Excerpted from the main article at BioSpace. With the Biotech Innovation Organization (BIO) annual meeting coming up in Philadelphia, Garden State life sciences representatives want to use a recent white paper published by the Institute for Life Science Entrepreneurship (ILSE) at Kean University to showcase all that New Jersey has to offer. The white paper, “Profiles in Innovation,” is the second published by ILSE to examine the state of innovation in New Jersey. “Profiles in Innovation” showcases advances in healthcare being discovered and developed in New Jersey. Those advances highlighted are focused on therapeutics, diagnostics, devices, research tools and other technologies.

Tom Richardson, president of ILSE, told BioSpace that it’s a shame that New Jersey is often overlooked as a life sciences hub, particularly when a quick glance at the state’s ecosystem reveals the extensive presence of pharma, biotech and other assets of the industry. Citing a recent report from the state’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Richardson noted the importance of life sciences to New Jersey as an economic driver. The report shows that the industry directly employs more than 112,000 people in the state.

With companies like Merck and Celgene making New Jersey home, big pharma plays a key role within the state. However, Richardson pointed to a plethora of start-up companies, as well as downstream manufacturing, clinical, regulatory entities. The state is also home to a number of leading research universities and is also in close proximity to the financial markets of New York City.

Read more at BioSpace.com here.