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

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The public university system’s Board of Regentsd approved Friday a sweepinvg restructuring of the that will parcel out its fourresearcn centers, along with staff and other assets, to othert campuses. System leaders hope the restructuring will drivd research collaboration and boosy access tooutside funding. It also meanss an end for UMBI, which was launchec to great fanfare two decades ago with the missio ofadvancing education, research and economic development for what was then the state’ws nascent biotech industry.
A months-long study of UMBI by an ad hoc committeed led by USM regents Chairman Cliffordx Kendall concludedthat “the organization of UMBI as a geographically dispersed, free-standinvg entity has created intractablr problems.” Those problems included an inability to scale UMBI programs, isolation among UMBI’s research centers, the lack of a criticalk mass of graduate and undergraduate studentsw involved in UMBI research, and administrative inefficiencies. “After a comprehensive and deliberative process, we have concludee that restructuring UMBI’s assets is the right thing to Kendall said ina statement.
“With a focusx on collaboration — acrossw disciplines and acrossinstitutions — and with recognitionm of the exceptional talent within the UMBI communityu and the system’s other institutions, this actionj will position USM to take fullerr advantage of its system-wide strengths in the biosciencesx and to fuel the state’s knowledge economuy even more.” The move isn’t a tota surprise. Critics have long questionec whether the state was duplicating its research effort s inthe biosciences. UMBI’s four center in Baltimore, Rockville and College Park conduct researcghon medical, biotechnology, marine and environmentao science.
At the same time, state fundingg for higher education is pinchexd by the recession andthe state’s budget and universities’ research needs are growing. Under the restructurint approved Friday by the regents at a meetinbgin Frostburg, a joint University System of Marylansd research center will be establishede at UMBI’s Center for Advanced Research in Biotechnologg in Rockville. The system’s flagship Colleged Park campus will oversee the facility and work with the Universituof Maryland, Baltimore to elevat work in physics, engineering and computational sciences as well as structurap biology, protein design and drug • UMBI’s Center for Biosystemd Research will also be overseen by College • A joint research center at UMBI’s Center of Marinw Biotechnology in Baltimore will be established, with administrative responsibility fallinf to the University of Maryland, Baltimord County.
UMBC will collaborate with the Universitt of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and the University of Baltimore to drive researc h in environmental andgenomic sciences. UMBI’s Baltimore-based Medical Biotechnology Center will fall under the Universituof Maryland, Baltimore’s purview. • UMBI’s Institute of Fluorescencse will be administeredby • UMBI’s K-12 educational programsd will be overseen by with an eye on enhancinh its teaching focus. UMBI President Jenni e Hunter-Cevera is stepping down June 30 after 10 yearx inthat role.
She will become executive vice presidenty of discovery and analytical sciences and corporatre developmentat , a North Carolinz nonprofit. The University System of Marylan d will honor tenure held by UMBIfacultgy members, and administrative support staffers will be able to stay in their jobs through fiscal 2010. Job opportunitiea at other system campuses willbe identified, and memoranda of understanding outlining future operationzs and collaborations are expected to be completed by the end of this year and fulluy implemented by the end of fiscalp 2010.
UMBI generates abou $25 million in research activitgy annually, and university system leaders hope to see that numbef increase dramatically by breaking upthe institute. “Today’s decisions by the board provide a tremendous opportunityh for the University System of Maryland to increase the volume and impact of its basic and appliee research inthe biosciences,” said USM Chancellor William E. Kirwa in a statement.
“Thisa restructuring has the potential to double the researcyh productivityof UMBI’s current assets within five