September 28, 2004

Purdue, IU medical school form joint life sciences research program

The Indiana University School of Medicine and Purdue University have formed a pilot program to promote biomedical research collaborations.

The program will provide $150,000 this fiscal year for grants to enable researchers from the two universities to team up on work that is likely to spawn larger ongoing programs and attract outside funding.

"While both universities have top biomedical researchers, collaborations in this area represent a largely untapped resource for Indiana," said Charles O. Rutledge, Purdue's vice provost for research. "We intend to take advantage of this resource, and we are encouraging researchers to create joint proposals and apply for funding under this new program."

Robert B. Jones, executive associate dean for strategic planning, analysis and operations at the IU School of Medicine, said the program will concentrate on a few focused areas within biomedical research.

"We hope the project serves as a catalyst for new interactions between the schools' researchers," Jones said. "Anything that can be done to increase biomedical research here makes sense for Indiana."

The state has grown into a globally recognized center for medical devices, including orthopedic products, diagnostics and cardiac implants. Central Indiana is home to a burgeoning "life sciences corridor," which stretches from Bloomington through Indianapolis to West Lafayette. The corridor includes IU's Emerging Technology Center and Purdue's Discovery Park, now linked by a high-performance optical fiber network, known as I-Light.

Educators, business and political leaders in 2002 created the Central Indiana Life Sciences Initiative to develop the region as a world-class center for the life sciences industry. Later renamed BioCrossroads, the ultimate goal of the initiative is to increase the number of jobs, businesses and research opportunities in the life sciences industry, positively impacting the state's economy and the health and well-being of Hoosiers.

Researchers who want to compete for the grants must prepare joint proposals and submit them to either Jones or Rutledge by 5 p.m. on Nov. 15. Up to three proposals will be funded after review by a joint committee of the two institutions. The awards will be announced in early December for a start date as early as Jan. 1.

Writers: Emil Venere, (765) 494-4709, venere@purdue.edu

Mary Hardin, (317) 274-7722, mhardin@iupui.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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