Roseman University & the Emerging Bioscience Landscape in Southern Nevada: A Catalyst for Research, Innovation, and Growth

This guest column originally appeared in the January 23, 2024 edition of the Las Vegas Business Press – you can read the original column here.

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and the Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA) released a report in June 2023, shedding light on the impressive trajectory of Nevada’s bioscience industry. Nevada now boasts more than 9,400 jobs across 1,000 biotech companies statewide. The report also revealed that from 2018 through 2021, the bioscience sector has seen a phenomenal 22 percent growth in the Silver State, surpassing the industry’s national growth rate.

Given the favorable business climate in southern Nevada, along with efforts of the LVGEA to foster biosciences in our region, the potential for accelerated growth is strong. This sector is critical for diversifying our economy by creating technology-based, high paying jobs that enhance economic vitality and scientific innovation. Continued investment and growth in the bioscience industry will improve the quality of life for current and future Nevadans.

A pillar of Roseman University of Health Sciences’ mission is “Embracing Discovery.” Our commitment to this mission includes strategic investment in cutting-edge research facilities, robust infrastructure, collaborative partnerships, and establishing high-demand academic programs that contribute to workforce development aimed at creating a home-grown talent pool.

Roseman’s Summerlin campus is evidence of this commitment. Spanning 40+ acres and nearly a half million square feet of finished laboratory, clinic, classroom, and office space, our campus provides ready solutions to increase biomedical and clinical research capacity in Southern Nevada. Importantly, the nearly 70,000 square-feet of turn-key laboratories and office space, 10,000 square feet of vivarium laboratory space, a 100-seat auditorium, restaurant, and medical and dental patient care clinics are key assets to attract bioscience companies to the region.

Our commitment to bioscience extends beyond physical facilities, as evidenced by our comprehensive infrastructure and research support services. These services include federally assured animal and human subjects research support, clinical collaborations, grants administration, and medical library access. Each element plays a pivotal role in positioning Roseman as a catalyst for innovation and research in the local bioscience arena. These resources also support Roseman faculty, staff, and student researchers to engage as collaborators to help make groundbreaking contributions to the bioscience field.

As a result, Roseman’s Summerlin campus has recently become home to several remarkable companies. Heligenics is a local life sciences start-up company that has developed proprietary technology that determines the function of genetic variants for better drug development, clinical trial design, and diagnostics to treat major diseases. Presented with the opportunity to establish their headquarters at Roseman’s Summerlin campus, Heligenics chose to remain in Nevada instead of relocating to California, allowing a Nevada-founded biotech company to stay here and grow here.

Roseman is also playing a role in attracting bioscience companies to our region. Recently, after an introduction by the LVGEA, Vena Vitals, a start-up medical device company producing an innovative continuous, non-invasive blood pressure monitor, opted to relocate its production laboratories from Southern California to Roseman’s Summerlin campus. Their work will bring vital scientific talent and business development expertise to Las Vegas, helping to establish our region as a growing bioscience hub.

Recognizing the pivotal role of workforce training and development, Roseman University has created research-based graduate programs to support bioscience industry. The Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (MSPS) program, the only one of its kind in the Intermountain West, equips students with real-world skills and knowledge essential for success in the biosciences industry, covering a broad spectrum of topics, including drug design, delivery systems, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, machine learning and data science, regulatory affairs, and business leadership.

What sets Roseman’s MSPS program apart is its unique approach to training. With an 18-month thesis-based internship embedded at partner bioscience companies, Roseman’s students gain invaluable hands-on experience. This internship not only prepares them for the workforce but also allows them to contribute actively to the industry’s processes, technology, and culture before they even graduate.

With their relocation, Vena Vitals looks forward to establishing joint faculty appointments with Roseman for collaborative research and graduate training opportunities with the MSPS program. Partnerships like these will attract research-focused students from across the country to Las Vegas, helping to address the crucial need for workforce development for Nevada.

Nevada’s bioscience industry is poised to rapidly expand, and Roseman University is playing a pivotal role in this growth. As we continue to provide turnkey research laboratories and facilities, comprehensive research support services, and innovative workforce development training programs, Roseman is helping position southern Nevada as a prime location for bioscience companies. We are proud to be part of shaping the future of bioscience in our region, fostering innovation, research, and economic development.