'U' given $47.8M for life sciences

By Anna Clark

Daily Staff Reporter

With a recent $47.8 million state grant, the University and its unique partnership with Michigan State University, Wayne State University and the Van Andel Institute are poised to move forward in its plans for life sciences research.

The University's total includes grants awarded directly to faculty and companies developing University technology.

The December announcement of the grant is the first transfer of funds for the Life Sciences Corridor, under which the state appropriates revenue from its lawsuits against tobacco companies "to nurture the biotechnology industry and research base here in the state of Michigan," University spokeswoman Sally Pobojewski said.

The money will support the development of five core research centers at the separate universities campuses and the Van Andel Institute, a private tate research center in Grand Rapids, said Lee Cattarall, assistant to University Vice President for Research Fawwaz Ulaby. The University will be home to two centers - the Michigan Proteome Consortium and the Michigan Center for Biological Information.

Cattarall said University biochemistry Prof. Philip Andrews was appointed director of the MPC, while microbiology Prof. Michael Savageau and mathematics Prof. Philip Hanlon were chosen as co-directors of the MCBI.

Hanlon said he was excited about his role in the project.

"Working in bioinformatics is especially interesting because it's such a rapidly changing field," Hanlon said. "It will be wonderful to have all the work of these various institutions connected."

The centers will be available for the use of corridor scientists across the state, which will encourage increased collaboration, Pobojewski said.

University Vice President for Medical Affairs Gil Omenn said this collaboration will yield significant results.

"The Corridor investment in major 'infrastructure technologies' will enable and empower University of Michigan scientists and their collaborators to undertake major studies dependent upon such equipment and technical services," Omenn said in a written statement.

Cattarall said the project is notable because of the partnership.

"It's important to emphasize that this is a unique collaboration of the universities, the state and the private sector," Cattarall said. "Nothing by this scale has ever been done before."

Omenn echoed similar comments.

"The Corridor has attracted attention from many other states as a bold model for state investment and for academic-industry collaboration," he said.

Michigan State biochemistry and molecular biology Prof. Jack Preiss, who will co-direct the Michigan Center for Structural Biology with Prof. Shelagh Ferguson-Miller, said the collaboration not only brings about an increase of knowledge but also the "increased commercialization" of science for the state of Michigan.

"By promoting the interaction and collaborations of University faculty and the industrial scientists from companies such as Pfiezer, Dow and Upjohn-Pharmacia, we can increase employment and recruit and retain high quality faculty and young scientists in scientific areas in the state of Michigan," Priess said.

He added that the ongoing research and sophisticated equipment attained by the grant should attract "very good scientists and very good professors, which will allow us to do high quality research."

Omenn also pointed out the opportunities possible.

"The aim is to enhance the national competitiveness of our faculty and the attractiveness of the University for the very best students, staff, and faculty recruitments," he said. "Simultaneously, we aim, with our partners, to strengthen and diversify the Michigan economy."