Translational Genomics Research Institute

On February 7, 2002 an assembly of more than fifty leaders and visionaries in science, medicine, government and business gathered at the Arizona state capitol to discuss the possibility of establishing Arizona as a player in the new economy of the biotechnology industry. Their goal was to set up a one-of-a-kind genomics research institute. With a positive group consensus, it was decided the idea was not only feasible, but represented a unique opportunity for Arizonans to rally together for a shared vision into the future. With an unprecedented cooperative spirit, they rallied to the task of securing support for TGen on the order of $90 million; this fundraising was achieved in a five month window. Less than a year after the initial gathering in the Governor's office, TGen was operational, and Arizona's place in genomics history became a reality. The concept for TGen originated with Dr. Jeffrey Trent, an internationally recognized scientist, who envisioned an institute where many of the world's leading scientists would turn breakthroughs in genetic research into medical advances benefiting patients and their families. Trent knew Arizona, having grown up in Phoenix, and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in Tucson. He believed TGen would be good for Arizona's economy, bringing collaborative partnering in the state and the accompanying knowledge-based businesses that co-locate with major research institutions. The six-story, $46 million TGen building forms the cornerstone of the Phoenix Biomedical Campus (PBC), a bioscience and medical research campus under development in downtown Phoenix. The biomedical campus is an integral piece of the statewide bioscience initiative and is expected to have a significant impact on biomedical discoveries, the quality of health care for Arizona's residents and the expansion and diversification of the state's economy. The campus provides a unique, energetic environment that will attract biotech and related companies to Phoenix and Arizona, from around the nation and world, for business opportunities in R&D, collaboration, partnering and office expansion.