EDA's $49 Million Grant: Transforming Wisconsin into a Biohealth Powerhouse
According to a recent article from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub, led by BioForward Wisconsin, aims to make Wisconsin a global leader in personalized medicine by customizing healthcare based on genetic and environmental data. Leveraging its healthcare resources and research success, the Tech Hub seeks to enhance manufacturing coordination, expand lab space, advance genomic technology, and boost domestic biotech manufacturing.
The Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub aims to advance personalized medicine in the region, focusing on imaging/theranostics, genomics, and big data/analytics. In July 2024, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) recommended a $49 million grant for the Hub to fund five key projects:
- Creating a secure and inclusive real-world data ecosystem to accelerate Biohealth product development.
- Deploying mobile cancer screening and healthcare referral fleets in underserved communities.
- Using AI and advanced data techniques to integrate new technologies into clinical settings and prepare manufacturers for theranostics and personalized medicine.
- Developing inclusive talent pipelines to meet workforce demands for new technologies.
- Coordinating initiatives, tracking metrics, and sharing learnings to enhance innovation and deployment.
To guarantee the Tech Hub projects positively impact the entire region, the consortium is committed to offering comprehensive services to underrepresented communities, aiding them in finding jobs in the expanding biohealth sector. They also plan to support biohealth entrepreneurs from these groups and include organizations serving these communities as voting members of the consortium.