WIS GOVERNOR BACKS BIOTECH PUSH FOR UW-MADISON
MADISON, Jan. 28 - Pinning Wisconsin's economic growth to the potential of biotechnology, Gov. Tommy Thompson has proposed a $317 million investment in cutting-edge research centers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Thompson outlined the new "BioStar" initiative during his annual state of the state address. The campaign features a unique public-private partnership to fund four new bioscience research centers over the next eight years.
"These facilities will allow us to hire 100 new faculty members and strengthen our world-renowned team of scientists," said Thompson. "Most importantly, BioStar will allow us to educate and train the scientists and researchers for the workplace of tomorrow."
Thompson emphasized that the initiative will strengthen UW-Madison's national leadership in biological research. This research will serve as an engine that drives more biotech spinoff companies and jobs in the state.
Wisconsin is competing with states like California and Colorado for biotechnology leadership, and UW-Madison research could help Wisconsin "lead the pack."
UW-Madison generates more than $200 million each year in research funding in the biological sciences. It also has a half-dozen biotechnology-related graduate programs ranked in the top ten by the National Research Council.
"This proposal gives us the chance to keep pace with the explosive growth in biotechnology research," said UW-Madison Chancellor David Ward. "Biotechnology is without question a powerful force in the new economy."
Work on an addition to the Biotechnology Center could begin this year. New buildings on the horizon include a microbial sciences center, a new biochemistry building and an interdisciplinary biology building.
Funding would include a combination of state tax support and private funds raised by the university. This public-private approach was used extensively in the 1990s to help UW-Madison modernize its science and medical buildings.
Thompson also proposed a new masters degree in biotechnology, which would provide capstone-style training for the high-tech workforce spawned by biotechnology. Demand will likely be strong: About 30 percent of the 1999 freshman class at UW-Madison reported an intention to major in biology.
NOTE TO EDITORS, REPORTERS: To learn more about biotechnology research at UW-Madison, visit this media resources page:
http://www.news.wisc.edu/packages/biotech/
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PRESS CONTACTS: Michael Sussman, director, UW-Madison Biotechnology Center, (608) 262-8608; Brian Mattmiller, (608) 262-9772; [email protected]
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