A biomedical research hub is expected to break ground in downtown Phoenix before year’s end. On Wednesday, the City Council voted to give the University of Arizona $20 million for the project.
The Center for Advanced Molecular and Immunological Therapies, called CAMI for short, will be built on a city-owned site at Seventh and Fillmore Streets. The University of Arizona Health Sciences will get more than $16 million over the next decade, plus free rent for 30 years.
CAMI’s research forces on the body’s own immune system to diagnose, prevent and treat diseases. The $265 million dollar project is expected to employ 500 people. It’s located in Phoenix’s bioscience core, a 30-acre campus with research, academic and clinical facilities.
In a press release, Mayor Kate Gallego said, “Phoenix is among the top five of the nation’s emerging life sciences markets and number one for job growth in the life sciences in emerging markets. We are confident the Center for Advanced Molecular and Immunological Therapies will further enhance our status as a significant force in the national bioscience industry while contributing to vital growth in our local and state economies.”
According to UArizona Health Sciences, “CAMI was started with New Economy Initiative funding provided to the University of Arizona by the Legislature and allocated to UArizona Health Sciences. It has received strong government and philanthropic support, including $150 million in state funding and $4 million in county funding.”
