New Lilly Grant to INGEN Builds on ‘Intellectual Capital’
For the second time in three years, Lilly Endowment Inc. has
demonstrated a powerful commitment to Indiana University’s
role in life sciences research and education, this time by awarding
$50 million to advance the university’s burgeoning Indiana
Genomics Initiative.
The Lilly Endowment presented the grant in early April, stipulating
the amount be used in areas of greatest need within INGEN. In doing
so, it advances IU as a biomedical research institution and fosters
a robust life sciences enterprise that could transform Indiana’s
struggling economy. The initiative was launched in December 2000
with a $105 million grant from the endowment, the largest ever made
by the Indianapolis-based philanthropic organization and the largest
single grant ever received by the university.
“By helping IU attract top-flight researchers and strengthen
its role in this highly competitive area, this grant will build
upon the intellectual capital of our state, so vital to Indiana’s
future prosperity,” says Lilly Endowment President N. Clay
Robbins. “We also are encouraged about the promise INGEN programs
hold to address a broad range of health challenges people face all
across the world.”
The cornerstone of INGEN’s success is education, notes IU
interim President Gerald Bepko, who acknowledges the work of former
IU President Myles Brand to develop INGEN and the life sciences
during his tenure.
“Our university has a rich tradition as a leader in the quest
for scientific knowledge through research and teaching,” says
Interim President Bepko. “An investment such as this one by
the endowment is a magnet for growth in life sciences and can establish
cutting-edge facilities to attract talented researchers. We’re
appreciative of the confidence the endowment is showing in us to
invest in the future through the Indiana Genomics Initiative.”
IU has yet to determine how the $50 million grant will be used,
but one possibility is to supplement construction of new facilities
and lab space at the IU School of Medicine in Indianapolis. Some
of the funds are earmarked for INGEN programs on the Bloomington
campus.
Indeed, possessing the space to expand INGEN and all IU School
of Medicine research is crucial, says Dean D. Craig Brater, MD,
Walter J. Daly Professor. He says a recently completed space analysis
at IUSM in Indianapolis reveals that 345,000 square feet of new
laboratory space is needed to house all current and projected INGEN
programs. Bloomington officials have identified the need for an
additional 160,000 square feet.
“The individuals we are recruiting are highly sought after,
and one of the deciding issues for any good researcher is the quality
and amount of lab space available,” Dr. Brater says. “These
faculty provide the very best of medical education and help train
the future workforce and clinicians in our state.”
That sentiment is shared by Kumble Subbaswamy, PhD, dean of the
College of Arts and Sciences in Bloomington. “The grant allows
us to expand and outfit the Multidisciplinary Science Building on
our campus and to accommodate INGEN-related research and the people
who do it.”
IU has made great strides in developing strengths in genomics and
related fields since 2000. The initial Lilly Endowment grant has
made it possible to recruit new researchers and supporting scientists
and staff.
INGEN resources already have helped bring $32 million in new research
grants to IU, and an additional $36 million in grant applications
are currently under review. The initial grant also expanded proteomics
lab space, imaging and other advanced technologies necessary for
genomics research and education.
IUSM’s other medical education centers in Bloomington, Terre
Haute, Evansville, Muncie, Lafayette, Fort Wayne, South Bend and
Gary also will benefit from Lilly Endowment’s largesse.
“Each of these campuses is a spoke in a statewide biomedical
wheel with Indianapolis at its hub,” Dr. Brater says. “We
can use the power and promise of INGEN to engage all of our medical
centers to ensure that the School of Medicine attains its goal of
becoming one of the top ten public medical schools in the United
States.”
IU leaders concur that the future of INGEN and life sciences research
in Indiana requires a cohesive effort and support from government,
private industry and the philanthropic community. The bottom line
is that no single source of funding will be able to meet all the
needs, but the latest Lilly Endowment grant makes it possible to
leverage money from other sectors.
For more information about INGEN, see www.ingen.iu.edu.
For more on INGEN progress, go to www.medicine.indiana.edu/news_releases/archive_03/lillysidebar_03.htm.
|
