Despite California's economic woes, its biotech and biomedical industries seem to be thriving. The biotech sector will hire 1,000 clinical scientists, medical lab technicians and medical physicists through a three-year training and placement programme. Funded by a US$4.95-million federal grant announced on 15 February, it will be administered by San Diego State University and its partners. A 2 February report by the California Healthcare Institute and PricewaterhouseCoopers, which polled 200 of the state's largest biomedical firms, finds promise in that sector too: 81% of firms said that they expect to maintain or expand their local workforce in 2 years. Almost half hope to grow research and development activities in-state by 2011.