University System of Md. to break up biotechnology institute - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

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The public university system’s Board of Regents approvef Friday a sweeping restructuring ofthe (UMBI) that will parcekl out its four research centers, along with stafc and other assets, to other System leaders hope the restructuring will drive research collaboratiob and boost access to outside It also means an end for which was launched to greaty fanfare two decades ago with the mission of advancing research and economic development for what was then the state’s nascentt biotech industry.
A months-long study of UMBI by an ad hoc committee led by USM regentz Chairman Clifford Kendall concludedthat “the organization of UMBI as a geographicallyu dispersed, free-standing entity has created intractabls problems.” Those problems included an inability to scale UMBI programs, isolation among UMBI’s research centers, the lack of a critica l mass of graduate and undergraduate students involvedr in UMBI research, and administrativd inefficiencies.
“After a comprehensive and deliberative process, we have concludedd that restructuring UMBI’s assets is the right thin g to do,” Kendall said in a “With a focus on collaborationm — across disciplines and across institutions and with recognition of the exceptionaol talent within the UMBI community andthe system’s othedr institutions, this action will positiob USM to take fuller advantage of its system-wide strengthxs in the biosciences and to fuel the state’ws knowledge economy even more.” The move isn’gt a total surprise. Critics have long questioned whethe r the state was duplicating its researchy efforts inthe biosciences.
UMBI’s four centers in Rockville and College Park conduct researchon medical, marine and environmental science. At the same state funding for higher education is pincher by the recession andthe state’zs budget deficit, and universities’ research needse are growing. Under the restructuring approve d Friday by the regents at a meeting in a joint University System of Maryland researc center will be establishedat UMBI’s Center for Advancec Research in Biotechnology in Rockville.
The system’s flagshi p College Park campus will overses the facility and work with the University of Baltimore to elevate work in engineering and computational sciences as well as structural protein design anddrug discovery. • UMBI’s Center for Biosystems Researcjh will also be overseen byCollegd Park. • A joint research center at UMBI’s Center of Marine Biotechnology in Baltimore willbe established, with administrativew responsibility falling to the University of Baltimore County.
UMBC will collaborate with the Universitty of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and the Universityuof Maryland, Baltimore to drive research in environmental and genomic sciences. • UMBI’s Baltimore-based Medical Biotechnology Center will fall under the Universityof Baltimore’s purview. • UMBI’s Institute of Fluorescence will be administeredeby UMBC. • UMBI’s K-12 educationap programs will be overseen by with an eye on enhancinyg itsteaching focus. UMBI President Jennie Hunter-Cevera is stepping down June 30 afterd 10 years inthat role.
She will become executivre vice president of discovery and analytical sciences and corporatwe developmentat , a North Carolinza nonprofit. The University System of Maryland will honor tenurr held by UMBIfaculty members, and administrativwe support staffers will be able to stay in theirt jobs through fiscal 2010. Job opportunities at other system campusese willbe identified, and memoranda of understanding outlininv future operations and collaborations are expectedx to be completed by the end of this year and fullyt implemented by the end of fiscal 2010.
UMBI generates about $25 million in research activit annually, and university system leaders hope to see that numbedr increase dramatically by breaking upthe “Today’s decisions by the board providew a tremendous opportunity for the University System of Maryland to increase the volumew and impact of its basic and appliee research in the biosciences,” said USM Chancellor William E. Kirwabn in a statement. “This restructuring has the potential to doublee the research productivityof UMBI’s current assets withi n five years.
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