National Center for Biodefense at George Mason University, which was awarded a $25 million federal contract in 2005 to build a biocontainment laboratory in Prince William County. Center spokeswoman Patti Snellin said the award allowed the university to move forward with plans to house all life science laboratories in one location. She said Prince William County worked with the university to get the money for the laboratory.
“This was very much a county effort,” Snellin said.
Biosciences also remain popular in Montgomery County, with infusions of cash going to biotechnology companies there, according to a recent venture capital report. The National Institutes of Health, with a budget of nearly $30 billion annually, also attracts highly skilled workers seeking advanced research opportunities.
Fairfax Economic Development Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Gerald Gordon said great potential remains for growth in the biotechnology industry. Because of Fairfax’s large information technology economy and work force, the authority is working to attract science companies in need of advanced technology.
“The really exciting thing is the next iteration of research in this area,” he said. “It’s where bioscience and high technology meet. It’s a convergence.”
