What a Morning in Altoona Told Us About America’s Life Sciences Future
The conversation about America’s life sciences future tends to center on the obvious hubs where biopharma investment is visible and measurable. But a recent roundtable at Penn State Altoona with Representative John Joyce (R-PA-13) provided a forum for members of the community to discuss ways the life sciences ecosystem feeding that future runs deeper and wider than any single Pennsylvania geography and is often a benefit for those far reaching from the corporate officers or research facilities of Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley or Pittsburgh.
The event brought together a cross-section of Pennsylvania voices from the Altoona region, including health system executives, university leadership, small business owners, state legislators, economic developers and clinical researchers for an open dialogue about what Blair County already contributes to American life sciences, and what it could become.
UPMC Altoona described a nursing program designed to recruit, train and – critically – retain healthcare professionals in the region, pairing guaranteed employment with financial support for candidates who might otherwise never enter the field. Penn State Altoona’s chancellor expanded the frame further: life sciences strength isn’t just about biology labs. Engineering research into affordable programmable wheelchair technology and social science work examining the pandemic’s economic aftermath are part of the same ecosystem, as is the university’s growing focus on workforce development. The Altoona Clinical Research Center noted that the facility has completed more than 1,300 clinical trials, in all phases, with approximately 70 ongoing studies.
Some of the roundtable’s most grounding moments came from small business owners, including a preschool operator, a specialty grocer and a coffee shop entrepreneur expanding into Altoona. Their message was simple: young professionals attract more young professionals. Cutting edge healthcare attracts good jobs, growing populations and families taking root in the community. Community builds on itself. Childcare, housing, walkable spaces and a sense of belonging aren’t soft amenities. They are the infrastructure that determines whether talent stays or leaves. One participant described Altoona as a “hub of wellness,” with trails, lakes and outdoor spaces that increasingly define quality of life for the professionals and families that communities need to attract.
Blair County may not be a biopharma hub today, but it trains nurses, runs clinical trials, builds the facilities and raises the families of the people who power this industry.
Thank you to our attendees, including those from the following organizations: