"Innovation in the knowledge economy is transforming the biotech and health-care industry into a global business where developing economies struggle to compete. This session will discuss how several regional centers of excellence in Mexico, working in collaboration with University of California—San Diego and Merck Sharp & Dohme, are leveraging their strengths in the life sciences to create business and research partnerships. Known as the Life Sciences Gateway Initiative, the regions are undertaking efforts in contract research, clinical trials,
commercialization and technology transfer, ag biotech and industrial biology and developing a national reagent consortium."

Objective1:Define Mexico as a new strategic partner for the life sciences.

Objective2:Describe a new model of "innovation-through-collaboration" within Mexico as well as across borders.

Objective3:Trigger the interest of prestigious companies, industry organizations and academic institutions to join this initiative or pursue similar ones.