The Future of Life Sciences is Being Built in Cincinnati

Cincinnati is proven ground for success in life sciences. The Cincinnati Business Courier has called life sciences “the region’s fastest growing industry,” while Site Selection recently praised our region as a “powerful node in a life sciences sector.” We’ve known for some time now that our region simply has what it takes for success in life sciences, namely a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, partnerships with well-regarded medical institutions, and an enviably well-supported talent pipeline.

Firms like Resilience, AtriCure and Enable Injections are already thriving here. But Cincinnati’s real edge is its ability to keep that growth coming, and critical components of growth encompass the literal and physical capability to do so, starting with construction projects that will enable life sciences firms to get up and running fast, operating confidently in spaces that meet Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and eliminate regulatory risk that could slow or hamper success in this rapidly growing industry.

Specialized construction capabilities for emerging STEM operations are a big ask from any region. But with a rich history in construction and contracting, Cincinnati once again has the skills, materials and capabilities to provide the physical infrastructure to support today’s life sciences boom.

Proven Player in a Quickly Growing Industry

Cincinnati is a proven player in the life sciences industry, building a strong and sustainable industry presence over recent years. Between 2019 and 2024, the region’s life sciences gross regional product surged by 52%, reaching $6.1 billion. The 1,308 active sites operating in our region in 2024 employ a local workforce of 17,740 direct industry employees, an additional 9% employment growth rate is projected through 2028. And our region has the talent pipeline to support this growth, with 11K+ STEM program completions in 2024 alone. Moreover, our region boasts concentrations of key occupations well above the national average, including 51% more medical laboratory professionals, 67% more biological technicians and 31% more chemists.

Nearly 45% of regional life sciences demand is met by local suppliers, and 63% of the sector’s production is exported beyond the region. All of this underscores Cincinnati’s position as both a hub of innovation and a vital link in the global life sciences supply chain.

Building on a Legacy of Building Expertise

Compelling as those numbers are, life sciences activity ultimately requires construction know-how to produce spaces that support real operations. Capable life sciences structures call for cleanrooms, contamination controls, critical utilities and regulatory compliance designed in from the very start, and the industry can’t be treated as a monolith: cell and gene therapy, fill-finish, biopharma manufacturing, radiopharmaceuticals and medical devices each carry distinct requirements, and experience with one doesn’t automatically translate to another. In an industry moving this fast, speed-to-market is a real competitive advantage, and construction delays cost production, revenue and regulatory momentum. Cincinnati’s deep bench of construction, engineering, architecture and process design firms—and their established, collaborative relationships with the local subcontractor base—is exactly the ecosystem that lets operators build regulation-ready facilities quickly and confidently.

Cincinnati’s Expert Builder and Designer Ecosystem

We understand that firms in the life sciences industry have choices when considering moving or expanding into a region, and it’s almost certainly possible to find a general contractor and architect in a variety of cities to meet construction needs. But Cincinnati offers a real and undeniable advantage at the buildout stage, serving as home to a cluster of firms that have each spent decades specializing in the exact type of complex, regulated facilities that life sciences companies need. This established expertise translates to distinct speed-to-market advantages and regulatory compliance, a much rarer proposition than most other regions can offer.

Here are just a few firms spanning construction, engineering, architecture and process design, that are ready and waiting to bring your life science needs into reality here in Cincinnati.

BHDP Architecture: GMP laboratory and cleanroom design, cell and gene therapy facilities, cGMP manufacturing, regulatory-compliant science environments

With 89 years of experience in the region, BHDP has earned a trusted reputation for their design work in Cincinnati. And the architecture firm has half a century’s experience building scientific lab environments that are functional, innovative and inspiring. Notable Cincinnati-area work includes the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Applied Gene and Cell Therapy Center and UC Health’s BSL 3 clinical laboratory.

Danis: Advanced manufacturing, contamination prevention, cell and gene therapy, fill-finish, prefabrication, industrialized construction

Danis has completed more than 1.5 million square feet of life sciences and advanced manufacturing, with a particular focus on advanced manufacturing and contamination prevention. The company brings together in-house contamination prevention specialists, an on-site industrialized construction center for prefabrication, and model-based estimating to keep complex projects on budget and on schedule. Notable local work includes facilities for Hoxworth Blood Center, and their client list includes Beam Therapeutics, Sarepta Therapeutics, Pfizer, and Eli Lilly.

Hixson Architecture, Engineering and Interiors: Integrated architecture and engineering, cGMP compliance, cleanroom environments, high-containment facilities, process-driven design

Headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Hixson has designed and engineered hundreds of specialized labs over their more than 75 years in business. The firm houses 20 in-house technical disciplines that work together as a single coordinated team in an integrated model that’s both efficient and effective. Notable Cincinnati-area work includes a Biorepository + Genomics Lab and Constant Temperature/Constant Humidity (CT/CH) room for Medpace and a radiopharmaceutical cyclotron facility for PETNET Solutions (a Siemens Healthineers division).

Jacobs: Full EPCMV services (engineering through commissioning, qualification, and validation), process design, single-use technology, regulatory compliance, digital twinning

Jacobs is the largest provider of engineering; architecture; procurement; construction management; and commissioning, qualification, and validation services to the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. A global company, Jacobs’ Cincinnati office is one of their largest US hubs with 420 life sciences professionals based locally, delivering everything from process engineering to regulatory expertise. Jacobs’ clients include Genentech, Biogen, Pfizer, and BMS.

Messer Construction: GMP construction management and general contracting, pharmaceutical manufacturing, cell and gene therapy facilities, automated warehousing, in-house skilled trades and fabrication

Headquartered in Cincinnati city since 1932, Messer’s science and technology practice covers the full range of life sciences facility types: pharmaceutical manufacturing, biopharmaceuticals, cell and gene therapy, oral solid dose, radiopharmaceuticals, cleanrooms and advanced automated warehousing. Their EGC Construction subsidiary, also based locally, self-performs a range of construction services to reduce schedule risk and keep quality control within the project team. Messer’s life sciences clients include Roche Diagnostics, Amplify Bio, PharmaLogic, Expression Therapeutics, Patheon, and Catalent.

Skanska: Science and technology campus delivery, advanced prefabrication and modular construction, sustainability, speed-to-market delivery

One of the world’s largest development and construction companies, Skanska has delivered major Ohio projects for years, including the Atrium Medical Center in Middletown, which it built in a joint venture with Shook Construction. The company combines advanced prefabrication, modular building methods, and a commitment to sustainability to compress schedules without sacrificing quality. Skanska has completed numerous high-profile life sciences projects for organizations such as UC Health, Forge Biologics, Medpace, and a confidential client in the pharmaceutical industry.

What This Means for Your Next Project

Cincinnati is attractive to life science businesses for a number of reasons, including a high number of STEM-trained professionals in the workforce, a business-friendly regulatory environment, relatively affordable cost of living, and vibrant cultural, sports and nature-based scenes that make this an easy place to call home.

These are just some of the reasons that our region thrives in the rapidly growing industry, and thanks to the city’s rich representation of companies spanning the design and construction field, it’s never been easier to find the right partners to design, engineer, build, validate, and launch your facility right here in the Queen City. Construction helped build Cincinnati into the economic powerhouse it is today and these firms’ collaborative experience in the life sciences industry translates to the speed, expertise, and commitment you need to build regulation ready environments.

Ready to learn why Cincinnati is the proven ground for your life sciences project? REDI Cincinnati makes this kind of expansion possible. Reach out to our team today to get started. Click here to connect with us.