Medical Research Powerhouses, Who has their fingers in the pie? Options

[Kagetenshi]

Who all would be heavily involved in medical research in the Shadowrun world? Obviously DocWagon and CrashCart, but who else? Probably CATCo via Cross Biomedical, Yamatetsu through CrashCart, and Shiawase (they license most of the nanomedical devices CrashCart has, plus their massive amounts of bioware).
Who else?

~J

[El_Machinae]

Me!

I'm working on my cryobiology Ph.D. right now, and by 2063 I expect my company will be in full swing. As a biologist, I often enjoy predicting medical advances.

Wouldn't everyone that scores high points in the bioware section of M&M be expected to be real players in the medical industry? I mean, muscle aug is nice, but I betcha there are WAY more customers interested in staying alive when they get old

[Kagetenshi]

Not necessarily. Proteus AG primarily deals with bioware as it aids their specific aims of adapting metahumans to underwater conditions, Bob knows what Yakashima does, Aztechnology seems to be primarily involved in birth control and cosmetic biomods; your basic Azzie projects, feed into the base consumer. S-K does everything, but they specify that it's mostly known for sticking bioware in critters, Tan Tien does most of its research to sell to other people, and Transys mostly is in the biocomputer department, so out of those the only real possibilities for biomedical seems to be Yakashima, S-K, and maybe Aztechnology.
Note that they could still do these things, I just don't think that the descriptions of their bioware involvement suggest it.

~J

[Adarael]

Aztechnology as of right now is just ramping up their bioware department to top-notch.

Why?

They picked up some kind of deal with Universal Omnitech, who are the kings of all things biological.

[Kagetenshi]

But does this involve a similar increase in non-bioware biomedical research? We're talking surgical techniques and non-performance-enhancing bioware (performance-restoring stuff, like artificial noses) here.
Also, any chance you could give note of the source? Thanks.

~J

[Adarael]

If they've cut a deal with UO, I don't see why they wouldn't be. Reasons being as follows:

1) UO's always been way more than bioware. They're the undisputed champs of gene therapy and genetic engineering (remember the bloats, from Shadowtech?)
2) Aztechnology's always wanted a more active hand in how people develop from childhood (from Aztlan sourcebook, not to mention their super-powerful propaganda corps, etc)
3) With the pollution index in Aztlan, they really need more than just 'ware. They need some serious genetic adaptation.

I believe the pickup of UO is in SoTA, YoTC, or Shadows of North America.

It's one of the relatively new books that my GM says I'm not allowed to look at. <G>

[Kagetenshi]

Something that I should've thought of earlier: my game is set in 2055, so Novatech is right out and Fuchi might still be in. Any idea how much if any medical work Fuchi did, or when CrashCart was established?
*Curses the fact that he left his copy of Corporate Download at home*

~J

[Nath]

The big names in genetics and nanotechnology, two fields that are likely to be the core of advanced medecine in 2063, have been already given: Universal Omnitech, Aztechnology (through their subsidiary Génétique), Shiawase Biotech, Yamatetsu, Cross Biomedical... Renraku has Genecraft in Australia (the one who did the floating blob back in '54 IIRC Shadowtech). Tan Tien of China seems to be big in every fields of research.

If it's about the brain, Transys Neuronet, Mitsuhamaand even Ares are your men (look at those who manufactures neural prog system in the Cannon Companion). By tha way talking of Mitsuhama, they could also be big in magical healing, along with Aztechnology and Saeder-Krupp (S-K who is big everywhere, so why not in medical research as well ?).

In pharmaceuticals, Zeta-ImpChem, AG Chemie Europa and Yakashima (BTW IIRC, Biogene was previously owned by Aztechnology and Yamatetsu, before ending in Yakashima's hands ; I don't remember the exact date). There are also Komatsu and Eastern Star Pharmaceuticals name popping up in some books.

For emergency medical services, you know the names, DocWagon, CrashCart (Yamatetsu group), MediCarro (Aztechnology), BuMoNa (AG Chemie Europa)... I would expect maybe companies like Knight Errant, Lone Star or Franklin Associates to have somwhere small subsdiaries in the sector too. I'm not sure any would be big in research for that though.

As a side note, both Zurich-Orbital Gemeinshaft Bank and Yamatetsu (at their Shibanojuki station) propose SOTA orbital medical treatments for the rich.

[FlakJacket]

Cyberpirates also mentions the John Hopkins corp operating down in Haiti - since they got booted by the Federal government for metahuman experimentation. Not sure what level they're operating at now though.