San Diego's once vibrant biotech ecosystem is facing a prolonged downturn marked by scarce funding, rising lab vacancy rates, and widespread layoffs. Industry professionals, including former Illumina engineer Vince Kato, report monthslong job searches without success amid a contracting market exacerbated by geopolitical and policy disruptions under the Trump administration. The region's life science sector remains challenged despite its status as the third largest biotech cluster in the U.S., highlighting a broader malaise affecting innovation and workforce stability in key biotech hubs.