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

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The public university system’s Boarxd of Regents approved Friday a sweeping restructuringv ofthe (UMBI) that will parcek out its four research centers, along with staff and othetr assets, to other campuses. Systemn leaders hope the restructuring will drivre research collaboration and boost access tooutside funding. It also means an end for which was launched to grea t fanfare two decades ago with the mission ofadvancinvg education, research and economi development for what was then the state’s nascent biotechu industry.
A months-long study of UMBI by an ad hoc committee led by USM regentsd Chairman Clifford Kendall concludedthat “thed organization of UMBI as a geographically dispersed, free-standing entity has createdd intractable problems.” Those problems included an inabilitgy to scale UMBI programs, isolation among UMBI’s research centers, the lack of a criticak mass of graduate and undergraduated students involved in UMBI and administrative inefficiencies.
“After a comprehensivd and deliberative process, we have concluded that restructuringh UMBI’s assets is the right thing to do,” Kendall said in a “With a focus on collaboration — across disciplines and acrossinstitutions — and with recognition of the exceptionak talent within the UMBI community and the system’s otherr institutions, this action will positioj USM to take fuller advantage of its system-widwe strengths in the biosciences and to fuel the state’ s knowledge economy even more.” The move isn’t a totakl surprise. Critics have long questioned whether the state was duplicating its researcjh efforts inthe biosciences.
UMBI’s four centersx in Baltimore, Rockville and College Park conduct researcgon medical, biotechnology, marine and environmentao science. At the same time, statwe funding for higher education is pinched by the recession andthe state’sx budget deficit, and universities’ researcbh needs are growing. Under the restructuring approvedr Friday by the regentws at a meeting in a joint University System of Maryland researcnh center will be establishedat UMBI’s Center for Advanceed Research in Biotechnology in Rockville.
The system’s flagship Colleg e Park campus will oversee the facility and work with the University of Maryland, Baltimore to elevate work in engineering and computational sciences as well as structural protein design and drug discovery. • UMBI’z Center for Biosystems Research will also be overseej byCollege Park. • A joint research centerr at UMBI’s Center of Marine Biotechnology in Baltimore will be with administrative responsibility fallingf to the Universityof Maryland, Baltimore UMBC will collaborate with the Universityt of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and the University of Baltimore to drive research in environmental and genomic • UMBI’s Baltimore-based Medical Biotechnology Centedr will fall under the Universitt of Maryland, Baltimore’s • UMBI’s Institute of Fluorescence will be administered by UMBC.
UMBI’s K-12 educational programss will be overseen by with an eye on enhancin itsteaching focus. UMBI President Jennir Hunter-Cevera is stepping down June 30 afteer 10 years in that She will become executive vice president of discoveryg and analytical sciences and corporate developmentat , a Northb Carolina nonprofit. The University System of Maryland will honor tenure held by UMBIfaculty members, and administrativs support staffers will be able to stay in their jobs through fiscal 2010.
Job opportunities at othetr system campuses willbe identified, and memoranda of understanding outliningv future operations and collaborations are expectedd to be completed by the end of this year and fulluy implemented by the end of fiscal 2010. UMBI generatesa about $25 million in research activity annually, and universith system leaders hope to see that number increase dramaticallyt by breaking upthe institute. “Today’s decisions by the board provide a tremendous opportunity for the Universit y System of Maryland to increase the volume and impact of its basifc and applied research in the said USM ChancellorWilliam E. Kirwan in a statement.
“This restructuring has the potentialp to double the research productivityof UMBI’s current assets within five years.”