NEWS
Doyle’s budget gives research $19 million
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by Bassey Etim
Thursday, March 17, 2005
In an effort to keep the University of Wisconsin at the forefront of biotechnology research, Gov. Jim Doyle announced Wednesday during a press conference that he will include $19 million for the first phase of construction of the Institute for Discovery on the Madison campus.
This development is integral to Doyle’s $750 million biotechnology initiative aimed at creating jobs and fostering scientific breakthroughs in Wisconsin. The initiative aims to draw $187.5 million of the $750 million from state funds during the next 10 years, with private investments covering the remainder.
The proposed development would be located opposite the medical sciences center, between Charter Street and Randall Avenue. Doyle said the 450,000-square-foot, $375 million building will offer high-paying jobs and an opportunity to cure diseases.
The facility will include educational space for UW undergraduate and graduate students for short courses and certificate programs.
“It will serve as an interactive hub allowing collaborative research to occur among other UW schools,” Doyle said. “The space allows for an integration across disciplines and schools which has not yet been available in Wisconsin.”
Executive Vice President of the Wisconsin Biotechnology and Medical Device Association James Leonhart said he believes the facility will create a unique opportunity to commercialize this sector of the economy, as well as revitalize a portion of the UW campus.
Construction is expected to begin as soon as possible, but first the buildings occupying this area of campus must be demolished and some offices relocated.
The area primarily consists of substandard buildings and storefronts, according to Leonhart. Many of the buildings date back to the ’60s and are no longer worth upgrading.
Leonhart echoed Doyle’s assertion that the development would create new jobs within the life-sciences field. He suggested jobs would be created not only by the facility, but from the companies which would result from new research on the UW campus.
“For students, there is tremendous opportunity going forward in the life sciences, for occupations and great jobs that pay well,” Leonhart said.
Doyle also lauded the facility’s potential to attract the best and brightest minds to Madison.
“[This initiative] will enable faculty and research staff to continue to attract high levels of research funding,” Doyle said.
Doyle added this project would help ensure UW remains one of the leading research and teaching universities in the world.
“This is going to be a really exciting cross-disciplinary institute that is going to have Wisconsin at the very center of research in the world,” Doyle said.
For Michelle Alswager, a board member for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the proposed development offers new hope to children afflicted with juvenile diabetes.
“My son has juvenile diabetes … for me, it’s a very simple goal: to cure my son and to cure the thousands of families in the state of Wisconsin,” Alswager said. “The governor has taken a bold step to push this forward — $750 million is a lot of money.”
The state building commission is expected to vote on the proposal Friday.
