What’s new in your industry?
The ability to identify patient subgroups and better understand disease mechanisms has ushered in an era of personalized health care. This is being facilitated by the advancement in research methods that unveil the root causes of diseases at a molecular level. In addition, new diagnostic tools and targeted drugs, such as those developed at Ventana and Roche, translate into more effective treatments for patients and is our highest priority now and into the future.
What is the economic forecast for your industry?
Our mission, as the world’s largest supplier of tissue-based cancer diagnostics, is to improve the lives of all patients afflicted with cancer. Sadly, the number of people diagnosed with cancer each year continues to grow. The good news, however, is that the majority of those people are living with cancer longer than they ever have before. As the population ages and product demand increases, our industry will continue to grow.
Why do you and your company support economic development?
As a biotechnology company focused on innovation, we know that having a strong biomedical-research base of companies in the Tucson area offering high quality jobs, coupled with a strong education system, will allow us to continue driving innovation and growth in our industry.
Why is your industry strong in the Tucson region? What can be done to make it even stronger?
Today, the diversified strengths of Tucson in research, diagnostic testing, medical labs, and hospitals provide an ideal
foundation on which we can continue to build our bioscience leadership and excellence. Like other major bioscience hubs, we need a critical mass of companies, ongoing collaborative efforts and continued enhancement of our education system to strengthen our business climate and economic development.
What is your company/industry doing to make Tucson a better place to live?
We focus on cancer-related charitable organizations including Susan G. Komen, American Cancer Society, Bag It Foundation, AZ Distance Classic, El Tour de Tucson, and UMC Foundation. Additionally, we are involved in community science education programs such as Ventana Young Scientist Day, which hosts more than 100 high school students and teaches them the importance of science education. Lastly, Ventana actively supports the local arts community using the wonderful space we have in our facility to show four art exhibits each year, all open to the public.