AZBio to Represent Arizona’s Bioscience Industry at 2009 BIO International Convention in Atlanta

PHOENIX–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Arizona BioIndustry Association (AZBio), the state’s officially recognized state affiliate to the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), will represent Arizona’s bioscience industry and join its peer organizations from around the country at the 2009 BIO International Convention in Atlanta, Georgia this May 19-21, 2009. The convention, hosted by BIO, is the world’s largest annual gathering of the biotechnology industry, and AZBio President and CEO Robert Eaton will represent Arizona at the meeting of the Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA). AZBio will join the Arizona Department of Commerce and numerous other organizations in the Arizona Pavilion (Booth #4601), and will showcase Arizona’s growing bioscience industry.

In the Arizona Pavilion, AZBio will showcase two valuable online tools that can be accessed by anyone at any time, allowing them to search the full complement of bioscience companies in Arizona. These resources facilitate industry partnering, research collaborations, investment opportunities and customer/supplier relationships. Through this online presence in the Arizona Pavilion, the anticipated 20,000 attendees at the BIO convention will be able to search AZBio’s online directory and the new “Arizona Interactive Biomaps” created by the Office of Economic Development at The University of Arizona and funded by the Phoenix-based Flinn Foundation. The AZBio directory and the interactive maps can be accessed via AZBio’s website (www.azbio.org/biodirectory.asp).

“The Flinn Foundation is committed to the continued growth of Arizona’s dynamic bioscience industry, and we’re pleased that AZBio’s online resources will help people from around the world learn about the breadth and depth of our life science community,” said Saundra Johnson, Executive Vice President of the Flinn Foundation and a member of the AZBio Board of Directors.

In a sense, AZBio brings the state’s entire bioscience community to the convention, as a “virtual delegation.” Visitors to the Arizona Pavilion will be able to search more than 200 bioscience companies, as well as universities, research institutes and hospitals in Arizona by company name, industry sector or location.

“I’m pleased that these interactive resources enable AZBio to better serve the needs of our members and all the bioscience companies in Arizona,” Eaton commented. “AZBio has been proud to work closely with the Arizona Department of Commerce for many years to develop the state’s presence at the BIO convention, an unparalleled international showcase for bioscience firms. We hope the addition of these online directories will enhance that presence.”

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