The Arizona Board of Regents has approved plans for the state's three universities to contribute over $38 million to the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).

Contributions will consist of $17 million from University of Arizona, $14.6 million from Arizona State University, and $6.7 million from Northern Arizona University, according to Arizona Daily Star reporter David Wichner. The money will be provided in salaries, equipment, and in-kind support over the next 10 years.

Entitled the "Academic Affiliation Agreement," the plan outlines the nature of the partnership between TGen, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, University of Arizona, and ABOR itself.

"It cements that TGen is a partner with the universities, and vice-versa," Richard Love, chief operating officer of TGen, told the East Valley Tribune.

The agreement details a number of vital issues, including faculty status; fund-raising protocols; who owns intellectual property rights; and which parties are eligible to reap profits from research generated by the partnership. According to Richard Powell, UA vice president for research and graduate studies, a key provision for attracting top talent was the ability to offer tenured positions to some of TGen's scientists.

"There are a lot of people being hired at TGen who would like to have a faculty affiliation with the university," he told the Star.

Both sides are expected to benefit from the agreement: by working with TGen, the universities will gain a competitive edge when seeking national research dollars; by working with the universities, TGen gains access to a larger pool of scientists and an enhanced research infrastructure.

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For more information:

"Universities to give TGen $38M," Arizona Daily Star, 11/18/2003

"Genomics research pact considered," East Valley Tribune, 11/20/2003

Arizona Board of Regents meeting agenda, 11/21-22/2003