Barbara Marusiak, DHSc is a major force in the bioscience and biomedical fields, not only supporting and promoting it, but providing our next leaders. She is being honored as the 2023 Michael A. Cusanovich Arizona Educator of the Year.
Barbara Marusiak, Senior Director, Clinical Research & Regulatory Science at ASU State University Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation
Inspiring Healthcare Innovators
When you were growing up, was being a healthcare innovator on your future career list? Probably not. Inspiring the next generation of innovators depends on talented and committed educators who open educational pathways and inspire students to embark on them.
Barbara Marusiak, Senior Director, Clinical Research & Regulatory Science at the Arizona State University Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, has mentored, educated, and motivated undergraduate and graduate students in research for more than 10 years. She is one of these educators.
She has guided over 300 ASU students in major research projects in clinical research and regulatory science, many of which led to work in the field, publications in peer reviewed journals, presentations at scientific conferences, and poster presentations.
Companies who have had hired graduates from the program have often requested additional students, impressed with their work and the support of Barbara as the supervisor and facilitator. Individuals who were not certain about a career have found positions in the biosciences that they are passionate about. Students and alumni often credit Barbara with being instrumental in their choosing the bioscience field and pursuing careers in the field.
Barbara has created and directs the Clinical Regulatory Industry Alliance (CRIA) for the Clinical Research and Regulatory Science Programs at ASU. CRIA engages industry and clinical sponsors to provide opportunities to collaboratively address industry unmet needs and expose students to the field. In just a short time she has developed relationships with more than a dozen biomedical organizations and has placed students in experiential projects in several of them.
CRIA has established a strong relationship with the ASU-Mayo Accelerator Program, which supports 8 biomedical companies each year in their research and efforts to bring new biomed products to market. This has provided opportunities not only for our students but students in other majors to discover bioscience and the tremendous possibilities and opportunities associated with the field. Many of these companies are doing clinical trials in AZ.
She has been instrumental is working with a partner company from Germany who will be opening their first Phase I/II research center in the US in Phoenix, AZ. This company works with many of the big pharma companies which will bring new opportunities and recognition to AZ in bioscience. Barbara is an avid proponent of health innovation, mentoring the future professionals and leaders in the field, promoting the opportunities to students in many forums, and increasing the number of applicants and students interested in the biosciences as a career. Through CRIA, Barbara is expanding the bioscience and biomedical landscape in Arizona not only to students, but to companies that will bring business and opportunities to Arizona.
Barbara Marusiak, DHSc is a major force in the bioscience and biomedical fields, not only supporting and promoting it, but providing our next leaders. She is being honored as the 2023 Michael A. Cusanovich Arizona Educator of the Year.
About The Arizona Bioindustry Association, Inc. (AZBio)
For 20 years, the Arizona Bioindustry Association has supported life science innovation and life science innovators in Arizona. A key component in Arizona’s life science ecosystem, AZBio is the only statewide organization exclusively focused on Arizona’s bioscience and medical technology industry. AZBio membership includes patient advocacy organizations, life science innovators, educators, healthcare partners, and leading business organizations. AZBio and its members work to advance health innovation and to ensure that the value delivered by our community’s life-changing and lifesaving innovations benefits people in Arizona and around the world. For more information on AZBio, visit www.AZBio.org.
For more information on the AZBio Awards, visit www.AZBioAwards.com.
AZBio Media Contact:
Joan Koerber-Walker
jkw@azbio.org 480-332-9636