You couldn’t swing a dead cat at the BIO2008 conference today without smacking at least one governor out pressing the flesh and showing their state’s support for the biotech industry.
Joining Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle in announcing initiatives for biosciences and stem cell research, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter gave a talk today on Colorado’s growing biotech and bioscience economic sector, representing over 400 bioscience companies in the state.
Gov. Ritter just signed a bill putting $26.5 million investment in the industry through the new Colorado Bioscience Discoveries Grant Program. Gov. Ritter noted that private research is increasing and that venture capital funding is improving.
When asked about the outlook for bioscience research funding, Gov. Ritter said that the change in administration will most certainly bring a change in the mindset within the government. He felt both candidates would support increased research and noted that Sen. Barack Obama has a belief in biotech as a 21st century economy.
The Governor said that there will not only be additional research funding with a change in the administration but that he also foresees a different mindset at the FDA, which will lead to increased efficiencies in the drug approval process.
Also on tap later today, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
