Lehigh Valley’s life sciences companies gathered with colleagues from elsewhere in Pennsylvania to share ideas and make new connections at a Life Sciences Pennsylvania event sponsored by Lafayette College and Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp.
Life Sciences Pennsylvania represents companies in the biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, and diagnostic industries, along with companies in related fields and research institutions. It has more than 900 members. 
“It's an honor for us, it's really a privilege for us, to represent those organizations who are doing so much for the economy and also to ultimately help patients,” Christopher Molineaux, President & CEO of Life Sciences Pennsylvania, told the about 100 people who attended the event on Feb. 8.
The event was held at the Rockwell Integrated Sciences Center on Lafayette’s campus in Easton, and included tours of the facility. Joining life sciences companies were representatives from the region’s health care networks, Lafayette students and staff, local and regional companies that support life sciences businesses, and staff members from the offices of U.S. Congresswoman Susan Wild and Pennsylvania state Sen. Lisa Boscola.
“We're very proud in the Lehigh Valley of the base of life sciences companies we have here and equally proud of all these great higher education institutions, which feed the pipeline of talent that make the growth of this sector possible,” said Don Cunningham, President & CEO of LVEDC.
More than 170 life sciences companies operate in the region, developing and producing lifesaving and life changing products such as orthopedic implants that revive athletic careers and tiny cameras that catch colon cancer early. Those companies include B. Braun Medical, CryoConcepts, Evonik, Olympus, OraSure Technologies, Sharp, and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Life Sciences Pennsylvania advocates for public policies to make Pennsylvania attractive for life science companies to open and operate. Molineaux expressed hope in Pennsylvania’s new statewide economic development strategy, which Gov. Josh Shapiro announced on Jan. 30 at OraSure Technologies, which produces diagnostic tests for illnesses such as COVID-19, HIV, Ebola, and Hepatitis C in Bethlehem Township.
“That was a great day, a great visit, and a great indication of the governor's support to the life sciences community,” Molineaux said. “It's really the first time in probably 25 years that we've had an administration in Harrisburg that really was proactively seeking input on ways to strengthen the life sciences community, but also innovation in general, across Pennsylvania.” 
Cunningham offered similar thoughts.
“You're all competing across the world, and you're competing with other states. And we have to make sure that in our state, in our country, and in our local area, we have the best possible policies and talent pipelines to help you compete,” he said. “I want to thank all the companies that are choosing to stay in Pennsylvania, that are choosing to be in the Lehigh Valley, to grow here.”
Cunningham said LVEDC is working with its partners to make sure those companies have the talent they need. He said the region is fortunate to have three career and technical schools and 11 colleges and universities whose graduates help to fill that talent pipeline, and who have top-notch facilities such as the Rockwell Integrated Sciences Center.
Lisa Gabel, Dean of Natural Sciences at Lafayette, said the college was thrilled to hold the event and be able to showcase some of its student research, “just to give you a taste of the incredible talent. You want talent? We have talent, the incredible talent here at Lafayette.”