Washington Life Science E-History made daily...
May 2017
Washington Life Science E-History made daily...
We invite you to explore Washington Life Science E-History made daily... - a monthly educational resource to help stay abreast
of the science, people, companies, institutions, and events that are the foundation of the life science
industry in the state of Washington. (Image: Washington Life Science History poster, 2016)
We hope you find our Washington Life Science E-history of interest, and we encourage you to share it with your
colleagues, friends, teachers, and others. If you are aware of a notable event or person at your company or
organization that should be included in Washington Life Science History, please e-mail us at:
Suggestions@inforesource.org.
May 2, 1911 - The Firland Sanatorium constructed by the Anti-Tuberculosis League of King County at 19303
Fremont Avenue N (Shoreline) opened as the Henry Sanatorium. The railroad magnate Horace C. Henry, whose son
died of tuberculosis (TB), provided the land and initial funding for the Sanatorium.
The Firland subsequently became the city of Seattle's municipal tuberculosis hospital. Tuberculosis was the leading
cause of death in the U.S. at that time. In 1911, the TB death rate was 158.9 per 100,000 in the U.S. compared with
an average of 3 per 100,000 today. However, one third of the world’s population remains infected with TB. (Photo:
Horace C. Henry) More...
May 4, 1959 - The first major addition to the University of Washington Health Sciences Building, an eight-story,
$10 million structure was opened. The hospital, which was dedicated in 1949, included 291 beds, a nursery, and
extensive research facilities.
Renamed the Magnuson Health Sciences Center in 1978 in honor of Senator Warren G. Magnuson, the complex consists of
more than 20 wings, with nearly 5.8 million square feet of floor space -- making it one of the largest buildings in
the U.S. (Photo: Magnuson Health Sciences Center) More...
May 5, 1907 - The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) was founded when eleven laboratory scientists
and clinicians met at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. to discuss the rapidly emerging field of cancer research.
The group of 23 Charter Members and 10 Charter Associate Members included some of the most famous physicians of the era.
Today, the AACR has more than 37,000 members residing in 108 countries, and its membership includes 178 Fellows of
the AACR Academy; 42 are Nobel laureates. The AACR funds research directly, as well as in cooperation with numerous
cancer-focused organizations. More...
May 7, 2002 - Quinton Cardiology Systems held its Initial Public Offering raising $28 million. The Bothell-based
medical device maker sold 4 million shares at $7 per share.
Quinton Instruments was founded by University of Washington biomedical engineer Wayne Quinton with the initial focus
of developing the first treadmill for cardiac stress testing. Quinton was a pioneering innovator and developer of over
thirty biomedical devices ranging from treadmills to cardiac diagnostic equipment. More...
May 12, 1977 - The Program for the Introduction and Adaptation of Contraceptive Technology (PIACT) was founded by
Gordon Duncan, Rich Mahoney, and Gordon Perkin with $92,000 in seed money from the Ford Foundation. In 1980, PIACT
transitioned to PATH.
Today, PATH is the leader in global health innovation. An international nonprofit organization, PATH accelerates
innovation across five platforms—vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, devices, and system and service innovations. More...
May 13, 1993 - ZymoGenetics began a $25 million year-long renovation of the the Seattle City Light Steam Plant
building. The Steam Plant was decommissioned in September, 1987 after years of minimal use, except for occasional
firing of the boilers.
Construction was completed in June 1994. On Aug. 1, the ZymoGenetics Lake Union Steam Plant and Hydro House were
designated City of Seattle landmarks, and on Sept. 8, ZymoGenetics dedicated Seattle's historic Steam Plant.
The renovated 113,000 s.f. plant doubled Zymo's current facility footage. (Photo: Steam plant in state of neglect, 1993)
More... (facility tour)
May 23, 2003 - Amgen announced it was relocating its cancer research division to Seattle following its acquisition
of Immunex prompting a 100,000-square-foot increase in its plans for the Helix corporate campus. Amgen acquired
Immunex in 2001 for $16 billion in stock and net cash.
Immunex was founded in 1981 by Steven Gillis and Christopher Henney from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center,
and Stephen Duzan. It became publicly traded in 1983, and in 1991, with FDA approval of the drug Leukine, it became
only the third fully integrated pharmaceutical company to be created in the U.S. since 1945.
On July 29, 2014, Amgen announced the closure of facilities in Seattle and Bothell which previously had 660 employees.
Amgen consolidated its Washington operations with facilities in California and Massachusetts. More...
May 25, 1961 - President John F. Kennedy in his historic message to a joint session of the Congress launched the
nation's quest for the moon. The subsequent expansion of the U.S. Space Program resulted in the development of a
wide range of technology with broad commercial applications.
An example is SpaceLabs founded by scientists Ben Ettelson and James A Reeves who developed cardiac monitoring
and telemetry systems for NASA. These systems were used to monitor astronauts’ vital signs in the early Gemini and
Apollo space missions culminating in Neil Armstrong wearing Spacelabs medical telemetry for the first moon landing
in 1969. In 2013, Spacelabs Healthcare, a wholly owned subsidiary of OSI Systems, relocated to new larger
headquarters in Snoqualmie. More...
May 29, 1956 - Physio-Control was incorporated by Dr. K. William Edmark, a Seattle cardiovascular surgeon, who was
determined to reduce the number of sudden deaths during cardiac surgery. Physio's products are used primarily for
emergency treatment of Sudden Cardiac Arrest Events.
In 1980, the company was acquired by Eli Lilly for an undisclosed price. In 2011, Lilly sold the company to Medtronic
for $487 million, and in 2011 Medtronic divested Physio to Bain Capital in a cash transaction valued at $487 million.
In 2016, Physio was acquired by Michigan-based Stryker Corp. in an all cash transaction for $1.28 billion. More...
Science Quote
"I am among those who think that science has great beauty. A scientist in his laboratory is not only a technician:
he is also a child placed before natural phenomena which impress him like a fairy tale."
Marie Curie, French chemist and physicist (1867-1934)
We hope you find our Washington Life Science E-History of interest, and we encourage you to share it with others.
We also invite you to explore Washington Life Science History where we have included select facts of significance to
the state's industry and others. (Image: Washington Life Science History poster, 2016) More...
If you are aware of a notable event or person at your company or organization that should be included in Washington
Life Science History, please e-mail us at: suggestions@inforesource.org
Info.Resource, established in 1997, owns and publishes a specialized nationwide network of state-based life science
web sites that allow you to cost effectively target your job candidate recruitment, conference, webinar, product or
service by state, region or nationwide for the same low rate. For more information, please contact
us at advertising@InfoResource.org.
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