In biotechnology, talent is everything.
Breakthrough therapies don’t start with buildings, incentives or even venture capital. They start with scientists. It’s the researchers who make discoveries, launch companies, attract funding and build the teams that turn promising ideas into treatments for patients.
And increasingly, those scientists are choosing the Columbus Region.
Established biotech hubs like Boston and San Francisco compete aggressively for top talent, but Columbus has notched some high-profile wins as a destination for researchers who want more than a prestigious title or a well-funded laboratory. They want the ability to move discoveries from “the bench to the bedside” (meaning from the research workbench to real-patient applications), and they are finding the right environment to do it here.
The trend can be seen in the caliber of scientists building their careers in Central Ohio. A few examples:
Dr. Kotaro Nakanishi, a globally recognized leader in RNA interference research, chose Columbus as the home for City Therapeutics, a company launched from research conducted at The Ohio State University. The startup debuted with a $135 million Series A financing round, one of the largest biotech fundraises connected to Ohio State research.
“Since I came to Ohio State in 2013, Columbus has given me the freedom to spend time working on challenging problems, the infrastructure to solve them, and an extraordinary RNA community that works together to make impactful discoveries. The science underlying City Therapeutics happened here, and thus the company was named after the cityRNAs we found in this lab. My career belongs in Columbus.” — Dr. Kotaro Nakanishi, City Therapeutics and The Ohio State University
World-renowned gene therapy researcher Dr. Louise Rodino-Klapac has likewise made Columbus the center of her work. Her leadership in rare disease and muscular dystrophy research helped establish the region as a global force in gene therapy and played a key role in Sarepta Therapeutics’ decision to build a significant research presence here.
“There was never a question in my mind to live or work anywhere else except here in Ohio. My colleagues and I are very much connected to the vibrant life sciences community in the region and believe our work will further advance Sarepta’s mission to positively impact the lives of individuals living with rare disease.” — Dr. Louise Rodino-Klapac, Sarepta Therapeutics
Most recently, The Ohio State University recruited Dr. W. Kimryn Rathmell, one of the nation’s most respected cancer physician-scientists, to lead The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. Her move to Columbus reflects the growing national reputation of the Region as a place where scientific leadership can thrive.
“I could tell right away that Columbus is a place where people genuinely want to work together. You have research, patient care and training happening side by side, and there is real ambition around what can come from those connections. For a physician-scientist, that creates the opportunity to ask important questions, build a strong team and move discoveries toward patients.” — Dr. W. Kimryn Rathmell, The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute
Taken individually, these are impressive recruiting wins. Taken together, they reveal something bigger: Columbus is a place where top researchers choose to build.
Why? Because the Region offers a combination that is increasingly difficult to find elsewhere.
Researchers have access to a fully integrated ecosystem that includes a leading public research university, one of the nation’s premier pediatric research hospitals, growing venture capital activity, advanced manufacturing capabilities and an expanding network of life sciences startups. The distance between discovery and commercialization is shorter, allowing researchers to collaborate more easily across institutions, companies, and disciplines.
The Region also offers a talent advantage. Scientists can build teams, recruit collaborators, and grow companies in a market that combines world-class capabilities with a level of affordability that remains far more competitive than traditional coastal hubs.
Just as important, Columbus offers something many researchers are seeking: the opportunity to do ambitious work while building a life. The Region’s affordability, growing population, strong arts, recreation and food scenes and collaborative culture make it easier to recruit and retain talent from around the world.
As more elite scientists choose the Columbus Region, they attract students, postdoctoral researchers, entrepreneurs, investors and industry partners. Those connections lead to new discoveries, new companies and new investment, creating even more reasons for the next generation of innovators to locate here.
For years, the Columbus Region has been known for its ability to attract growing companies. Now, it is attracting the people who create them.
And in biotechnology, that may be the most important indicator of all. Because the future of life sciences isn’t built by places. It’s built by people.