TIIME receives NSF grant for biotech expansions

photo by Mike Sands/IRIS

The Institute for the Integration of Management and Engineering (TIIME) has received a grant from a division of the National Science Foundation to expand its efforts in biotech innovations. TIIME's co-directors are Dale Flowers (left) and Jeffrey Glass (center, top). Some of the funds will support enhancements in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, which Patrick Crago (right) chairs. Interim President James Wagner has supported technical advances such as these.

by Marci Hersh

The Institute for the Integration of Management and Engineering (TIIME) at CWRU will receive a grant totaling $599,834 over the next three years from the Partnerships for Innovation Program (PFI), an arm of the National Science Foundation.

CWRU will use the grant to help boost Northeast Ohio to the forefront of biotechnology innovation and entrepreneurial activity, according to James Wagner, interim president of CWRU. "The University is thrilled to have this kind of support to jump-start our pursuit of biotech and biomedical research," he said.

Key initiatives supported by the grant include:

A new biotech track in TIIME's Case-Weatherhead Business Launch Competition to further advance entrepreneurial activity in both the tech and biotech sectors with $50,000 in new prize money, bringing the total competition prize money to $100,000 beginning in 2002
A new biomedical entrepreneurship track within the proposed Master of Engineering and Management degree program at CWRU, and new product development grants for TIIME student teams to focus on biotech applications
Sponsorship of five Cleveland-area high school seniors who will participate in summer internships. Priority will be given to female and minority students

"This grant adds tremendous momentum to the TIIME program by providing us a means to enhance both CWRU's Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Entrepreneurship Division from the Weatherhead School of Management, both new partners with the institute." said Dale Flowers, co-director of TIIME.

Jeffrey Glass, the institute's other co-director, says the newly created biotech track within the Case-Weatherhead Business Launch Competition allows TIIME to encourage Northeast Ohio-based entrepreneurial activity in both the tech and biotech sectors. "The addition of this companion biotech track in the competition will boost the overall caliber of future entrants and their level of innovation," said Glass. "We expect very sophisticated future entries to rank our competition as one of the best in the nation."

Pat Crago, chair of CWRU's highly ranked Department of Biomedical Engineering, says his department is following the advice of its Industrial Advisory Development Board in pursuing a practice-oriented degree program. Preliminary outlines for the new biotech track include courses focusing on engineering statistics for biomedical applications, and models of health care and regulatory affairs. "The new NSF grant undoubtedly contributes to our ability to offer a new, very exciting biomedical track for the students as soon as autumn 2002," said Crago.

Bob Hisrich, head of the highly ranked Entrepreneurial Studies program at Weatherhead, was also pleased with the award. "The partnering of the biomedical engineering department and our own entrepreneurship faculty through this Institute program is a winner for all involved, and a terrific boost to the entrepreneurial activities in Northeast Ohio," said Hisrich.

Dorothy Baunach, interim president of the Edison BioTechnology Center Inc. was thrilled to learn of this important grant. "It is important for CWRU and other regional universities to promote entrepreneurship among their students. This grant contributes prestige, monetary support, and recognition that will all be important to the region's success in growing its life science industry," she said.

CWRU's TIIME is a worldwide leader in the integration of engineering and management. Technology-based companies come to the institute to learn how to integrate engineering and management to achieve superior organizational performance. For more information, visit http://www.tiime.cwru.edu.