Regent Fred DuVal honored at the 2025 AZBio Awards

Regent Fred DuVal was honored with the AZBio Public Service Award in recognition of his transformative leadership in advancing bioscience at Arizona’s public universities and his enduring commitment to public service.

“Regent DuVal is innovative by nature. The true essence of his leadership is collaboration and taking that collaboration to make new and interesting ideas,” said Arizona Board of Regents Executive Director Chad Sampson. “He understands what the state really needs and more importantly, he connects with people. He listens, he learns and he works alongside them to find solutions. That is really his superpower.”

The AZBio Public Service Award is presented to individuals who have served in elected or appointed public roles and demonstrated exceptional leadership in enhancing Arizona’s bioscience business climate. Over two terms on the board, Regent DuVal has led initiatives that reshaped the state’s higher education and research infrastructure.

During his tenure, Regent DuVal spearheaded efforts to advance the development of groundbreaking university discoveries into market-ready products and services that benefit both people and the economy. This includes launching the Regents' Research and Community Grants program, which connects university researchers with government agencies and community organizations to address longstanding challenges in Arizona. Since its inception in 2022, and with funding from the Technology & Research Initiative Fund, more than $36 million has been allocated to support 23 research projects in areas of greatest need and interest to Arizonans. 

Examples of Regents’ Grants include the board’s tech transfer initiative, “A Roadmap to Fulfilling the Economic Potential of Technology Transfer in the Life Sciences and Biomedicine in Arizona.” The three-year project aims to accelerate the commercialization of university research and amplify the economic impact of tech transfer in life sciences, biomedicine and high-tech. Additional projects are researching methods to lower levels of cancer-causing “forever chemicals” (PFAS) among firefighters and developing smarter, cost-effective watering solutions for Arizona cities.

Delivering solutions for Arizona reflects Regent DuVal’s core belief that research should not remain in the lab, it should transform lives.

“My father came to Arizona in 1963 as the founding dean of the University of Arizona College of Medicine, which brought me here. While Tucson was chosen for good reasons, Phoenix remained unfinished business and I’ve taken that up as a regent. I’m finishing my father’s legacy and very proud of that,” said Regent DuVal. “When university research meets forward-thinking industry, magic happens. Arizona has the assets, and by aligning education with industry needs, we can grow innovation and drive economic opportunity.”

The 2025 AZBio Awards brought together Arizona’s bioscience community to celebrate the visionaries shaping the state’s life sciences landscape. Governor Katie Hobbs opened the ceremony with remarks highlighting Arizona’s growing prominence in bioscience innovation and the critical role of public-private collaboration in advancing health, education and economic development. 

As the bioscience community gathered to honor its trailblazers, Regent DuVal’s recognition served as a reminder that collaborative public service is essential to scientific progress.