Northeastern Voice

University eyes opportunity in Mass. initiative

As Washington continues to debate federal research funding levels, Northeastern is attempting to make hay by positioning itself to capitalize on a $1 billion life sciences initiative proposed by Gov. Deval Patrick.

University officials anticipate "real opportunities" to emerge, which could offset any possible federal research constraints, said Sri Sridhar, vice provost for research.

"There are many opportunites for Northeastern University in the Patrick plan that will help boost our own life sciences research at a time when federal funding (may be) flattening," he said.

The university recently participated in a "talent survey" aimed at categorizing the myriad educational and workforce training programs offered here, which relate to life sciences, and participated in planning meetings and discussion forums with the governor's office to help develop the initiative, Sridhar said.

The goal is to help position the university as a major player in life sciences research through a collaborative role leading to funding opportunities in three grant areas: cooperative research with industry, new faculty starting grants and junior investigator grants, Sridhar said.

Cooperative research grants would assist faculty with startup companies; new faculty grants would stream in funding to make new hires in life sciences; and junior faculty grants would be available to newer professors for research efforts, he explained.

"The key point is that we hope that our involvement with the life sciences initiative helps Northeastern continue to make its mark in this promising growth area," Sridhar said.

The Patrick initiative is aimed at forging ties between industry, academic research hospitals, public and private colleges and universities in a coordinate effort to develop new research opportunities, according to a press release. "Now is the time for us to invest in the talent and bring together the resources of our unparalleled research universities," Patrick said in the release.

A goal of the initiative is to help offset any flat research funding in Washington, the press release stated.

Earlier this year, the flow of federal dollars toward new research was at question after the National Science Foundation and other research agencies received less in the federal budget than researchers had hoped, Sridhar explained.

"Although funding wasn't cut and current research funding was assured, they size of the budgets devoted to research did not grow at the rate previously anticipated," Sridhar said.

While Washington continues to fine tune budget proposals — President Bush announced Monday that physical science research would get a boost in his latest budget — Sridhar was optimistic that Northeastern would continue to make great strides in its research endeavors, both through federal funding, and through opportunities developed through the Patrick initiative.

"The Patrick initiative could help compensate for any flat funding in Washington," Sridhar said, noting that he expects future research funding to go well for the university. "This is actually very good news," he said.

(Photo: Vice Provost Sri Sridhar)

— Susan Salk