Contact: Sue Nichols, University Relations, (517) 353-8942, nichols@msu.edu
6/29/2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. � Michigan State University will use some $3.7 million to explore ways to develop better pharmaceutical drugs and health care products, and bring them to market to help strengthen Michigan's economy.
Four MSU research teams are among 22 applicants who will share about $24 million in funding to spur the development of Michigan's Technology Tri-Corridor. The funding will advance basic and applied research in Michigan's growing life sciences industry, and support commercialization in the life sciences, homeland security and advanced automotive technology sectors that give the Tri-Corridor its name.
The grants were announced by Gov. Jennifer Granholm today. The four MSU projects are:
- $403,316 for research that is poised to enter the commercial market. Ramani Narayan, professor of chemical and biochemical engineering, pursues new ways to deliver pharmaceutical drugs, such as a transparent gel that would be more comfortable, and potentially safer, than medicinal eye drops.
"We thought this was perfectly suited for the technology tri-corridor because it offers a way to change the state's economic base," Narayan said. "Products like this have the potential to create higher paying technical jobs, and help us retain our qualified students."
- $1,369,097 to explore the use of nanotechnology to mimic cell membranes. The resulting novel sensors and catalysts can form the basis for the development of health-care products. The lead researcher is Mark Worden, professor of chemical engineering and materials science.
- $308,432 to use metal catalysts to create organic compounds that can serve as building blocks for new pharmaceutical drugs. The primary researcher is Robert Maleczka, associate professor or chemistry, who collaborates with chemistry professor Mitch Smith.
"Michigan and Pfizer Inc. are very closely coupled, and Pfizer is a company that has very generously provided us with quite a bit of equipment," Maleczka said. "The fact that we can use funding from the state, and accept equipment from a Michigan company, to develop chemistry that could potentially aid the state economy is a nice synergy."
- $1,607,533 in continued funding for the Michigan Center for Structural Biology. Under the co-direction of Jack Preiss and Shelagh Ferguson-Miller, both of whom are university distinguished professors in the department of biochemistry and molecular biology, the center uses state-of-the-art equipment to study the structure of proteins and other biological molecules of central importance in biomedical research.
The Technology Tri-Corridor is administered by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and built on the successful model of the Michigan Life Sciences Corridor. Between 2000 and 2004, the Life Sciences Corridor Fund and Technology Tri-Corridor Fund have allocated a total of more than $200 million through 118 awards.
For the news release from the Michigan Economic Development Corp., visit http://medc.michigan.org/news/major/combo.asp?ContentId=5880B049-2517-4C54-B68E-760AF0C905AB&QueueId=1&ContentTypeId=7