Indiana kicked off some ambitious marketplace goals about 11 years ago when BioCrossroads -- an organization focused on the investment, development, and advancement of life sciences in the Hoosier State -- was created. 

Today, we're seeing indisputable evidence that Indiana has become a real player.

In a study released today during the international BIO Conference in Boston, two states -- Indiana and New Jersey -- are identified as having specialized employment in four of five bioscience subsectors (agricultural feedstock and chemicals, drugs and pharmaceuticals, medical devices and equipment, research, testing, and medical laboratories, and bioscience distribution). Puerto Rico also joined the top of this list.

Indiana, according to the report, is one of only seven states to gain at least 5,000 life sciences jobs from 2001 to 2010. Hoosier job growth in the sector grew by 14 percent -- or, 6.4 percent better than the national average -- during this time.

The full report, along with a press release, can be found at BioCrossroads.com.

"The report makes our story very clear: Indiana's life sciences industry is now a national leader in almost every way that counts," said David Johnson, president and CEO of BioCrossroads. 

Among the reasons? A study by Carnegie-Mellon says the industry is among the leaders in patents that produce a competitive edge in the marketplace. Bioscience companies also tend to receive more patents than most other industries.

"The message is clear," the report states. "A strong bioscience industry base offers the United States of America, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia a high-value economic driver. It stands out in its creation of quality jobs, the breadth of markets it serves, and it's research and development intensity."