Detroit is seeing a growth of biotech companies, both established and newer firms, reports The Huffington Post's David Sands. He adds that Detroit has a city plan called "Eds and Meds" to encourage growth in education and medicine as the city's economic base.
"[Biotech] has seen growth in Michigan, and particularly in Detroit, even when the economy was going downhill. The R&D/testing sector of the industry was doing quite well here," Stephen Rapundalo, president and CEO of the Michigan biosciences trade association, MichBio, tells Sands.
For example, Sands writes that Detroit is home to genetic testing company Genesis Genetics as well as MitoStem, which focuses on regenerative medicine. MitoStem, in particular, he says, has benefited from a business incubator called TechTown that is associated with Wayne State University and from a ballot measure that loosened stem cell research restrictions.