New Michigan High-Tech Laboratory Based at Argonne National Lab; State of the Art Facility Will Help to Grow Life Sciences Corridor.Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers BIOWIRE2K LANSING, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 19, 2003 A life sciences collaborative team made up of three Michigan universities and the Van Andel Institute has recently received approval to construct a new high-tech Michigan lab at the Argonne National Laboratory Argonne National Laboratory, research center, based in Argonne, Ill., 27 mi (43 km) SW of downtown Chicago, with other facilities at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, 50 mi (80 km) W of Idaho Falls, Idaho. Founded in 1946 by the U.S. in Argonne, Illinois. This new lab, made possible through Life Sciences Corridor funding, will give Michigan researchers easier, quicker and more affordable access to Argonne's multi-billion dollar particle accelerator particle accelerator, apparatus used in nuclear physics to produce beams of energetic charged particles and to direct them against various targets. Such machines, popularly called atom smashers, are needed to observe objects as small as the atomic nucleus in studies . The establishment of this lab will make Michigan one of only three states to have a presence at the Argonne Laboratory. "Being one among the elite at Argonne speaks highly to Michigan's national prominence in the life sciences," said Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm. "The new discoveries that result from this lab will help to continue to grow Michigan's life sciences industry, a critical element of my Technology Tri-Corridor plan." Specifically, the team of researchers from the University of Michigan (body, education) University of Michigan - A large cosmopolitan university in the Midwest USA. Over 50000 students are enrolled at the University of Michigan's three campuses. The students come from 50 states and over 100 foreign countries. , Michigan State University Michigan State University, at East Lansing; land-grant and state supported; coeducational; chartered 1855. It opened in 1857 as Michigan Agricultural College, the first state agricultural college. , Wayne State University Wayne State University, at Detroit, Mich.; state supported; coeducational; established 1956 as a successor to Wayne Univ. (formed 1934 by a merger of five city colleges). , the Van Andel Research Institute and Northwestern University Northwestern University, mainly at Evanston, Ill.; coeducational; chartered 1851, opened 1855 by Methodists. In 1873 it absorbed Evanston College for Ladies. (Illinois) will use the new lab to help determine bio-molecular structures. These structures will be determined by using one of the nation's most powerful radiation light sources called the particle accelerator. This new lab has already resulted in the attraction of world-class talent to Michigan. Former Glaxo-Wellcome researcher Dr. Eric Xu recently joined the staff at Van Andel Institute as a result of the new lab. "This new facility provides state of the art technology to determine biological structures that is not available in many other states," Dr. Xu, senior scientific investigator and head of structural sciences at the Van Andel Institute said. "The new Michigan Argonne lab was a key factor for me in deciding to move to Michigan from North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. ." Construction on the new Michigan lab is underway and expected to be completed in summer 2005. The 2003 Michigan Life Sciences Corridor The Michigan Life Sciences Corridor (MLSC) is a $1 billion biotechnology initiative in the U.S. state of Michigan. It started in 1999 with money from the state's settlement with the tobacco industry. Conference held on April 8 at the Novi Hilton will feature the signing of an agreement between the Michigan team and the Argonne National Laboratory as well as a presentation about the facility. The conference will allow participants the opportunity to network with fellow life sciences researchers and entrepreneurs, learn more about the Michigan Life Sciences Corridor initiative, and meet with venture capitalists seeking investment opportunities. Up to 500 people are expected to attend, including academics, industry leaders, venture capitalists and economic development specialists. Conference details, program and registration information are available on the MEDC MEDC Michigan Economic Development Corporation MEDC More Economically Developed Country MEDC Maharashtra Economic Development Council (India) MEDC Mobile & Embedded Developers Conference (Microsoft) Web site at www.michigan.org/lifesciences. The new lab is part of the Core Technology Alliance (CTA An abbreviation for cum testamento annexo, Latin for "with the will annexed." ), a consortium of four Michigan universities and research facility laboratories that provide cutting-edge technology services to the state's life sciences community. To date, the CTA has received $54 million in Life Sciences Corridor funding, to support five technology service centers in genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, animal models and structural biology, accessible to all Michigan-based researchers. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, a partnership between the state and local communities, promotes smart economic growth by developing strategies and providing services to create and retain good jobs and a high quality of life. For more information about the MEDC and the Michigan Life Sciences Corridor, visit our web site at www.michigan.org. |
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