Jim Spigarelli of MRI talks of the regional strategy in developing a more technically-oriented economy. Associate Dr. Andrea Hall observes. .
THE LIFES SCIENCES INSTITUTE
"The Life Sciences Institute," Spigarelli acknowledged, "was never planned." From the beginning, the involved parties agreed that some kind of entity was needed to promote cooperation in the life science community. This entity would take shape as the Life Sciences Institute.
Interestingly, the shorthand that the participants use to refer to the life science phenomenon in Kansas City as "the initiative," as in "the life sciences initiative," not "the Institute." The reality of an institute has yet totake root in collective thinking. This will likely change in time, but as of now the Institute does not yet have its own fully realized identity. For that matter, it doesn't yet have its own web page, a sign today, if there ever was one, of its embryonic status.
Despite its newness, the mission of the Institute has already changed. As Spigarelli noted, "We really planned that any money that went into this would be additional money that came into the community." Kansas City looked to the Michigan model where such was indeed the case. But it has not quite evolved this way here. As Spigarelli admitted, "We had to change operating parameters."
Bill Duncan, the newly appointed interim director of the Institute, confirmed Spigarelli's analysis. "We have refocused the role of the LSI slightly," he noted. If at its inception the Institute was viewed as a funding agency, now it is seen more as a "coordinator, a matchmaker, a facilitator."
As planned, the Institute will manage three types of money: an operational fund, which will run about $1 million a year; a leveraging fund of about $5 million a year which will be used to enhance research proposals as they are advanced; and finally, research initiative funds. The Institute is very near its goal of securing a three year commitment on the operational funds and very far from its goal of securing a planned $300 million for the research initiative funds. But Duncan remains optimistic: "We're gaining momentum."
KU Med Vice Chancellor Don Hagen joins John Houghton of the state of Missouri's Life Sciences Initiative. If Missouri and Kansas play their cards correctly and cohesively, both states will benefit greatly ‹ and, share the last laugh.
