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Two South Carolina Universities Join in Biotech Partnership

Posted on: Friday, 8 July 2005, 00:00 CDT

Jul. 7--South Carolina State and Claflin have joined the state's "big three" research universities in a three-year, $13.5 million collaboration in biotechnology.

The partnership could build momentum for S.C. State's neuroscience program and further boost Claflin's ongoing research into ways to fight deadly illnesses.

"It's a mutually beneficial relationship for all of us," said Dr. George E. Miller III, Claflin's executive assistant for government relations and research.

Miller was among the speakers at a news conference Wednesday in the Capitol rotunda in Columbia, announcing a $9 million grant by the National Science Foundation.

The money was awarded to the South Carolina partnership known as the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, or EPSCoR.

It must be matched with $4.5 million in non-federal funding, for a total of $13.5 million. The South Carolina Legislature has agreed to provide a portion of the matching funds.

Claflin will get about $750,000, which "will go a long way in continuing our effort and building our program, a nationally recognized program of undergraduate research," Miller said.

"We're focusing mainly on cancer and AIDS research, and we've recently started an emphasis in bio-informatics," he said. "These are all very important to all segments of the American population."

They are also of particular concern to African-Americans and Southerners, who suffer disproportionately from disparities in health care.

"The way technology is moving today, it's extremely important that we give undergraduates research experiences as early as possible. At Claflin University we are doing just that," Miller said.

He said the grant will give Claflin's undergraduates "opportunities to work with world-class researchers" at the University of South Carolina, Clemson University and the Medical University of South Carolina.

"Each of the institutions individually brings to the table certain strengths," S.C. State President Dr. Andrew Hugine Jr. said.

"Imagine what happens when all of those students come together collectively." They get a more comprehensive education, and "the competitiveness of the state will be even greater," Hugine said.

S.C. State's share of the grant is approximately $1.8 million. "These funds will be directed for increasing our faculty and exposing our students to research early on," Hugine said.

"It has been shown over and over again, the earlier they engage in research activities, the more successful they will be in the future," he said.

This initiative represents yet another bond between the S.C. State and the NSF. S.C. State is the lead institution for the NSF-funded SCAMP program, Hugine noted.

USC will earmark its share of the funds for research in biological engineering, the convergence of biology and engineering, USC President Andrew A. Sorensen said.

Clemson will focus on bio-informatics, especially plant genomics, said Dr. Christian E.G. Przirembel, Clemson vice president for research and economic development.

MUSC will focus on the neurosciences, particularly drug discovery and development, President Raymond S. Greenberg said. MUSC also will establish a center for state-of-the-art investigations of brain and neural function.

About $1 million of the new NSF grant will be used to develop and initiate Small Business Innovative Research projects in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

"Any time we can bring together the strengths of our state's outstanding research universities, it's a major win for the citizens of South Carolina," Commerce Secretary Bob Faith said in a statement.

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Source: The Times and Democrat, Orangeburg, South Carolina

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