The initiative will recognize academic research institutions that are making outstanding contributions to life sciences research and fostering knowledge and technology transfer in the life sciences community.

As Institutes of Innovation, researchers at the two universities will collaborate with IBM on life sciences research projects of mutual interest. In addition, they are eligible for a range of benefits to support this research, including early access to next-generation IBM technologies, post-doctoral and research associate opportunities, software through the IBM Scholars university product portal, and participation in the competition for IBM's university award programs.

"Many academic research institutions are doing ground-breaking work in life sciences," said Carol Kovac, general manager of IBM Life Sciences. "Indiana and Johns Hopkins are using IBM technologies to push forward the frontiers of biomedical research. The new Institutes of Innovation program honors their accomplishments with additional IBM resources and support to help them go even faster in their quest for new knowledge. Ultimately, their work may lead to improved health care and new ways of preventing and treating human disease."

IU's status as one of the charter universities in the IBM Life Sciences Institutes of Innovation program was formally recognized on Sept. 25 with a ceremony at the Wrubel Computing Center in Bloomington. James Coffin, vice president, IBM Life Science Solutions, present IU with a plaque dedicating the new institute.

http://www.indiana.edu/~uits/cpo/ibm092403/