SmartBio Initiative
Modern health care, food production, environmental protection and biodefense share a common need for better understanding of complex living systems.  These sectors increasingly rely upon sophisticated analytical tools and information technology to obtain and decipher large volumes of complex biological information in digital form. The applications and markets for information technology in the life sciences – broadly defined as bioinformation – are many and varied, including biological research (e.g. genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, computational biology, drug discovery and pharmacogenomics), direct health care delivery (clinical informatics), health care management, agribusiness, environmental management, criminal justice, and public health/homeland security.

In 2004, CIT coined the term “SmartBio” for its strategic focus on research and technologies at the intersection of life sciences and information technology that:

• enable better understanding of complex living systems, and
• drive development and commercialization of “smarter” interventions in health care, agriculture, public safety and the environment.

Virginia is well positioned to take a leadership position in SmartBio research, development and commercialization because of its strong bioscience research institutions and its mature and savvy IT industry.

The biotechnology industry has gained traction with recent industry investments in Northern Virginia, the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park in Richmond and new biotechnology companies sprouting in research parks in Blacksburg, Charlottesville, Danville, Roanoke and Hampton Roads. CIT encourages and facilitates discussions among the state's research institutions, federal and state labs and government officials, and life science-related industries, in order to develop a unified vision and increased collaboration in the arena of information technology applied to living systems.