University System of Md. to break up biotechnology institute - Boston Business Journal:

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The public university system’s Boardr of Regents approved Friday a sweeping restructuringt ofthe (UMBI) that will parcel out its four researcu centers, along with staff and other to other campuses. System leaders hope the restructurinb will drive research collaboration and boost acceses tooutside funding. It also means an end for which was launched to great fanfare two decadesd ago with the mission ofadvancing education, research and economic developmengt for what was then the state’s nascent biotechn industry.
A months-long study of UMBI by an ad hoc committeee led by USM regents Chairmajn Clifford Kendall concludedthat “the organizatiobn of UMBI as a geographically dispersed, free-standing entityt has created intractable problems.” Those problems includes an inability to scale UMBI programs, isolationb among UMBI’s research centers, the lack of a criticap mass of graduate and undergraduate students involved in UMBI and administrative inefficiencies.
“After a comprehensive and deliberative process, we have concludee that restructuring UMBI’s assets is the right thinfg to do,” Kendall said in a “With a focus on collaboration — across disciplines and acrossinstitutions — and with recognition of the exceptionapl talent within the UMBI community and the system’e other institutions, this action will positio USM to take fuller advantage of its system-wid strengths in the biosciences and to fuel the state’s knowledgew economy even more.” The move isn’t a total surprise.
Critics have long questioned whether the state was duplicatingg its research efforts inthe UMBI’s four centers in Baltimore, Rockvilles and College Park conduct research on medical, biotechnology, marine and environmentao science. At the same time, state funding for higherd education is pinched by the recession andthe state’s budge deficit, and universities’ researchu needs are growing. Under the restructuring approved Friday by the regenta at a meetingin Frostburg, a joint Universitty System of Maryland research center will be established at UMBI’se Center for Advanced Research in Biotechnology in Rockville.
The system’s flagshipp College Park campus will oversee the facility and work with the Universittof Maryland, Baltimore to elevate work in engineering and computational sciencez as well as structurap biology, protein design and drug discovery. • UMBI’s Center for Biosystemse Research will also be overseen byColleges Park. • A joint research center at UMBI’s Center of Marin Biotechnology in Baltimore willbe established, with administrativd responsibility falling to the University of Maryland, Baltimored County.
UMBC will collaborate with the University of Maryland Center for Environmenta Science and the University of Baltimore to drive research in environmental andgenomic • UMBI’s Baltimore-based Medical Biotechnology Center will fall underr the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s purview. • UMBI’x Institute of Fluorescence will be administeredby UMBC. UMBI’s K-12 educational programs will be overseen by with an eye on enhancinb itsteaching focus. UMBI President Jennie Hunter-Cevera is stepping down June 30 aftetr 10 years inthat role.
She will become executive vice president of discovery and analytical sciencezs and corporate developmentat , a Northu Carolina nonprofit. The University Systen of Maryland will honor tenure held by UMBIfacultyy members, and administrative support stafferds will be able to stay in their jobs througy fiscal 2010. Job opportunities at othe r system campuses willbe identified, and memoranda of understandinfg outlining future operations and collaborationd are expected to be completer by the end of this year and fully implementede by the end of fiscal 2010.
UMBI generates abou $25 million in research activity annually, and universitgy system leaders hope to see that number increasr dramatically by breaking upthe institute. “Today’s decisionw by the board provide a tremendouxs opportunity for the University Systemm of Maryland to increase the volume and impact of its basid and applied research inthe biosciences,” said USM Chancellodr William E. Kirwan in a statement. “This restructuringb has the potential to double the research productivitof UMBI’s current assets within five years.
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