Life Science flourishes in St. Louis

Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) is a powerhouse for the many employers and innovators found in the St. Louis region. 

The private university has four primary areas of focus including medical research, environmental and energy research, innovation and entrepreneurship and plant science research. Enrolling more than 15,500 students annually, the university is made up of six campuses in the cultural heart of St. Louis. 

 The 169-acre Danforth Campus is the university’s flagship campus, housing the majority of the university’s undergraduate, graduate and professional students. Approximately 25 miles southeast, the Tyson Research Center is a 2,000-acre outdoor laboratory. Within the Danforth Campus, the McKelvey School of Engineering is home to the No. 14 biomedical engineering program in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report. 

WUSTL School of Medicine is consistently ranked as a top medical school for research and is a critical catalyst for biotech startups in the St. Louis region. US News & World Report ranked the medical school at No. 11 in the nation. The university treats patients and trains employees at Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals – both of which have been ranked among the nation’s best hospitals and recognized for excellence in care. The Medical Campus is located adjacent to the Cortex Innovation Community. 

With a focus on research and development, from July 2019 to 2020 Washington University’s Office of Technology Management reported 242 invention disclosures, 359 patent filings and had 60 patents issued.