Fostering Georgia’s thriving hematology sector
The state of Georgia is committed to supporting and growing the booming life science industry. By continually investing in its people, resources and solutions that meet companies’ unique business needs, Georgia is becoming a leader in the hematology and immunology sector.
When it comes to the study of blood and curing blood-related diseases, access to the right research, qualified talent and effective cold chain logistics is imperative to solving tomorrow’s health challenges.
These are a few of the many reasons Baxter International’s $1.3 billion (€0.96 billion) plasma fractionation plant, the America Red Cross’ Biomedical Services, the second largest blood processing facility in the world by volume, and Qualtex Laboratories, the United States’ largest independent testing lab for blood and plasma products, have chosen Georgia to call home.
Georgia is well equipped to support hematology companies and advanced research initiatives in treating and curing serious illnesses. In fact, Georgia’s robust hematology sector accounts for 21 percent of the state’s life science workforce.
Talent and training
One of the vital resources that companies in the hematology sector are finding in Georgia is access to the most innovative research and development, as well as the best and brightest talent. Georgia life science companies continue to take advantage of our world-class institutions and universities and the number one workforce training program in the nation, QuickStart.
In fact, EMSI ranks Georgia medical and health-related degrees as the No. 1 area of study in the region, and Georgia Tech’s biomedical/bioengineering programs are in the top five in the nation.
Emory University (Emory) has long been recognized for its expertise in cellular immunity and immune memory at the Emory Vaccine Center (EVC). EVC is one the largest and most comprehensive academic vaccine centres in the world. Nine in 10 HIV patients undergo lifesaving therapy that includes drugs that were created at Emory University.
Public-private partnerships
By connecting state resources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with companies and universities engaged in life science exploration, Georgia has created a dynamic and collaborative environment to support this booming industry.
The Atlanta Clinical & Translation Science Institute (ACTSI), a collaboration between Emory, the Georgia Institute of Technology (Tech) and the Morehouse School of Medicine, is solely focused on transforming scientific discovery into a positive impact on the community.
The Lam Lab, located at Emory and Tech, offers the ideal environment to foster integration between microtechnology development and experimental hematology and oncology practices.
The Georgia BioScience Training Center, a 50,000-square-foot facility dedicated to supporting research and technology transfer in the bioscience industry, will provide comprehensive, customized workforce training critical to the successful operations of bioscience and biomanufacturing industries. The Center will help train employees for Baxter’s $1 billion biomaufacturing plant in Covington, Ga.
Cold chain logistics
Supplying life-saving vaccines and treatments to the world would not be possible without Georgia’s extensive cold chain network. Being home to 75 facilities that have temperature-controlled and frozen storage capabilities, Georgia has built a strong value chain and an interconnected infrastructure to better meet the demands of the hematology sector. The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport houses a 32,000-square-foot Atlanta Perishables Center. The center is the only facility in the Southeast approved by the USDA to apply cold treatment, an alternative to methyl bromide.
Georgia Department of Economic Development www.georgia.org/hematology
