Barton to lead Arizona bioscience committee

BME professor Jennifer Barton has been named chair of the Arizona Bioscience Roadmap Steering Committee. The leadership group of 100 Arizonans will collaborate to enact change in legislation, workforce alignment, and entrepreneurship. 

The committee is administered by the Flinn Foundation, a grantmaking organization that aims to advance Arizona’s bioscience sector.

"A great part of chairing the Steering Committee is getting to know our colleagues from other sectors, all across Arizona," Barton said. "These people are just as passionate about biosciences advancements as we are at UA. There’s an amazing community out there, and we are all working together on the Roadmap."

Barton joined the Steering Committee when she became director of the BIO5 Institute in 2015. Two years ago, she stepped up to vice chair. Barton develops miniature endoscopes for early cancer detection and holds a joint appointment in the Wyant College of Optical Sciences.

"UA is a crucial partner in the Biosciences Roadmap," Barton said. "Flinn Foundation convenes, provides structure, and supports activities, but the work is done by individuals all across Arizona. UA is a powerhouse of research, innovation, and translation, so we can support the Roadmap with our research outcomes, the students we put into the workforce, and our translation of innovations to the bedside and the marketplace."

The Flinn Foundation commissioned the Roadmap in 2002 to identify gaps and define strategies to accelerate development of Arizona’s bioscience ecosystem. 

The Roadmap goals are:

• Amplify the collaborative gene
• Accelerate research into impact
• Elevate Arizona’s startup ecosystem
• Strengthen talent and career pathways
• Tell Arizona’s bioscience story