Pima, Tucson called business magnets

An economic-development magazine has named Pima County the top mid-sized county in the nation in a new top-20 list of areas for business recruitment and attraction.

The city of Tucson placed fifth among mid-sized cities, Phoenix was first among large cities and Arizona won top honors among the states in the inaugural rankings by Expansion Management magazine.

The Cleveland-based magazine, which reports a circulation of 45,000, said it based the rankings on the rate at which businesses relocated to a market and opened branch offices in a market.

For complete rankings, go to the http://www.expansionmanagement.com Web site.

Published: 06.27.2007

Carondelet to open neurologic institute

Emergency-care shortage in Tucson is a driving force

By Carla McClain

In an effort to fix Tucson’s severe shortage of neurosurgeons — especially for emergency care — a $30 million institute specializing in brain and spinal treatment will open early next year at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

To be called the Carondelet Neurological Institute, the center will boast “the most sophisticated neurosurgical technology available in North America,” hospital officials said Tuesday.

And that will be the lure to bring more vitally needed neurosurgeons to Tucson, which has been plagued for years by a shortage that often forces patients to fly to Phoenix or out of state for neurological care.

Published: 06.23.2007

Job-training fund reapproved

But some raised doubts about how money was used

By Gabriela Rico and Howard Fischer

BioIndustry Association gives kudos to TGen’s Trent

by Angela Gonzales

The Business Journal 

Jeffrey Trent, president and scientific director of the Translational Genomics Research Institute, was named bioscience leader of the year by the Arizona BioIndustry Association.

An Arizona native, Trent was instrumental in fueling the state’s biotech industry starting in 2002, when he announced he would leave the National Institutes of Health to set up a headquarters in Phoenix for his cancer-fighting company, International Genomics Consortium. He then worked with local philanthropists, business and government leaders and scientists to create TGen, which employs nearly 300 people and anchors the Phoenix Biomedical Campus downtown.

Before forming TGen, Trent was the founding scientific director of NIH’s National Human Genome Research Institute. His specialty is in melanoma and genetics.

Published: 06.19.2007

Two-way system will allow doctors to see patients during trip to hospital

By Rob O’Dell

A new live two-way video link between University Medical Center and the city’s 17 paramedic units is expected to put Tucson at the cutting edge of medical technology when it goes online in August.

The system allows real-time videoconferencing over the city’s public safety and public works wireless Internet system — a wireless mesh that links the city’s traffic signals and other public safety wireless functions.

Dr. Rifat Latifi, interim medical director of UMC’s Level 1 trauma center, said the video link will be the first of its kind in the country and the world.

“We think it’s an incredible thing,” Latifi said. “Wherever a patient is, we’re there.”

Published: 06.11.2007

Giffords names 25 to boost area solar

By Becky Pallack

U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords wants a group of 25 local leaders to pick up the pace on making Southern Arizona a world leader in the solar industry.

She named the 25 to a new council to advise her on the availability and use of solar energy.

Her Congressional Solar Energy Advisory Council will meet several times during the summer to develop an action plan, which will be presented at the Pima Association of Governments Alternative Energy Expo and Forum Sept. 14-15, said C.J. Karamargin, Giffords’ spokesman.

Small steps have been made to build up the solar industry in Tucson, but the various interests need to work together to make strides, he said.

Spending on research earns UA No. 13 rank

Earning top-10 status would be a boon to state

LA MONICA EVERETT-HAYNES

Published: 06.04.2007

The University of Arizona ranks first in the nation in research and development spending in physical sciences, according to the National Science Foundation’s report released recently.

Despite the expenditures of $147.1 million for research in areas such as astronomy, chemistry and physics, UA is not in the top 10 of research institutions in the U.S. UA ranks 13th among public colleges and 21st among public and private institutions, according to the same report. UA spent $530 million on research, during fiscal 2005 which ended June 30.

“This was a great surprise,” said Paul Allvin, a UA spokesman, about the college placing 13th. It means UA is “increasingly competitive” and that “this is a better environment to learn.”

UA tops nation in physical sciences funding

by Adam Kress

When it comes to physical sciences, the University of Arizona is tops in the nation.

The National Science Foundation ranked UA as America’s No. 1 university for research expenditures in the physical sciences, which include astronomy, physics and chemistry.

This year UA moved past Johns Hopkins University and the California Institute of Technology to become the nation’s top recipient of research dollars for the physical sciences.

Overall, the UA’s ranking among public research universities moved from 14th to 13th, and it remained the nation’s No. 21 institution among all public and private universities and colleges. The UA earned these rankings by attracting more than $530 million in research dollars from federal, state and private sources in the 2005 fiscal year.

Published: 06.02.2007

Texas Instruments, UA work on HD radio chip

Aim is to shrink size, lower cost by picking up both analog, digital signals

By David Wichner

Bringing the next wave in radio to the masses is the aim of a local team of researchers from semiconductor giant Texas Instruments Inc. and the University of Arizona.

The Texas Instruments-UA team is working to shrink the size and lower the cost of components for High Definition radio, or HD radio, an emerging digital form of terrestrial radio that offers high-quality sound and greater use of radio bandwidth.

More than 1,300 radio stations nationwide, including at least four in the Tucson area, are broadcasting HD radio programming alongside their standard analog signals.

Published: 06.01.2007

Fed official likes mix of partners in project

By Shelley Shelton

At least one local economic-development project seems to have the right foundation, a senior U.S. Commerce Department official said Thursday in Tucson.

Sandy K. Baruah, U.S. assistant secretary of commerce for economic development, said the joint work of government, nonprofits, education and the private sector in developing a South Side bioscience park is the kind of thing that’s been supported by the Economic Development Administration that Baruah oversees.

Baruah arrived in town Thursday for a two-day visit that included meeting with local leaders and citizens about The Bridges, a planned mixed-use development including a biotech park on the South Side.

The project would include retail, residential and research developments and entails collaboration between the University of Arizona, local residents, the city and local developers.