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Why Cleveland Clinic's research chief welcomed a budget for its biggest research investment. By: Kelly Gooch For Serpil Erzurum, MD, the decision to build two research buildings on Cleveland Clinic's main campus was an investment in the future of the health system's research and innovation strategy. It also marked the largest research investment in the organization's more than 100-year history. The two buildings, which opened in early September, total 300,000 square feet and are designed to house more than 700 employees across nearly 30 laboratories and core service areas. Cleveland Clinic said the project is part of a broader effort to expand biomedical research within the Cleveland Innovation District. For Dr. Erzurum, executive vice president and chief research and academic officer at Cleveland Clinic, the project required the same kind of trade-offs health system executives face in other parts of the organization. "A defined budget requires us to establish priorities, make deliberate trade-offs, and direct resources toward the choices that will have the greatest impact. Working within defined constraints ensures that we focus on what matters most, rather than trying to do everything. We make more intentional decisions, have greater focus, and ultimately accelerate outcomes," she said. Dr. Erzurum said the investment builds on Cleveland Clinic's longstanding mission around patient care, research and education while reflecting how scientific work has changed. Advances in genomics, protein metabolism, large-scale data and computational sciences have expanded both the questions researchers can ask and the technologies by which they answer them. The buildings were designed around that shift. Laboratories are grouped into what Dr. Erzurum described as "neighborhoods" of science and innovation, with open layouts intended to encourage communication and collaboration. The facilities connect with high-performance and quantum computing capabilities, and include agentic AI laboratories where computational scientists are working on discovery and innovation. "Laboratories today are fundamentally different from those of even five or ten years ago - more technology-enabled, collaborative, flexible, and purpose-built to support increasingly complex research and innovation." Dr. Erzurum said. Asked why Cleveland Clinic chose to make the investment now, she pointed to the speed of scientific discovery and to health challenges that have evolved significantly over the past two decades. "The opportunity to invest in science has never been greater or more consequential. This is precisely the moment to invest," she said, pointing to transformative challenges and opportunities in areas such as pathogen research and inflammation, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases." The project is part of the Cleveland Innovation District, a public-private initiative supported by the state of Ohio and JobsOhio. Cleveland Clinic has also developed partnerships with organizations including IBM, Canon Medical and Azenta, while Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, has established a presence in the district and sent interns to work on quantum and computational science projects. Dr. Erzurum said the system is looking beyond traditional research output when evaluating the broader return from the investment. Cleveland Clinic has created nearly 2,000 jobs tied to the innovation district over the past five years, and she said the people working in the new laboratories will also contribute to surrounding economic and workforce growth. "An innovation district is more than a place where people work. It is an ecosystem where people live, work, connect, and engage. When these districts are thoughtfully developed, they can catalyze investment, attract talent, strengthen surrounding neighborhoods, and bring new energy to a city. The impact extends well beyond science and technology, creating opportunities for the arts, culture, retail, and broader community to grow and prosper alongside that investment." For executives at other health systems, Dr. Erzurum said the transferable lesson is how organizations decide what deserves scarce resources. "There will never be unlimited resources. Effective leadership requires making deliberate choices about where to invest," she said. "At Cleveland Clinic, we have made a strategic decision to prioritize innovation as a driver of healthcare transformation." She said that Cleveland Clinic views research as an investment expected to create future value rather than as discretionary spending. "It is about investing in the future and creating sustainable value," Dr. Erzurum said. "When we invest strategically in opportunities, we create value that extends well beyond the initial investment." Dr. Erzurum said the budget influenced how the space was built and what equipment the team purchased. She compared their approach to a household budget: setting priorities and allocating resources where they matter most rather than trying to fund everything at once. "When you establish clear priorities, you move faster, align the team, and create clarity around what matters most," she said. "Science works the same way. Focus creates momentum, and discipline is what turns discovery into results and innovation." At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14-17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now. Thursday, September 17 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CDT Presenter: Melinda Giese, Enterprise Client Solutions, CHG Healthcare Next up in financial management. * 'We're here for the long term': Henry Ford doubles down on Medicare Advantage as others retreat As insurers and provider-sponsored health plans reassess their exposure to Medicare Advantage, Detroit-based Henry Ford Health is moving in the... By: Alan Condon * RWJBarnabas posts 6.4% operating margin in H1 West Orange, N.J.-based RWJBarnabas Health recorded an operating income of $385.8 million (6.4% operating margin) in the first half of... By: Andrew Cass * The hospitals, health systems cutting jobs in 2026 A number of hospitals and health systems are reducing their workforces amid ongoing financial strain. Executives have cited a mix... Kelly Gooch and Kristin Kuchno

Custom PCR solutions for diagnostic kit manufacturers. Drawing on its trusted 4titude portfolio of PCR products, Azenta Life Sciences has built a reputation for partnering with diagnostic kit manufacturers to develop consumables tailored to their specific workflows As molecular diagnostics continue to drive advances in healthcare, manufacturers face growing pressure to deliver high-quality, scalable diagnostic kits while meeting stringent requirements. Not all applications are soluble using off-the-shelf solutions. To support these evolving needs, Azenta Life Sciences offers customised molecular diagnostics solutions that combine proven PCR consumables with bespoke design and manufacturing expertise. Whether adapting existing products or creating entirely custom solutions, the company offers flexible options across PCR plates, sealing materials, sample tracking and automation-compatible consumables to help customers improve reproducibility, simplify manufacturing and accelerate product development. Baskar Anand, Global Product Manager at Azenta, said: "Our customisation capabilities extend from concept through to production." "Customers can specify plate formats, frame and well colours, coatings, surface treatments, seal materials, printing, chemical compatibility and barcode or 2D coding options, alongside contract manufacturing to create solutions that exactly fit your application." He added: "Our customers need more than a catalogue of consumables; they need solutions designed around their manufacturing processes. "By combining high-quality products with flexible customisation, we're helping diagnostic kit manufacturers build workflows that are efficient, reproducible and ready to scale." Azenta has worked with manufacturers to develop customised solutions for applications, including infectious disease diagnostics, supporting automated reagent dispensing, secure heat sealing, sample traceability and compatibility with downstream analytical platforms. All custom products supplied by Azenta are manufactured in ISO9001- and ISO13485-certified facilities, providing the quality systems, consistency and supply reliability required by diagnostic kit manufacturers worldwide. * Companies: * Azenta

Why Azenta (AZTA) stock is down today. What Happened? Shares of life sciences company Azenta AZTA fell 9.1% in the afternoon session after the company announced, in a regulatory filing, that President and CEO John Marotta resigned from his executive roles and board seat, with current director Dr. Martin Madaus appointed as interim President and CEO. Dr. Madaus, who joined the board in 2024 and serves as a Senior Operating Executive at the Carlyle Group, brings extensive executive experience from previous leadership roles at Millipore Corporation, Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, and Roche Diagnostics North America. Azenta confirmed that executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles has been retained to identify a permanent successor. In addition to the management change, the company reaffirmed its fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue guidance but noted that fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA will be reduced by a one-time consulting expense of approximately $3 million. What Is The Market Telling Us Azenta's shares are extremely volatile and have had 30 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today's move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business. The biggest move we wrote about over the last year was 7 months ago when the stock dropped 24.6% on the news that it reported mixed fourth-quarter results that failed to impress investors. While the company's revenue of $148.6 million was flat year over year, it did narrowly beat Wall Street's estimates. Similarly, its adjusted earnings per share of $0.14 met expectations. However, the positive notes were overshadowed by a significant miss on profitability. Azenta's adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization), a key measure of operational profitability, was $12.7 million, falling 29% short of the consensus forecast. The company's cash generation also weakened, with its free cash flow margin declining to 9.9% from 14.9% in the same quarter last year. Overall, the stagnant sales growth and considerable weakness in underlying profitability signaled to investors that the company's financial health was not as strong as hoped, leading to a sharp sell-off. Azenta is up 1.5% since the beginning of the year, but at $33.89 per share, it is still trading 17.4% below its 52-week high of $41.01 from January 2026. Despite the year-to-date gain, investors who bought $1,000 worth of Azenta's shares 5 years ago would now be looking at only $414.94. ONE MORE THING: The $21 AI Application Stock Wall Street Forgot. While Wall Street obsesses over who's building AI, one company is already using it to print money. And nobody's paying attention. AI chip stocks trade at ridiculous valuations. This company processes a trillion consumer signals monthly using AI and trades at a third of the price. The gap won't last. The institutions will figure it out. You need to see this first. Read the FREE Report Before They Notice.