NextGen Sciences develops drugs, jobs in Ann Arbor

It seems like too many of the headlines in Michigan tell the story of people leaving the state in search of better economic opportunity. NextGen Sciences is doing the opposite, bringing people in from across the country.

“Everybody we have has been recruited from outside of the state,” says Mike Pisano, CEO of NextGen Sciences. “When we recruit we take the best people whether they’re local or from somewhere else.”

And NextGen plans to hire more soon. The 13-person company has hired five people since October, including two people within the last few days. They plan to add another six to 15 people over the next year.

The drug research company also just leased an extra 6,000 square feet of space in its current building on the south side of Ann Arbor and purchased $2 million in instruments for a workforce that is growing 10 to 15 percent each year since its founding in 2001.

NextGen does contract research on proteins for drug companies. The research is then used to help develop pharmaceuticals. The company was purchased by Proteomic Research Services in 2006 but still plans to continue expanding in Ann Arbor.

Source: Mike Pisano, CEO of NextGen Sciences
Writer: Jon Zemke