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Hawaii is blossoming into a center for biotechnology and life sciences. The Aloha State offers
many resources for high-technology business such as investment tax credits, marine and agricultural
resources, a diverse population, and a prime location in the Pacific basin.
Programs such as the Hawaii Science
& Technology Council aid the biotechnology sector in Hawaii. The Council is a private,
nonprofit economic development organization which serves companies in Hawaii by providing networking
and advancing technological development.
Hawaii hosts many globally recognized biotech and pharmaceutical companies, including
Hawaii Biotech in Aiea;
Mera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in Kailua-Kona;
Cardax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in
Aiea; Tissue Genesis, Inc. in Honolulu;
Cellular Bioengineering, Inc.; and
Cyanotech Corporation in Kailua-Kona.
Additionally, Hawaii boasts renowned research institutions that aid in life sciences research. The
Cancer Research Center of Hawaii (CRCH) in Honolulu
is a research unit of the University of Hawaii and
is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated
center which focuses on cancer research and education, predominantly for the diverse population of
Hawaii. The Pacific Health Research Institute
in Hawaii is the largest independent biomedical research institute in the Aloha State and uses its
Pacific location to facilitate research and cultural links to Asia and mainland United States. The
Pacific Biomedical Research Center (PBRC) at
the University of Hawaii at Manoa boasts
interdisciplinary biological research and offers such programs as the
Biotechnology Program, the
Kewalo Marine Laboratory, and
Native Hawaii Health Research.
The Hawaii Agricultural Research Center
(HARC) has laboratories and field stations which aid in horticultural crop research such as
agronomy, plant nutrition, plant physiology, disease and pest management, genetic engineering, and
tissue culture. Additionally, HARC assists other organizations with research, consulting, and
training needs. The Marine Bioproducts Engineering
Center (MarBEC), based in the University of Hawaii at Manoa, represents a partnership with the
University of California, Berkeley and is a
National Science Foundation Engineering Research
Center. MarBEC aims to develop the engineering technology and science base for the commercial
production of marine bioproducts.
A tremendous resource for Hawaii’s biotechnology and life sciences sector is the
John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM)
at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Associated research centers include the Asia-Pacific Institute for Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases and its
affiliated centers. JABSOM also boasts a new, state-of-the-art bioresearch building, with 180,000
square feet (16,722 square meters or 1.67 hectares) of space.
With its tremendous assets and promising new developments, Hawaii seems assured for success in its
endeavor to become a biotechnology and life sciences hub.
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