Council Takes Bioscience 101

At the end of a session full of our usual business, like land use and budgeting, we had the rare treat of a science lesson. Our professor, Dr. Scott Zeger, Vice Provost for Research at Johns Hopkins University, taught us about the scientific and research vision Johns Hopkins has for Montgomery County. He gave us a basic overview of bioscience and how research in the field makes its way to patient care and ultimately into public health. I learned that scientists have discovered that my telomeres are shortening, and that’s not good news for me, so I really am grateful for the important work going on at Johns Hopkins.

Today’s briefing provided a context for much of the conversations we’ve been having about Johns Hopkins lately. The university announced recently they will build two connecting buildings on their Montgomery County Campus to house the National Cancer Institute Headquarters. This project will initially result in 2,100 jobs, which is fantastic news for Montgomery County.

Johns Hopkins also plans a state-of-the art research campus for its 138-acre Belward Farm property. This project plays an important role in the county’s broader economic strategy and served as an impetus for a memorandum of understanding that was signed last week between Johns Hopkins and the County spelling out a shared vision for decades to come. We in Montgomery County have long been committed to the advancement of biosciences and higher education as evidenced by the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center and our biotech incubators. The MOU is just one more step in developing the synergies we need for a really exciting future.

We will discuss all of this much more as we work through the Gaithersburg West Master Plan, which encompasses the Belward property, so stay tuned.