© 2026 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Shawnee Planning for Bioscience District

By Kelley Weiss

Kansas City, MO – Another Johnson County city is vying for a bioscience development to promote life science research and commercial products. KCUR's Kelley Weiss reports.

- - - - -

Olathe announced preliminary plans last week to build a large bioscience park featuring a Kansas State University satellite campus, research facilities and laboratories for commercial product development. Now the city of Shawnee is joining the race to attract a 65-acre bioscience district as well. Keith Gary, of the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute, says the possible incubators will provide Kansas City with a needed outlet for the local bioscience industry.

Keith Gary:"They provide a missing link in terms of the wet lab incubators and being able to transit new discoveries out of the laboratory and into the marketplace."

Gary says if the research parks are approved they will provide training and job opportunities for area workers and boost Kansas City's life science research efforts.

Funding for health care coverage on KCUR has been provided by the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City.

Congress just eliminated federal funding for KCUR, but public radio is for the people.

Your support has always made KCUR's work possible — from reporting that keeps officials accountable, to storytelling to connects our community. Help ensure the future of local journalism.