35 research teams invited to submit proposals

Thirty-five research teams encompassing a wide array of disciplines
have been selected to submit full proposals as part of the Discovery
Seed Grant Initiative at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery.

“We were extremely impressed by the quality and scope of the
proposals,” says Marsha Mailick Seltzer, WID’s interim director. “And
the range of researchers shows that this new program will be important
in expanding our strong tradition of interdisciplinary research.”

Detailed proposals are being sought from principal investigators in
24 different departments, and the research teams generally reflect a
range of disciplines.

A committee of 12 faculty members, chaired by Paul Peercy, dean of the
College of Engineering, chose the 35 teams after reviewing 220 letters
of intent which were submitted in June. Also participating in the
review were Seltzer, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation managing
director Carl Gulbrandsen, and Michael Falk, WARF’s director of
intellectual property.

Fully developed research proposals are due by Dec. 15, and the
Discovery Seed Grant awards will be announced on Feb. 15, 2007. The
seed grant project will provide a total of $3 million in private
funding to help jump-start research projects.

The selection panel considered proposals of up to $200,000 a year for two years or the same total of $400,000 over three years.

The Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, which will be located in the
1300 block of University Avenue, represents a dynamic public-private
partnership. It was made possible by a $50 million gift from alumni
John and Tashia Morgridge, a $50 million contribution from the
Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and $50 million from state
government.

Two institutes – one private and one public – will bring together
scientists from a broad spectrum of disciplines to attack health
problems, advance regenerative medicine and solve other important
problems.