Executive Summary
Objectives:
Establish an internationally recognized Center for Integrated Biotechnology to facilitate and expand training and research programs in this area at WSU. The Center promotes faculty collaborations, maintains state-of-the-art core laboratories, enhances industry interactions, facilitates intellectual property development and technology transfer, and assists in economic development in the region.
Goals:
- Expand the scope, size and quality of both graduate and undergraduate educational programs in the area of biotechnology.
- Enhance research in the area of biotechnology through central service Core Laboratories, small grants programs, and activities such as seminars, retreats and meetings.
- Enhance Intellectual Property development and transfer for WSU in the area of biotechnology.
- Enhance industry interactions through assistance with spin-out companies, technology transfer, trainee rotations and placement, as well as increased interactions with industry organizations.
Organization:
The Center director is assisted by an internal Steering Committee of relevant College representatives and an External Advisory Board of biotechnology industry representatives. This is an interdisciplinary Center involving numerous Departments, Colleges and Branch Campuses at WSU. The membership consists of independent investigators from across the University and participating units involved in biotechnology research such as the Center for Reproductive Biology, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Cancer Center, Agricultural Research Center, School of Molecular Biosciences, Department of Veterinary Microbiology & Pathology, Program in Bioengineering, and others.
Faculty:
The Center has over 164 independent faculty as members. Within the laboratories of these faculty members are over 500 students, postdoctoral fellows and technical staff. This number of faculty makes the Center for Integrated Biotechnology one of the largest organized Centers in the country.
Educational Program:
Undergraduate research will be facilitated by stipends to work in active research laboratories. The Graduate educational program in Biotechnology that exists in the School of Molecular Biosciences will also be exhanced and made university-wide. Graduate top-off fellowships will be used to enhance this program. Industry interactions will facilitate the educational programs with internships in biotechnology companies to assist in placement and training.
Research Programs:
The biotechnology research at WSU will be facilitated by the Center through Core Laboratories that provide centralized services (e.g. Genomics, Bioinformatics and Proteomics). Multi-investigator program grants will also be facilitated by the Center activities.
Activities
Center activities that facilitate education and research programs include a seminar series, yearly retreat, sponsorship of regional and state symposia and meetings, development of policy issue forums and marketing to facilitate industry interactions.
Technology Transfer:
The Center provides an interface with the Office of Intellectual Property Administration and the investigator to facilitate intellectual property development. Center interactions established with legal and industry organizations enhance this process. The objective is to facilitate technology transfer and development at WSU.
Industry Interactions:
The Center promotes interactions between WSU investigators and programs with the biotechnology industry. This involves providing assistance to spin-out biotechnology companies. Enhancing trainee placement within the industry to assist companies and training programs. The Centers representation in regional and national biotechnology associations also facilitates industry interactions. One of the major objectives of the Center is to strengthen WSU and biotechnology industry interactions.
Information:
Additional information on the Center for Integrated Biotechnology and its programs can be obtained at its Web site: http://www.biotechnology.wsu.edu or by email at biotechnology@wsu.edu or by phone at 509-335-1771.
