Advancing the Life
Gina Melby, longtime supporter and leader of the BDB Life Science Advisory Council
LGM Pharma, based in Boca Raton
IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, the Business Development Board has recruited nearly 50 life science companies to Palm Beach County, while supporting the growth of new startups and well-established businesses of all sizes. “Palm Beach County’s life science cluster includes more than 711 companies,” said Gina Melby, chair, BDB Life Science Advisory Council. The council includes stakeholders from industry, education, government, research, medical institutions, and venture capital firms. “The county’s significant investment in the sector has recruited many of those companies, spanning among research and development, manufacturing, biotech, medical devices and hospitals. The county is poised for additional growth with new projects on the horizon zoned for health care and life sciences.” Melby has led the Life Science Advisory Council for the past seven years assisting with: n The founding of the Council in 2015 n Supporting several life science press conferences n Facilitating 50 BDB relocations and expansions n Helping with the launch of a study in 2016 that outlined the needs to continue growth in the life sciences It started a decade ago with the recruitment of the world’s top two research institutes – the Scripps Research Institute from San Diego and Max Planck Society from Germany. Co-located in Jupiter alongside Florida Atlantic University, it’s not surprising that Palm Beach County is one of the nation’s most attractive locations for investment in the life sciences. The newest addition to the Jupiter bioscience hub is the University of Florida, which recently announced the acquisition of Scripps’ 30-acre campus on Donald Ross Road, with additional plans for 70 acres nearby in Palm Beach Gardens. The new name will be “UF Scripps Biomedical Research”.
4 | pbc business spring 2022
“The county’s significant investment in the sector has recruited many of those companies, spanning among research and development, manufacturing, biotech, medical devices and hospitals. The county is poised for additional growth with new projects on the horizon zoned for health care and life sciences.” — Gina Melby BDB Life Science Advisory Council Chair
