University of Maryland College Park and UMBI Formalize Cooperative Educational and Research Initiatives in
Nano-Biotechnology and Molecular Bioprocessing

Baltimore, MD - The University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute and the University of Maryland, College Park today announced they have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to provide the framework for the development and implementation of cooperative education and research programs between the two universities. The areas of cooperation include nano-biotechnology and molecular bioprocessing. Faculty at UMBI’s Center of Biosystems Research (CBR) in College Park and Center for Advanced Research in Biotechnology (CARB) in Rockville, created these partnerships with faculty from Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering.

“We are thrilled to finalize this agreement,” said Dr. Jennie Hunter-Cevera, President of UMBI “The combined talents of UMBI and Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering will enhance USM' s competitiveness in bionanoengineering, as well as support the development of the state’s economy and workforce in this area. UMBI continues to lead and partner to strengthen Maryland’s foothold in the life science sector.”

The two principal components of this Cooperative Program consists of an academic and educational component that will focus on creating and offering unique opportunities for advanced learning and training, as well as a research component that will focus on seeking support for and engaging in cooperative research in nano-biotechnology, molecular bioprocessing and related areas. The MOU will also seek to accelerate the commercial development of inventions and other intellectual property that result from this collaboration.

“This Cooperative Program furthers the goals of the College Park nano-bio community in at least three ways,” said Clark School dean Nariman Farvardin. “First, it will enrich the educational and research opportunities offered to students through the interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Bioengineering, based in the Clark School. Second, it will enable development of new nano-bio continuing education and professional development programs that will produce a trained workforce and help make nano-bio a successful new industry. Third, it will further stimulate the creation of new nano-bio discoveries and companies for our M-TECH technology entrepreneurship unit to grow and support. The Cooperative Program adds even greater depth to our already strong nano-bio capability, and we are extremely pleased to participate in it with UMBI."

Nanotechnology, and in particular nano-biotechnology, is a cornerstone of Maryland's future leadership in the global scientific community," said Chris Foster, State Chief Scientist and Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development. "During the first round of the Governor's Pappas Commission we really focused on how to better stimulate collaborations between Maryland's world class universities. This agreement is a great example of how much more we can do in a collaborative environment and what we will have to do to compete in the global knowledge economy.”

Potential topics for cooperative research include the development of new systems for elucidating the function of biological molecules, the creation of smart materials for virus and protein recognition, and the development and construction of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for assessing and controlling biochemical interactions and, eventually, pathways in vitro.
"Combining UMBI's and UMCP's expertise in nano-biotechnology and molecular bioprocessing will yield long-term benefits for the state of Maryland," said William E. Kirwan, chancellor of the University System Maryland. "I applaud the leaders and faculty of these two USM institutions for their vision and their collaborative efforts to build opportunities for our students and for the state's future."

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Celebrating our 20th anniversary year, UMBI is the first and only biotechnology research institute within the University System of Maryland and was established in 1985. The University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI) consists of five major research and education centers and is dedicated to advancing the frontiers of biotechnology. UMBI’s centers of research include: CARB, the Center for Advanced Research in Biotechnology located in Rockville; CBR, the Center for Biosystems Research located in College Park; and COMB, the Center of Marine Biotechnology, MBC, the Medical Biotechnology Center, and IHV, the Institute of Human Virology, all located in Baltimore. For more information, visit www.umbi.umd.edu