OHSU Drug Discovery Symposium Remarks

Good morning and welcome to the Oregon Drug Symposium. Thank you to OHSU for hosting this important gathering.

Events like this are why I’m so excited about Oregon's future in the life sciences sector. Across the country, life science innovation is in a moment of great opportunity - we’ve seen revolutionary breakthroughs in the past decade, but I believe what is on the horizon will be even greater. This is Oregon’s moment to lead and innovate - and partners like OHSU are pushing us forward.

What excited me most about this symposium is who is in the room. Researchers, biotech companies, investor groups, clinicians, and the broader community that supports this important work. This collaboration represents the entire continuum of discovery and healing - from the first discovery in a lab through clinical trials to bringing the discovery to scale. The ultimate goal is creating something that can change the course of people’s lives.

That is what this work is all about. I want Oregon to be a leader in scientific innovation and advanced manufacturing. We have the know-how and the motivation. The discoveries that have happened in Oregon – and will continue to happen – will transform how we treat disease. This isn’t theoretical, it’s happening right here, right now. And I’m excited about it.

We saw this potential affirmed in a powerful way last year with a record-breaking $2 billion investment from Phil and Penny Knight to transform cancer care at OHSU – building on their $500 million gift that started the Knight Cancer Institute. Their recent investment again signals to the world that Oregon is a place where extraordinary people make extraordinary things happen.

Oregon has the opportunity to lead even more in life science research and innovation. We have the talent. We have the commitment. And we have events like this one that bring together the right people to turn discoveries into treatments. And save lives.

Thank you for being here and for all the work you do.