Introduction. The life sciences industry in Texas includes thousands of private firms employing tens of thousands of workers, dozens of world-class research universities and institutions with an increasing expertise in commercialization and technology transfer, a burgeoning life sciences investment ecosystem, significant state support programs, a growing network of economic development organizations focused on the life sciences, and the largest medical complex in the world. Definitions vary, but for the purposes of this report, companies are considered to be in the life sciences industry if they develop products relating to the diagnosis and treatment of disease and injury, or perform research intended to lead to such products. Biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device companies are some of the main types of entities that comprise the Texas Life Sciences Industry.
While the life sciences industry in Texas is robust, there are still major opportunities to advance and make it even stronger and more competitive with major life sciences hubs like Boston and San Francisco. Regional initiatives have been established in all of Texas’ major urban areas focused on establishing life sciences clusters, which have been shown to drive significant economic development. The life sciences industry promises to grow in its vibrancy in the coming decades and Texas is poised to become, as State Comptroller Glenn Hegar and others have suggested, the “Third Coast” for the life sciences, but there are some discrete steps that will need to be taken to get there…
About the Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute. Texas Healthcare & Bioscience Institute (THBI) is the Texas public policy voice for the healthcare and bioscience industry. Our membership consists of biopharmaceutical companies, research institutions, medical device companies, economic development entities and service companies providing unparalleled networking and synergy to effectively address the public policy needs of Texas’ growing life sciences community.
About Texas Insight Texas Insight (TXI) is the leader in strategic research, analysis, and reporting for the Texas Health and Human Services community. Our team of researchers and experts help individuals, associations, and businesses understand significant public policy issues through reports on topics including public health, advisory council meetings, Medicaid, and the Health and Human Services Commission. Texas Insight provides timely reporting of healthcare issues and events as they occur within the legislative and regulatory branches of Texas state government. Our focus is the HHSC and its component agencies as well as the relevant executive council meetings, advisory committees, work groups, rate hearings, and monthly budget updates on the status of appropriated dollars within each health and human services department. Texas Insight’s staff has decades of research experience in health and human services as well as in state and federal government. Additionally, we provide technical analysis on budget and fiscal policy within the state government.
About the Author Stephen Palmer, PhD, is an independent consultant in Austin, Texas and the Principal with Waterloo Research and Consulting. Prior to consulting, Dr. Palmer served in a number of policy development and public administration roles in Texas state government including working for the Health and Human Services Commission, Office of the Governor, and Senate Health and Human Services Committee. Dr. Palmer received a Bachelor’s degree in physics and philosophy from Rice University and a Master’s in Public Affairs and PhD in Public Policy from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.