Purdue Plans $250M Life Sciences Push

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Purdue University is making a major investment in life sciences research, to the tune of $250 million over the next five years. The school says the effort will result in dozens of new "high-impact" hires across six colleges as well as research facility upgrades. President Mitch Daniels says the life sciences sector is where Purdue has "the greatest unexploited research potential." Purdue says the investment will bring its life sciences research to "the highest level," enabling it to have the greatest impact on human lives.

The funding includes the recently-announced Pillars of Excellence in the Life Sciences Initiative, which involves a $60 million investment. That effort established the Integrative Neuroscience Center and Institute for Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease. The university says those centers complement its drug discovery and plant sciences initiatives.

Daniels says Purdue’s life sciences efforts are already yielding results, including 40 Purdue-developed drugs in the pipeline and more than $400 million in sponsored research funding in the last year. He says the university has also formed strategic partnerships with private-sector companies and laboratories throughout the United States.

BioCrossroads President David Johnson says the commitment makes Indiana "far better placed to win in the global competition for life sciences talent, innovation and investment." Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. (NYSE: LLY) Chief Executive Officer John Lechleiter agrees, saying "deep collaboration between academic research centers and industry" is key to making further strides against disease.

The school plans to hire additional faculty, ranging from assistant professors to distinguished professors in the areas of neuroscience, drug discovery, plant sciences and immunological sciences. You can find a list of positions by clicking here.