Biotechnology & Life Sciences
Montgomery County, Virginia is home to a growing cluster of Biotechnology & Life Sciences companies that specialize in a broad range of disciplines, including: genomic science, functional genomics, bioinformatics, genetic engineering, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy sources and medical devices. These companies are leveraging our lower costs of doing business, strong entrepreneurial networks, talented workforce, and access to highly specialized equipment and researchers at Virginia Tech to gain a competitive advantage in today's global, knowledge-based economy.
|
Industry Cluster
|
Estab.
|
Empl.
|
Avg. Salary
|
U.S. Avg.
|
|
Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life Sciences)
|
851
|
10,447
|
$51,638
|
$52,011
|
Source: IBRC, The Role of Regional Clusters, 2008
Note: Cluster data for New River & Roanoke Valleys |
Biomedical Implant Technology (Blacksburg, VA) | Provides dental implant training programs and a patented, one-piece, one-stage implant system.
Biosensors (Blacksburg, VA) | Provides equipment and services for real-time, continuous monitoring of water supplies for detection of dangerous contaminants:
Intrexon Corporation (Blacksburg, VA) | Manufactures genetic material and employs modular DNA control systems to enhance capabilities, improve safety and lower cost in human the therapeutics, protein production, industrial enzymes and agbio.
Keraderm Corp. (Blacksburg, VA) | An early stage medical device company that has developed a patented, innovative, and effective treatment for nail infections.
Luna Innovations, Inc (Blacksburg) | Luna Innovations develops and manufactures new-generation products for the healthcare, telecommunications, energy and defense markets.
Montgomery Regional Hospital (Blacksburg, VA) | Members of HCA Southwest Virginia, a family of hospitals, outpatient centers and physicians with a single priority: putting patients first.
New River Pharmaceuticals (Blacksburg, VA) | A specialty pharmaceutical company that developed novel pharmaceuticals that were generational improvements of widely prescribed drugs in large and growing markets. In 2007, the company was acquired by Shire plc for approximately $2.6 billion.
New River Valley Medical Center (Christiansburg, VA) | As the leading healthcare provider in the New River Valley, this modern hospital facility hosts both medical and psychiatric services.
Revivicor, Inc. (Blacksburg, VA) | Commercializes therapies that can treat and cure serious human disease through regenerative medicine; namely, the replacement of cells, tissues, and organs.
Techlab, Inc. (Blacksburg, VA) | Experts in Anaerobic Microbiology of the intestinal tract. Innovation, manufacture and sales of diagnostics for diseases of the GI Tract.
Biomedical
Fralin Life Sciences Institute | Aninterdisciplinary research center at Virginia Tech whose purpose is to bring scientists from different disciplines together under one roof to solve some of biology's more complex challenges.
Virginia Tech Center for Genomics | An interdisciplinary effort to provide a focus for research and teaching in functional genomics, proteomics, statistical genetics, bioinformatics, and metabolic engineering.
Tyson Cell Cycle Regulation Group | Studies biological systems from a rigourous mathematical perspective. Most of their work is on the mechanism of cell division cycle control as seen in budding yeast, fission yeast, Xenopus embryos and egg extracts, Drosophila embryos and mammalian cells.
The Center for Comparative Oncology (CeCO) | Studies the development of cancer in animals and in people, to develop new ways to diagnose cancer and to find new treatments to control and cure it.
Kingston Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry Group | The group's research is centered on the chemistry of biologically active natural products related to cancer.
Laboratory for Neurotoxicity Studies | The interdisciplinary basic and applied research of specific problems of neurotoxicity and neuropathology associated with exposure to drugs and chemicals.
Center for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Diseases | Addresses basic problems of infectious, immunological, and biochemical diseases of humans and animals thourgh the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines using molecular biotechnology and immunological techniques.
Vector-Borne Disease Research Group | Current research applies genetics, cell biology, biochemistry, proteomics, structural biology, geostatistics and modeling in multi-faceted viewpoints towards understanding the global processes involved in vector borne disease.
Bioengineering
Virginia Tech - Wake Forest University School for Biomedical Engineering — Research areas include biomechanics, cellular transport, computational modeling, biomaterials, bio-heat and mass transfer, biofluid mechanics, biotribology, bioinstrumentation, ergonomics, and tissue engineering.
Virginia Tech Center for Genomics (VIGEN) — An interdisciplinary effort to provide a focus for research and teaching in functional genomics, proteomics, statistical genetics, bioinformatics, and metabolic engineering.
Bioinformatics
Virginia Bioinformatics Institute | The institute develops genomic, proteomic and bioinformatic tools that can be applied to the study of infectious diseases as well as the discovery of new vaccine, drug and diagnostic targets.
Human Factors Engineering and Ergonomics Center | Human factors engineering, often called ergonomics, is concerned with ways of designing jobs, machines, operations, environments, or work systems so they are compatible with human capabilities and limitations.
Food, Nutrition and Health
Department of Human Nutrition, Food, and Exercise (HNFE) | Research in the department promotes health by the integration of human nutrition, food, and exercise focused on the prevention and therapeutic treatment of problems in healthy and vulnerable populations.
Regional Biotechnology & Life Sciences Occupations (2008)
|
Occupation
|
Employed
|
Avg. Wage
|
U.S. Avg.
|
|
Agricultural and Food Science Technicians
|
50
|
$12.91
|
$16.34
|
|
Biological Technicians
|
100
|
$13.56
|
$18.46
|
|
Chemical Technicians
|
90
|
$21.33
|
$20.25
|
|
Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Occupations
|
13,160
|
$23.47
|
$27.20
|
|
Healthcare Support Occupations
|
6,030
|
$11.13
|
$11.80
|
|
Total - All
|
19,430
|
$19.55
|
$21.80
|
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics
Note: Employment Statistics for Blacksburg & Roanoke MSAs |
Biotechnology & Life Sciences Related Degrees Awarded from Area Colleges and Universities (2008-2009)
|
Program/Degree
|
Certificate |
Associates
|
Bachelors
|
Masters
|
Doctor
|
|
Biochemistry
|
-
|
-
|
66
|
-
|
-
|
|
Bioinformatics
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
|
Biological & Biomedical Sciences
|
-
|
-
|
353
|
19
|
10
|
|
Entomology
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
|
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
5
|
|
Chemical Engineering
|
-
|
-
|
48
|
4
|
6
|
|
Chemistry, General
|
-
|
-
|
54
|
11
|
15
|
|
Health Professions & Related Clinical Sciences
|
89
|
66
|
148
|
54
|
227
|
|
Total Degrees Awarded
|
89
|
66
|
699
|
90
|
270
|
Education
Virginia Tech Degree Programs
Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine Degree Programs
Radford University Degree Programs
New River Community College Degree Programs