Governor Jan Brewer Dedicates Funding to Advance Research into Major Diseases

PHOENIX, AZ (October 28, 2010) — Governor Jan Brewer today announced the awarding of $2.2 million to Science Foundation Arizona in order support the creation of an Arizona Biosignature Laboratory that will focus on research into major diseases including lung cancer, Alzheimer’s and kidney diseases.

“With major diseases on the rise across the country, research; education and prevention are crucial to protecting our citizens,” said Governor Brewer. “The high-quality jobs that are being created in the bioscience industry are just what the doctor ordered to inject new growth and vibrancy to Arizona’s economy.”

The Arizona Biosignature Laboratory will develop testing standards that will strive to provide greater understanding of human diseases and accelerate the safe testing of new therapies. The grant funding will be administered by Science Foundation Arizona with project leadership by Tucson-based Critical Path Institute (C-Path) and Roche’s Ventana Medical Systems.

C-Path and Roche’s Ventana medical Systems will work with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under a cooperative research and development agreement to establish assay standards for emerging cancer biomarkers.

C-Path will conduct four demonstration projects in lung cancer, kidney disease, Alzheimer’s disease and tuberculosis that will be an economic and medical value to Arizona resulting in recognition of Arizona Biosignatures Laboratory as a national resource for biomarker and biosignature standardization. As a result, high quality job growth in this industry is expected.

Funding for this project is derived from the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) discretionary monies are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

Media Contact

Nicole McTheny, Arizona Commerce Authority, (602) 845-1231, [email protected]

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