How do you compete with the bigger, more established biotech hubs?

We don't compete. Everyone wants to be the next biotech hotbed. That's not enough. You need to figure out what it is you can control naturally and organically in the state. We need to figure out what our researchers and research institutions do best.

In what areas is Kentucky competitive?

We have experience in drug delivery, cancer research and plant-made pharmaceuticals. A group of scientists at Kentucky Bioprocessing in Owensboro is using tobacco leaves to grow a plant-made version of Gardasil, which helps protect against human papillomavirus. It turns out that tobacco leaves are naturally susceptible to engineering and tobacco grows really well in Kentucky. The researchers impregnate the plants with a viral vector; the plant then chews up the virus and produces the protein needed for the vaccine.

What non-scientific advantages does Kentucky offer to biotech companies?

We think we can lead in bio-logistics. The United Parcel Service's world port is located in the Louisville airport. That's an advantage because Louisville is located between some of the highest-population areas of the United States. Protein-based drugs are incredibly fragile. The quicker you can get biologics from a cold-storage facility to your destination, the better. We can get a drug to any US destination within seven hours, from door to door.

How is the state government helping?

Since 1997, it has been running a programme nicknamed 'Bucks for Brains' (see opposite).

What is the biggest challenge to being a little fish in a small biotech pond?

There is no shortage of ideas. The challenge is getting them to market. We've had some success with early-stage funding, but getting later-stage funding is more difficult. So we're developing relationships with venture-capital funds that are thinking of investing in the Midwest. But the state needs to help, too, whether by putting up dollars or providing financial incentives for new companies.