Life Sciences Research and Manufacturing

Scientific Innovation

Learn what makes the Lehigh Valley a great home for life sciences companies in this short video about the life sciences, healthcare and manufacturing industry in the region.

The Lehigh Valley offers tremendous competitive advantages in the life, biological, and biomedical science fields. The region’s economic assets are uniquely suited to help research and manufacturing firms in this sector pursue new opportunities emerging in the fast-changing life sciences commercial environment.

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An economic analysis by the Atlanta-based Garner Economics identified life sciences research and manufacturing as a target sector for the Lehigh Valley based on strengths that include:

Central location and proximity to major U.S. Northeast markets
Well-developed transportation infrastructure
Availability of adequate water and sewer lines to industrial sites
Strong existing local pool of high-demand occupations
High proportion of residents with degrees in engineering
More than 700 engineering graduates from local colleges and universities in 2018
More than 800 science graduates from local colleges and universities in 2018
Strong recent growth and high local specialization in Healthcare & Life Sciences cluster
Presence of Temple University School of Medicine/St. Luke’s University Health Network
Presence of Lehigh Valley Health Network’s independent residency program; clinical campus of University of South Florida’s College of Medicine
Presence of Lehigh University’s Center for Manufacturing Systems Engineering
Quality of place assets: ample opportunities for cultural activities, recreation, shopping, restaurants, and sporting events

The Lehigh Valley has boasted many success stories in the life sciences research and manufacturing sector in recent years. For example, OraSure Technologies was commissioned by the federal government to help fight the spread of the Ebola virus as well as Covid-19. This company began in a business incubator in Bethlehem, Pa., where the economic assets of the Lehigh Valley allowed it to grow into a national leader in point-of-care diagnostics tests and specimen collection devices.

For more information, click here to download the full Garner-Economics report