On April 13, 2007, TGen North officially opened its doors in the Flagstaff Airport Business Park, with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony led by city, state, and national leaders. In February 2008, TGen North began its Phase II expansion to nearly double its size. David Engelthaler, the former Arizona State Epidemiologist and Arizona Biodefense Coordinator, provides the day-to-day management of TGen North. The research capabilities of the new lab include a variety of PCR-based analyses, genetic sequencing, Biosafety Level 1 and 2 pathogen handling, forensic genetic analysis of biothreat agents, and bioinformatic analyses. TGen North also has access to the new advanced Biosafety Level 3 facilities on the NAU campus and the comprehensive genomic research capabilities of TGen Headquarters in Phoenix. In addition to NAU, TGen North has many local, national and international research partners, including universities, biotech companies, security agencies, health care providers, and public health departments.

TGen North programs are funded by multiple federal, local, commercial and non-profit entities that support medical diagnostics, forensic analyses and biodefense-related work including the Department of Defense, Department of Justice, the National Institutes of Health, the Arizona Biomedical Research Commission and others. Support from local and national leaders, such as former Flagstaff City Mayor Joe Donaldson, the Flagstaff City Council, and former U.S. Congressman Rick Renzi, was key to planning and launching TGen North. The launch and success of TGen North in Flagstaff is a significant step for both establishing a biosciences corridor in Arizona and furthering economic development in Flagstaff.

TGen North is already making great strides in pathogen genomic research including the identification of new diagnostic signatures for pathogens that cause pneumonia and sepsis, analyzing the genome of Coccidioides posadasii, which is the cause of Valley Fever, developing and applying new metagenomic analysis tools towards various aspects of the human microbiome, and developing new forensic tools for biothreat agent analysis.

Research Centers:
Center for Public Health and Clinical Pathogens
Center for Dangerous Pathogens
Center for Microbiomics and Human Health
Center for Pathogen Information

Vision:

Mission:
Advancing Public Health, Clinical Medicine and Biodefense through targeted microbial genomics.

Values:
Team, Leadership, Vision, Responsibility, Growth, Change.

Strategies:
- Employ experienced, talented and energetic personnel to provide leadership, conduct research, and provide administrative support
- Focus on research that is important locally and has impacts globally
- Develop and maintain strong local, national and international partnerships with other research institutions, universities, health care providers, biotech companies, public health agencies, security and defense agencies and community groups
- Strive to produce research outcomes that not only positively impact medicine and public health, but that also impact the local community by increasing the standard of living and employment (e.g., attract partners to move to area; develop spin-off companies; etc.)

Goals:
- Use state of the art genomics to analyze genetic material from pathogens important to medicine, public health, and biodefense
- Develop new genomic diagnostic and analytical tools for pathogen identification and phylogenetic and phenotypic characterization
- Partner with public health officials to conduct molecular epidemiologic analyses to assist with disease outbreak investigations
- Develop the capacity to conduct forensic analysis on genetic material from potential biothreat agents as part of biodefense-related investigations

Collaborations:
- TGen North works within the Pathogen Genomics Division and across other TGen Divisions to make best use of TGen's talent and resources

- TGen North is intrinsically linked to NAU's Microbial Genetics and Genomics Laboratory (P. Keim – Director) and collaborates on projects and resources

- TGen North is a Northern Arizona partner of the Biosciences Research Corridor, including TGen HQ, ASU, Biodesign, IGC, BIO5, etc.

- TGen North is physically located near the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which will increase connectivity on biodefense activities

- TGen North has a close association with the Arizona Department of Health Services as well as a number of programs within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which increases its potential to impact public health

- TGen North has ongoing collaborations with biotechnology companies and healthcare institutions which will help speed the translation of outcomes of bench research to clinical practice

- TGen North has a seat on the Northern Arizona Bioscience Roadmap Steering committee, coordinated by The Flinn Foundation and Battelle.

- TGen North has close association with the Greater Flagstaff Economic Council and the City of Flagstaff