Regional economic development and geographic location
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//Others have referred to the area as DNA Alley, the BioHealth Capital, and the Biocapital Region//
DNA Valley is home to many of Maryland’s biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and life science companies including AstraZeneca, BioNTech, GeneDx, Qiagen, American Gene Technologies, and GlaxoSmithKline[4]. A defining feature of the region is its staggering concentration of scientists and doctors. According to New Scientist, “There are more MDs and PhDs per capita in a 10-mile radius of DC than anywhere else in the country”[5]. Notable achievements such as the Human Genome Project, advances in Stem Cell Research, and the development of gene therapies defined the region.
Etymology
DNA Valley derives its name from the significant concentration of biotechnology companies with a specific focus on genetic and cellular medicine in Maryland. This high concentration stems back to the Human Genome Project, which launched in 1988, and led to the Office for Human Genome Research being founded in Bethesda, Maryland.
“DNA” refers to the nucleotide-based material that acts as the genetic information carrier in nearly all living beings. The alteration or editing of this information for medical purposes is the focus of many biotechnology companies in the area. The name “DNA Valley” is championed by American Gene TechnologiesⓇ CEO, Jeff Galvin[6]. Galvin came to Maryland and the life science industry after a successful career in Silicon Valley and immediately saw the similarities between the early days of the tech industry in Silicon Valley and the life science industry in Maryland[7]. The earliest documented use of the name came from an article written by Alison George at New Scientist in 2004, as she recounted a cab ride where her driver referred to the D.C. area as “DNA Valley” because of the concentration of biotech companies in the area[8].
DNA valley is not an actual geographical valley and is instead named as such because of the similarities between the biotechnology and life science boom in Maryland and the tech boom that occurred in Silicon Valley in the 1970s and 1980s[9]. Previous to the growth of the biotechnology industry, Maryland and the surrounding regions were predominantly focused on the seafood, agriculture, and logistics industries due to the abundant waterways available in the state[10].
History
Before the term DNA Valley became popular as an analog to California's Silicon Valley, the area around Washington D.C. was primarily known for its role in government. The Pentagon, The White House, and The FDA were all major landmarks of the area. However, as The Human Genome Project made headlines and the software revolution peaked, the development of genetic medicine became feasible. Against this background, the institutions in DNA Valley made the region a natural choice for the development of biotechnologies which aim to replace traditional medication. The intersection of government regulators, an incomparable scientific talent pool, and opportunistic entrepreneurs looking for the next technology revolution created an ideal environment for the development of biological technologies.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), have played a major role in the development of the life science industry boom in Maryland, and thus the creation of DNA Valley. The NIH originally moved its headquarters from the Old Naval Observatory to Bethesda, Maryland in 1938. In 1989, as part of the launch of the Human Genome Project, the National Center for Human Genome Research (now known as The National Human Genome Research Institute) was founded in Bethesda[11]. This made Bethesda the national hub for genetic research as genetic researchers from around the country came to help sequence the human genome[12]. This project, being one of the most influential scientific projects of the last century, planted the seeds for the eventual biotechnology hub that has formed in the area since. The infrastructure and attention to the industry that the NCHGR and the HGP brought to Maryland are what opened the door to the extensive cell and gene therapy industries that Maryland and DNA Valley are now home to[13]. The impact that the NCHGR and the NIH had as a whole on life sciences in Maryland extends past the completion of the HGP in 2003.
The NHGRI is not the only NIH subsidiary that has led to DNA Valley becoming such a major life science hub. The NIH as a whole has fueled the biotech industry in Maryland as the research done at the federally funded facilities has resulted in new fields of research, new tools, and highly trained researchers that often remain in the area and create their own life science companies[14].
The current NHGRI campus, which originated from the founding of the NCHGR in 1989. The NCHGR is largely credited as being the spark that ignited the life science boom in Maryland that led to the creation of DNA Valley.
For example, the work done by Roscoe Brady, MD, PhD on viral vectors caught the attention of entrepreneur Jeff Galvin, inspiring him to found American Gene Technologies and pursue potential cures for diseases like HIV, PKU, and certain cancers.. The NIH also funds outside research in the area, which further allows for the industry to flourish as more companies want to be based near the NIH headquarters in Bethesda[15].
A variety of life science-related conferences are held annually at the NIH headquarters in Bethesda, such as workshops, trainings, and professional conferences, all of which not only bring attention and prestige to the life science industry in Maryland, but also result in a better trained and educated population in the area, allowing for the further success of the industry[16]. The list of events and conferences held by the NIH can be found on their events calendar.
The first speculation about the plausibility of introducing DNA sequences into patient’s cells to cure diseases occurred in the 1960s[19]. Then in 1972, Theodore Friedman and Richard Roblin published a paper in Science named “Gene Therapy for Human Genetic Diseases?”, which detailed the possibility of inserting unmutated or healthy DNA to cure patients with genetic diseases[20]. However, this paper also urged that the technology be furthered with caution as a result of the lack of understanding of the technology and its potential effects[21]. They were primarily worried about the lack of knowledge about genetic recombination and gene regulation, lack of understanding about the relationship between genetic mutations and diseases, and the lack of understanding of the potential side effects of gene therapy[22].
For 18 years after that paper was published, further research was conducted to help limit the risks detailed by Theodore Friedman and Richard Roblin. Then in 1990, the first successful gene therapy trial was launched. A four-year-old girl named Ashanthi de Silva with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) was treated with gene therapy. Ashanthi was lacking the enzymeadenosine deaminase (ADA), which caused her T-cells to die, leaving her with little to no protection against infection[23]. To treat this, Dr. W. French Anderson from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, delivered the correct ADA gene, using a disabled virus, to white blood cells that had been removed from her body, and then injected the cells back into her body[24]. The success of this trial sparked more trials to be conducted to cure SCID in other patients throughout the 1990s.
The early 2010s brought back the evolution of gene therapy as a potential cure to many different diseases. New delivery methods for the gene therapies were discovered, thus making the techniques significantly safer. Researchers also added enhancers and promoters, which allowed for better control of the gene as they could decide when and where it would be turned on and to what extent[26]. These discoveries, along with others made during this period, allowed gene therapy to regain its momentum and move to the forefront of medical technology development. There was then a wave of approvals for gene therapy techniques from 2003 to 2012, including therapies for cancer, artery disease, and others. Since then, the rate of development and approval of gene therapies has increased, with the FDA expecting to approve between 10 and 20 gene therapies each year until 2025[27]. For example, Rockville-based biotechnology company American Gene Technologies is currently working on a potential cure for HIV, among other diseases.
Economy
The D.C. / Maryland area has the second-highest rated life science hub in the United States, with Maryland alone providing 44,260 jobs in life science[28]. Maryland life science businesses generated over $18.6 billion in 2018, paid over $4.9 billion in wages, with an average salary of $110,690[29]. Maryland also boasted the 5th highest concentration of doctoral scientists and engineers and the highest STEM concentration in the country in 2022[30]. Between 2017 and 2022, the life science research jobs increased by 19%, which was larger than the national growth rate of 16%, indicating a particular focus on the industry in Maryland[31].
The region has more than double the amount of federal research labs than any other state, partly due to the presence of the NIH headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland. Maryland also has the 11th lowest unemployment rate at 2.5% in 2023, which is partly a result of the booming biotech and life science industry in the area[32].
Housing
Maryland, and by association DNA Valley, has a severe affordable housing shortage, with only approximately 30 affordable and available rental units for every 100 extremely low income families and a total housing shortage of 120,000 units[33]. This is possibly due to the boom in life science jobs in the area, while the creation of housing units has remained constant, leading to the imbalance. DNA Valley also includes some of the highest cost of living areas in the country, with D.C. having the second highest and Maryland having the sixth highest[34]. This can partially be attributed to the increasing housing prices and increases in quality jobs, particularly in the life science industry.
Notable companies
Thousands of life science companies are headquartered in DNA Valley. The following are some of the notable companies based in the area[35]:
Depending on what geographic regions (particularly parts of Washington, D.C.) are included in the meaning of the term, the population of DNA Valley is between 2 million and 3.5 million[36]. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, almost a third of DNA Valley’s population is Black or of African descent, 11% are of Hispanic descent and 6.9% is of Asian descent[37]. The median income of people in DNA Valley is around $91,000, which is a suitable income to support a middle-class lifestyle in the area, based on its cost of living.
Diversity
DNA Valley is one of the most diverse areas in the country, with 3 of the 10 most diverse communities in the area, those being Gaithersburg, Germantown, and Silver Spring[38]. Biotechnology as a whole is not a typically diverse field, being overwhelmingly dominated by white (56%) and Asian (21%) employees[39]. Even greater disparity is seen among executives, with 72% of execs being White and 15% being Asian[40]. The biotech hub in DNA Valley tends to differ from this norm, likely due to the diversity of the area[41].
Similarly to race, gender disparity is quite significant in the field of biotechnology, with males dominating the space, particularly in positions of power. 66% of executives and 79% of CEOs are men[42]. DNA Valley follows this trend, as in 2021, women only made up around 22% of the executive positions at biotechnology companies[43]. One possible explanation for this, as proposed by Harvard Senior Research Associate Vivek Wadhwa, is that parents tend to not encourage their daughters to pursue a career in science and engineering as much as they would with their sons[44]. Wadhwa also cites the lack of potential role models for women in the science and engineering fields in comparison to men[45].
However, interestingly, Maryland has the highest average salary for female CEOS, at around $280,000, which may be in part due to the higher average salaries in Maryland in general[46]. Washington D.C. also has the second-highest female CEO percentage in the country at 47.5%, which would change the DNA Valley numbers depending on whether you include D.C. in the geographical boundaries of the region.[47]
There have been concerted efforts to fix the current lack of females in Maryland life science fields, including the founding of a Women in Bio (WIB) chapter in the D.C. region in 2011[48]. The focus of this chapter is to promote diversity and inclusion for all women in life science-related fields. WIB also sponsors the HERstory Gala, in Rockville, Maryland every year to celebrate the women trailblazers in life sciences that have had an impact on the field in the DNA Valley area[49].
There are some disputes over what exactly the boundaries of DNA Valley are, particularly in terms of whether or not to include parts or all of D.C. The boundaries have been generally accepted as being the center of the state, in the areas outlined by the counties listed above[52]. As the biotech industry has grown, more areas have begun to be included in DNA Valley, such as Washington, D.C., and parts of northern Virginia[53]. This shift is likely due to the influx of new biotech companies and technologies that have been created in recent years[54]
Education
The funding for public schools in DNA Valley varies drastically depending on the area as a result of increased grants from private foundations in wealthier areas such as Montgomery County and particularly Bethesda. Less wealthy areas such as Garret County rely on state funding[55]. DNA Valley also contains some of the best community colleges in the country, including Montgomery College, which was ranked #1 in Maryland and in the top 10 nationally in 2023.
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