UD-led program receives $23.5M for biomed research

We’ve been talking about the booming life sciences industry in Delaware for a while now. Biotech was even the market’s focus during growing industries month in April. Now here’s more reason to believe.

UDaily reports that a University of Delaware-led network of higher education and healthcare institutions will receive $23 million in federal and state funding, $18 million from the National Institutes of Health and $5 million in matching funding from the state over the next five years. The funds, the fourth program grant for the 15-year network, will go toward increasing opportunities for multidisciplinary biomedical research in Delaware.

The Delaware IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) includes such partners as Christiana Care Health System, Delaware Technical Community College, Delaware State University, Wesley College, Nemours, Wilmington VA Medical Center, Wilmington University and DelawareBio.

From UDaily:

An undergraduate research experience through Delaware INBRE studying a chronic disease could lead one student to pursue a career in healthcare with the goal of finding a cure. A chance networking event could provide an opening for a promising grad to seek out a job posted by a Delaware INBRE partner institution. Whatever the opportunity, the strength of the INBRE network creates a biomedical ripple that can be felt across the state.

“The more we leverage our connections in a smart way, we can advance health and health outcomes in Delaware,” [Dr. Omar Khan, president and CEO of the Delaware Health Sciences Alliance] said. “Having that network of networks is just incredibly powerful.”