New Report Highlights Urgent Need For Wet Lab Space in Columbus Region to Strengthen Growth of Life Sciences Sector

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – As the Columbus Region emerges as a burgeoning hub for cutting-edge research, particularly in life sciences and manufacturing, a new report underscores the critical need for immediate action to address the acute shortage of wet lab space. The report, titled “Enabling Innovation: Unpacking the Urgent Need for Wet Lab Space in the Columbus Region” includes insights from multiple state and national experts, all of whom expressed serious concerns about the consequences of the lack of available wet lab space on the Region’s future growth in life sciences and related industries. A wet lab is a specialized laboratory space designed with unique features (equipment, ventilation, storage, etc.) to support cutting-edge life science research.

According to the report, with the striking growth of research and development over the past five decades, the Columbus Region is now at an inflection point that could determine its growth trajectory for years to come. However, the lack of available wet lab space for emerging startups and private companies poses a significant threat to the continued expansion of the life sciences sector and the broader economy. The report’s key findings focus on the lack of wet lab space, the related impact on future growth, progress occurring in other regions, recommendations, and the path forward to address the gap in supply.

“To cement the Columbus Region as a hub for life sciences research and development and innovator of life saving treatments, our study underscores the urgent need for a strategic partnership framework to expand wet lab space availability. Time is of the essence as Ohio competes with neighboring markets who already have hundreds of thousands of square feet under construction. The recommendation to solve this is clear: do more of what makes Columbus so special already—collaborate. Build partnerships with state and municipal governments, economic developers, research institutions, and the private sector to create a fertile ground for innovation,” said Eddie Pauline, president and CEO at Ohio Life Sciences.

The primary recommendation of the study focuses on the need for the Columbus Region to develop a coordinated, long-term strategy for developing new wet lab space capacity, which will ultimately require public-private partnerships. By adapting proven approaches that bring together government, industry, and academia around collaborative solutions, the Columbus Region can expand its limited supply of wet lab space and unlock the full potential of its life sciences hub and positively impact the Region’s and ultimately the state’s economy.

“Ohio State and Carmenton, the Region’s innovation district, are focused on driving collaborations among clinicians, researchers, innovators, and the private sector to develop new discoveries to address some of the most pressing challenges in our communities. This report addresses one of the critical needs to support further discoveries coming out of academia, clinical settings, and the private sector,” said Peter J. Mohler, executive vice president for Research, Innovation and Knowledge at The Ohio State University.

The report was prepared by Shift Health and commissioned by Ohio Life Sciences, Rev1 Ventures, Ohio State, and One Columbus.

For more information and to access the report, please visit www.columbusregion.com/economy/industries/wet-labs.

For Immediate Release
April 2, 2024