Center for Biotechnology: 2006/2007 Archive

September 24, 2007 - L to R: Dr. Yacov Shamash, Dean College of Engineering & Applied Science and VP Economic Development, Stony Brook University; Dr. Richard Fine, Dean, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University; Edward Reinfurt, Acting Executive Director, NYSTAR; Dr. Shirley Strum Kenny, President, Stony Brook University; New York State Senator John Flanagan; Dr. Clinton Rubin, Director, Center for Biotechnology and Professor & Chair, Dept of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University; Diane Fabel, Director of Operations, Center for Biotechnology (CAT); Dr. Lawrence Weber, Director of Business Development, Center for Sensor Systems (CAT).

The groundbreaking ceremony for the STAR Center in Biotechnology and Bioengineering took place on Monday, September 24th at 11:30 am. Opening remarks were presented by Dr. Shirley Strum Kenny and Mr. Edward Reinfurt, Acting Executive Director, New York State Foundation for Science Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR). The STAR Center will house the translational research activities of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Center for Biotechnology.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Center for Biotechnology are already revolutionizing how universities participate in the process of commercializing discoveries and translating basic science to the bedside. They have contributed to more than 20 license agreements, the formation of seven new companies, and an economic impact of more than $500 million. The STAR Center will position Stony Brook University as a global leader in high-tech and biotechnology research and provide the physical and intellectual infrastructure necessary to achieve unprecedented breakthroughs in science and technology in New York State.

The new building will stand south of the Social and Behavioral Science building and adjacent to the Life Sciences Building and Center for Molecular Medicine.

2007 Life Science Summit Highlights New York State's Initiatives in the Bioscience Industry

The 2007 Long Island Life Sciences Summit, held on June 14th at the Hilton Long Island in Melville, New York, was a resounding success. The Center for Biotechnology, in partnership with the Long Island Life Sciences Initiative (LILSI), hosted more than 320 business leaders, representing 100 different organizations.

Statewide Consortium Proposed to Propel New York State to the Forefront of Computational Biology - Academic Leaders Seek Partnership with Industry at Life Sciences Summit

Robert McGrath, Ph.D., Provost and Vice President for Brookhaven Laboratory Affairs at Stony Brook University, announced today a proposal by a consortium of major universities to take a coordinated approach in the development and application of computational sciences, especially computational biology, to make New York a national leader in this rapidly emerging field. Computational biology has the potential to vastly improve understanding of basic biological processes and accelerate the discovery and development of life saving drugs and diagnostics. The proposed consortium, which currently includes Stony Brook University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Columbia University, New York University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University at Albany, University at Buffalo, and Cornell University, will build upon major new supercomputing systems installed at Stony Brook University/Brookhaven National Laboratory and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, as well as the world class technical expertise and resources that already exists at the member institutions.

“Our announcement today is targeted toward the bioscience industry and our desire to apply our high performance computational biology capabilities to a broad range of areas of potential commercial interest,” said Provost McGrath. “We are actively seeking industry guidance and support for the Consortium, and the Life Sciences Summit represents a great opportunity to reach out to these companies. The ultimate potential to enhance human health and capture the economic benefit of these activities in New York State is enormous.”

The IBM Blue Gene/L supercomputer provided by NYS to Stony Brook and installed at Brookhaven National Laboratory, and the rich heterogeneous computational facility – including a Blue Gene/L supercomputer and Opteron and PowerPC clusters – currently being installed at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, will have the combined potential to process over 200 trillion computations/second. Together, these systems comprise several of the most powerful supercomputers in the world available for non-classified research. “With this type of capability and the strengths in computational sciences of the consortium partners, New York will emerge at the forefront of computational biology and computational science in general,” said Shirley Strum Kenny, President of Stony Brook University.

“The use of computation in drug design will advance our understanding of important biological processes and dramatically accelerate discovery, and ultimately development, of new therapies. This has tremendous implications for both academic and industrial research programs,” said Samuel Aronson, Ph.D., Director of Brookhaven National Laboratory.

"IBM is proud to be working with these leading universities to help make New York State a center of excellence for a critical and emerging area of science and commercial research -- computational biology," said Dave Turek, vice president for deep computing at IBM. "The use of computation to analyze and simulate biological structures is advancing our understanding of invisible processes and accelerating the pace of discovery. The integrated approach of the Consortium will enhance these efforts and significantly improve the State's ability to compete in a vital area of research."

Future plans for the Consortium include the formation of a Life Science Industry Steering Committee to help guide development. “The biotechnology industry is constantly seeking faster, more efficient means of developing vital therapies, a goal that computational biology promises to accelerate. We look forward to working with the Consortium to advance this important capability, which will further position New York at the forefront of the industry,” said Nathan Tinker, Executive Director of the New York Biotechnology Association.

PDF Version of Press Release

January 19, 2007 - NYSTAR Executive Director Michael J. Relyea (left), Center for Biotechnology Director Dr. Clinton Rubin (middle) and Stony Brook University Dean of College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Dr. Yacov Shamash (right).

Center for Biotechnology receives $1.6M from NY State to Accelerate the Commercialization of New Technologies

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 18, 2006

GOVERNOR: $26.9 MILLION IN TECHNOLOGY, SCIENCE AWARDS
Funding Expands Research Center Activities, Attracts World Class Faculty

Governor George E. Pataki today announced more than $26.9 million in State, industry and university support to 10 universities to significantly expand economic important research and commercialization opportunities as well as attract and retain world-class scientists to New York. These grants will help ensure the continued long-term growth of the State’s job-creating high technology and biotechnology industries.
Seven Centers for Advanced Technology (CATs) have been awarded more than $8.34 million in New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR) technology development awards that will lead to the creation of new products, innovations and jobs across the State.

The following universities received awards to strengthen their commercialization research activities: Alfred University, Clarkson University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Stony Brook University, Syracuse University, the University at Albany, and the University of Rochester. The NYSTAR awards to the universities ranged from $305,500 to $2 million. In addition, universities and industry partners will contribute $5.89 million in total additional funding for the projects.

“These specifically targeted research awards will foster development of new technologies and innovations that will continue strong economic growth for New York by enabling our world-class university research centers to work ever more closely with industry,” Governor Pataki said. “These awards will further secure New York’s role as an international leader in high-tech and biotechnology research and economic development as well as complement our other high-tech economic development initiatives, including our internationally recognized Centers of Excellence program.”

Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno said, “New York State has established itself as a global competitor in the high-tech marketplace. The funds announced today will allow New York to continue to build on its strong reputation as a leader in innovative and emerging technologies and will attract some of the world’s best and brightest researchers to conduct their research here in New York State. Today’s announcement is another example of what can be accomplished when the public sector, private industry, and academic institutions partner together. I commend Governor Pataki for his commitment to attracting high-tech business to the State.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said, “Capitalizing on New York State’s world-renowned colleges and universities has long been at the cornerstone of the Assembly’s efforts to attract high-tech industries and create good-paying jobs for New Yorkers. These types of investments will put New York State in a better position to compete in today’s global economy and help build a new economic model that will pay dividends for years to come.”

The awards are being made through NYSTAR’s CAT Development Program, an initiative that creates nationally recognized research centers and brings high-technology innovations to the marketplace. The research that will be conducted as a result of the investments will produce significant technological improvements that will lead to substantial future economic development in New York.

The Governor also announced that the universities receiving a total of more than $5.97 million in NYSTAR faculty development grants, including Columbia University, New York University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Stony Brook University, the University at Buffalo and the University of Rochester. The universities will receive NYSTAR grants ranging from $336,700 to $750,000. In addition, universities will contribute $6.77 million in total funding for the researchers.

“The highly competitive and much sought after faculty awards helps New York continue to build a solid foundation for our high-tech economy and allows our colleges and universities to attract and retain the best and brightest scientists to our world-class academic research institutions,” Governor Pataki said. “The faculty awards have helped move the State to the forefront as a high-tech job creation leader and were made as part of our comprehensive and coordinated effort to create a stronger, vibrant economy in New York.”

Michael J. Relyea, Executive Director of NYSTAR, said, “The awards under the CAT Development and Faculty Development programs strengthens research and development in New York State and is one of many initiatives reflecting the vision and leadership of Governor Pataki and the Legislature. We are thrilled to fund such economically worthwhile scientific endeavors. The academic and private sector support of the programs are a testament to the incredibly dynamic nature of research, development and commercialization efforts in the State.”

The participation of NYSTAR's Board of Directors — made up of leaders from the science, business and academic communities — in reviewing and approving the proposals helped ensure that those funded were scientifically sound and had economic merit.

Dr. Roland W. Schmitt, NYSTAR Chairman, said, “I congratulate the Governor and the Legislature for helping to create programs that enable our universities and colleges to develop promising new technologies as well as attract and retain critically important scientific faculty. The support of the Governor and Legislature of these programs helps to secure a brighter economic future for the State.”

The existing CAT program supports university/industry collaborations in research, education and technology transfer, with a strong focus on helping New York businesses gain a technological edge on their competition. There are 15 CATs statewide, each of which receives $1 million annually in State funding. The grants announced today will supplement this annual support at selected CATs.

The awards distributed under the CAT Development Program will have a statewide impact. Each winning CAT has a collaborative relationship with other universities and colleges and includes support from private sector companies. The research that will be conducted by the CATs is expected to produce significant technological improvements that result in substantial future economic development in New York State and earn substantial support from participating universities and research organizations.

By enhancing and expanding their technology-related research and technology transfer activities in the areas for which they have been designated, these nationally recognized research centers will accelerate the commercialization of new technologies and the creation of new high-tech jobs and opportunities in New York State.

The faculty development awards assist universities in the recruitment and retention of leading research faculty in science and technology fields with strong commercial potential. The funds provide an incentive for a research faculty member to conduct research in a New York State academic institution.
The scientists supported from these funds are expected to develop, define and conduct nationally and internationally-recognized research, act as a focal point for multidisciplinary research, attract additional external funding from Federal, foundation, and other public and private sources and participate in entrepreneurial enterprise that will benefit New York State. The awards were made on the basis of peer-reviewed competitive science and economic development opportunities.

Governor Pataki and the Legislature have advanced several major initiatives to expand high technology and biotechnology business and job-creation opportunities in New York. The Governor's Centers of Excellence initiative, along with Strategically Targeted Academic Research (STAR) Centers, Advanced Research Centers (ARCs), and Centers for Advanced Technology (CATs) focus on critical emerging technologies that are expected to become major high-tech growth areas.

Since 1995, the State has fostered the growth of New York's high-tech and biotech industries by supporting the investment of more than $1 billion in the State's technology business sector and its world-class research laboratories and academic centers.

Stony Brook University Offers Corporate Incentives to Foster Technology Development & Workforce Partnerships

Stony Brook University is pleased to announce several initiatives aimed at fostering new technology development partnerships with the region’s hi-tech industry sectors. Effective October 1, 2006, hi-tech companies interested in applying for Phase I Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) funding in collaboration with Stony Brook University faculty will benefit from a reduced indirect cost rate (IDC) of 15% on subcontracts to the University, a savings of 40% off the standard federal IDC rate. “On a $150,000 NSF Phase I, STTR award this can represent an additional $20,000 that can go toward research and development costs rather than overhead” according to Dr. Anil Dhundale, director of scientific affairs at Stony Brook’s Center for Biotechnology. “While it may not seem like a significant amount of money it can make the difference between being able to devote a part-time or full-time researcher to the project. And data generated in Phase I is critical to a successful Phase II application which can represent as much as $750,000 over two years. It can make a real difference.”

The University’s Center for Biotechnology is also announcing a Call for Applications under their Innovative Technology Development (ITD) Program. The Program is designed to help bridge the gap between the early-stage technology discovery and development capabilities of the University and the later-stage commercial development interests of the bioscience industry. The program currently provides matching funds, up to $40,000 annually, on a competitive basis to support translational research on the Stony Brook campus. The funding, in tandem with a broad range of technology development services available through the Center, is intended to help New York Sate bioscience companies identify commercial opportunities from within the University environment, add value by providing guidance and financial support for their development toward commercial goals, and accelerate the technologies entry into the marketplace. “The program has been tremendously successful at helping to bring new technologies to market” said Diane Fabel, Director of Operations for the Center for Biotechnology. “We match small company R&D needs with the resources and expertise available through the University. We provide a bit of funding that is matched by the company, develop experimental protocols that will add commercial value to the technology, and help them access business development resources on the commercial side. The Sonic Fracture Healing System (SAFHS)™, the V3D Colon™ virtual colonoscopy, the Scanning Confocal Acoustic Navigation (SCAN) system, Vita-Assay™, and the Dynamic Motion Therapy (DMT™) Platform are just a few of the technologies and products the Center has helped develop.”

Companies interested in discussing collaborations with University faculty under the SBIR/STTR or ITD programs should contact Dr. Anil Dhundale, Director, Scientific Affairs, Center for Biotechnology at 631-632-8521. Additional information on the SBIR/STTR Program can be found at http://www.sbaonline.sba.gov/SBIR/. The full Innovative Technology Development Program announcement is available at www.biotech.sunysb.edu.

The Center for Biotechnology is proud to be a co-organizer of "What Can You Be With a Ph.D.?" a science and technology career conference.
November 2-3, 2007
New York, NY
For more information, please visit the conference website: http://whatcanyoubewithaphd.org/

New York City Information Session: Wednesday, September 26, 2007-6:00pm

“Evening with the Experts”- A Wine and Cheese Reception Hosted by Center for Biotechnology & NatureJobs
Held at NatureJobs New York City Offices

Attendance is free. Seating is on a first come, first serve basis. Please RSVP online.
NatureJobs is located at 75 Varick Street, 9th Floor - New York City

Stony Brook University Information Session: Monday, October 1, 2007-6:00pm
Health Sciences Center - Level 3, Lecture Hall 6

At the information sessions, Course Directors will present an overview of the program and discuss the benefits and practical applications of the program. Meet Alumni from previous years and hear their first hand accounts of the invaluable experience gained and opportunities provided. Pre-registration is required. Please register online.

2007-2008 Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series
An Interdisciplinary Program of Translational Biomedical Research
Wednesdays at 4:00, School of Medicine, Level Four, Atkins Learning Center
Stony Brook University.
View 2007-2008 Seminar Schedule
Download seminar schedule here. (pdf file)

33rd Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference

The Center for Biotechnology is a proud sponsor of the 33rd Annual NE Bioengineering Conference hosted by the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Stony Brook University on March 10 & 11, 2007. This years conference, Engineering Innovations in Life Sciences and Healthcare, will be covering the broad spectrum of the medical physics, biological and biomedical sciences, and biomedical and clinical engineering. For more information and to register, please visit the conference website: http://bme.sunysb.edu/NEBMES2007/

The Center for Biotechnology is now accepting applications for admission into the Spring 2007 Fundamentals of the Biosciences Industry Program.

Cutting Edge and innovative, this industry-focused and industry driven program is designed to provide participants with a comprehensive introductions to the critical factors of strategic importance that drive the bioscience industry. Developed by the Center for Biotechnology, this program gives the broad exposure needed for the success in the bioscience industries.

For More Information and to apply on-line, please visit the Fundamentals of the Bioscience Industry Program website.

The Center for Biotechnology is hosting its 13th Biotechnology Exposition on Thursday, October 19, from 11am-3pm, at the Level 3 Galleria at the Health Science Center. Over two dozen scientific product and instrument companies will be at this year’s Exposition. Exhibiting companies include BD Biosciences, Beckman Coulter, Bio-Rad, Clontech, EMD Bioscience, Fisher Biosciences, Fisher Scientific, GE Healthcare, Invitrogen, inGenious Targeting, Millipore, Miltenyi Biotec, NuGEN, Perkin Elmer, Promega, Qiagen, Rainin, Roche Diagnostics Corp, Stratagene, Thermo Electron Corp, USA Scientific, Varian Inc... and more!

Come see the newest tools and products for your research and clinical applications. Raffle prizes include ipod Nano, gift card, CD player, and many more!

2006 Life Sciences Industry Career Conference

The Annual Life Sciences Industry Career Conference is the premier event in New York State for graduate students and post doctoral fellows interested in pursuing careers in the life sciences industry. The goals of this conference are to:
* Expand the knowledge and understanding of the variety of career paths in the life sciences industry.
* Increase communication and forge a formal linkage between New York's graduate student and post doctoral population and New York's life sciences industry for the purpose of fueling industry growth.

Tuesday, October 3, 2006
Stony Brook Manhattan
401 Park Avenue South, 2nd Floor
New York, New York

Planning to pursue opportunities in industry? Start with a solid understanding of what employers look for, and how to tailor your resume and cover letter to address their specific needs. This is a must attend workshop for all graduate students in the life sciences. Organized by the Center for Biotechnology.
Presented by Stony Brook University Career Center

Resume Writing and Cover Letters - Specifically targeted to Life Sciences Students
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
11:45am - 12:45 pm
Center for Biotechnology Conference room
3rd Floor, Psychology A building.

This workshop is limited to 20 students only. Please register early to confirm your seat. Pre-registration is required. Register online.

* Workshop is mandatory for all students intending to apply for the 2007 Spring Fundamentals of the Bioscience Industry Program *

2006-2007 Bioemedical Engineering Seminar Series
An Interdisciplinary Program of Academia & Industry
Wednesdays at 4:00, School of Medicine, Level Four, Atkins Learning Center
Stony Brook University.
View 2006-2007 Seminar Schedule
Download seminar schedule here. ( pdf file)

2006/2007 News + Events