Greater Sacramento Life Sciences
Anchored by top talent at UC Davis and California State University, Sacramento, Greater Sacramento is home to a cutting-edge life sciences ecosystem. From groundbreaking medical research to burgeoning biotech and medical device startups, the region is pushing the boundaries of innovation on a global scale.
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53% of the population in Greater Sacramento have STEM degrees
Greater Sacramento is the #15 market in the U.S. for new life sciences talent
UC Davis is the #2 university for top total life science grads
Education
Greater Sacramento has access to a top-tier pipeline of 754,963 students currently enrolled in 2-year and 4-year institutions within 100 miles.
Aggie Square: A center of excellence in the life sciences
Set on a 25-acre campus next to the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, Aggie Square will feature state-of-the-art research facilities (including over 500,000 sq. ft. of lab space), modern office and mixed-use space and world-class amenities.
#8
highest concentration
of STEM bachelor’s degrees
UC Davis is a
top 20%
NIH-funded school
1,041
medical research awards
Sources: EMSI 2019, UC Davis
A hub for life science research and talent
UC Davis is an industry leader in many rights, as one of the country’s first clinical and translational science centers and home to one of the most advanced Good Manufacturing Practice laboratories in the nation and a research funding portfolio of over $300 million. The university ranks #2 for Top Total Life Science Graduates and #3 for Top Life Sciences Doctorates. The UC Davis Health System includes the National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, an honor reserved for less than one percent of health centers in the country, a comprehensive children’s hospital and a Level I trauma center. Across town, California State University, Sacramento’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics is a statewide leader for the training of clinical lab technicians and scientists. The university is paving the way in cell and molecular biology and biochemistry with its recently unveiled Center for Interdisciplinary Molecular Biology Education, Research and Advancement. California Northstate University, an 11-year-old health sciences institution, is also an industry driver with a planned $750 million teaching hospital that will include a Level II trauma center.
There is an eco-system of development, technology, industry and many of the major companies actually come to UC Davis to tap into that innovation.
Life sciences success stories
Penumbra
Medical devices
The recently announced 160,000 sq. ft. of office, research and design space in Roseville will employ more than 1,000.
StemExpress
Biotech
With a 3-year growth rate of 1,316%, the Folsom-based company landed a spot in INC.’s Top 50 Fastest Growing Women-Led Private Companies in America as well as position 363 in the INC. 5000.
The Jackson Laboratory
Biomedical research
One of four Jackson Laboratory locations nationwide, the 85,000-sq.-ft. Sacramento facility employs 350 and serves customers throughout the western United States and Canada.
Top life science employers in Greater Sacramento
| wdt_ID | Company | Location type | Employee count | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Jackson Laboratory | Branch | 350 | Research |
| 2 | IDEXX Reference Laboratories Inc. | Branch | 175 | Health care diagnostics and information technology |
| 3 | Agilent Technologies | Branch | 156 | Laboratory instrument manufacturing |
| 4 | Novozymes | Branch | 105 | Research and development |
| 5 | Cesca Therapeutics Inc. | Headquarters | 80 | Automated technology development |
Source: Sacramento Business Journal Book of Lists 2018