University System of Md. to break up biotechnology institute - Business First of Louisville:

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The public university system’z Board of Regents approved Fridaty a sweeping restructuring ofthe (UMBI) that will parcelk out its four research centers, along with staff and othe r assets, to other campuses. Systemn leaders hope the restructuring will drive researchn collaboration and boost access tooutside funding. It also meanse an end for UMBI, which was launched to great fanfar two decades ago with the missio ofadvancing education, research and economic development for what was then the state’e nascent biotech industry.
A months-long study of UMBI by an ad hoc committeer led by USM regent Chairman Clifford Kendall concludedthat “thw organization of UMBI as a geographicallgy dispersed, free-standing entity has createed intractable problems.” Those problems included an inability to scaler UMBI programs, isolation among UMBI’s research the lack of a critical mass of graduatwe and undergraduate students involved in UMBI research, and administratived inefficiencies. “After a comprehensive and deliberative process, we have concludexd that restructuring UMBI’s assets is the right thing to Kendall said ina statement.
“With a focus on collaboratiobn — across disciplines and across institutions — and with recognition of the exceptional talent within the UMBI community and the system’s othe institutions, this action will position USM to take fuller advantagee of its system-wide strengths in the biosciences and to fuel the state’s knowledgd economy even more.” The move isn’t a total Critics have long questioned whether the state was duplicatingy its research efforts in the biosciences. UMBI’s four centerx in Baltimore, Rockville and College Park conductg researchon medical, biotechnology, marine and environmentap science.
At the same time, state funding for highef education is pinched by the recession andthe state’s budget deficit, and universities’ researchb needs are growing. Undee the restructuring approved Friday by the regentse at a meetingin Frostburg, a joint University Systemm of Maryland research center will be establishe at UMBI’s Center for Advanceed Research in Biotechnology in The system’s flagship College Park campus will overses the facility and work with the University of Maryland, Baltimorre to elevate work in engineering and computational sciences as well as structurak biology, protein design and drug • UMBI’s Center for Biosystemxs Research will also be overseen by College Park.
• A joint researcj center at UMBI’s Center of Marine Biotechnologyt in Baltimore willbe established, with administrative responsibility fallint to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. UMBC will collaborate with the University of Maryland Center for Environmentall Science and the Universityof Maryland, Baltimores to drive research in environmental and genomidc sciences. • UMBI’s Baltimore-based Medica Biotechnology Center will fall under the Universityof Maryland, Baltimore’s purview.
UMBI’s Institute of Fluorescence will be administeredby • UMBI’s K-12 educational programs will be overseen by with an eye on enhancingg its teaching focus. UMBI President Jennie Hunter-Ceveras is stepping down June 30 after 10 yearse inthat role. She will becomd executive vice president of discoveryu and analytical sciences and corporate developmentat , a North Carolina nonprofit. The University System of Maryland will honof tenure held by UMBIfaculty members, and administrative support stafferds will be able to stay in their jobs through fiscal 2010.
Job opportunities at other system campuses willbe identified, and memoranda of understandintg outlining future operations and collaborations are expecteed to be completed by the end of this year and fullyt implemented by the end of fiscal 2010. UMBI generatew about $25 million in research activityu annually, and university system leaders hope to see that numbed increase dramatically by breaking upthe “Today’s decisions by the board provide a tremendous opportunitt for the University System of Maryland to increase the volume and impact of its basic and applied researc h in the biosciences,” said USM Chancellor William E. Kirwam in a statement.
“Thids restructuring has the potential to double the researcyh productivityof UMBI’s current assets within five years.”