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BIDDEFORD, Maine

Â鶹´«Ã½receives $1.5M grant from Maine Technology Asset Fund for biomedical research

 The Â鶹´«Ã½ has received a $1.5 million grant from the Maine Technology Asset Fund (MTAF) toward completion of the biomedical research labs on UNE’s Biddeford Campus. 

Maine Governor John Baldacci announced the grant June 9, 2009 in Augusta.  Applicants from throughout the state applied for the highly competitive MTAF funds, which are financed through the research and development bonds approved by Maine voters in November 2007.

Timothy Ford, Ph.D., Â鶹´«Ã½Vice President for Research and Dean of Graduate Studies, states: “We are delighted to receive this support from the Maine Technology Asset Fund.  This award will not only contribute to training our biomedical workforce, but also to the success of critical research being conducted at Â鶹´«Ã½to reduce human suffering from neurological disease.”

Research and
Economic Growth
UNE’s Director of the Edward Bilsky, Ph.D., adds, “The MTAF grant will greatly enhance our ability to conduct important biomedical research at the Â鶹´«Ã½ and will expand our capabilities to partner with other institutions and companies in Maine and around the world. UNE  is strongly committed to diversifying and growing the Maine economy through job creation, expansion of research programs that create intellectual property and startup companies, and the attraction of established businesses that want to relocate to Maine. We are clearly seeing the positive impact that biomedical research can have on economic development, and this continued investment by the state will provide even greater returns.”

This is the second award Â鶹´«Ã½has received from MTAF in less than a year.  Last August, Â鶹´«Ã½was awarded $4 million to support drug development research at its new College of Pharmacy in Portland. 

Â鶹´«Ã½President Danielle Ripich, Ph.D., states, “We are pleased that the state recognizes Â鶹´«Ã½as a key contributor to research and economic development in Maine.  This award will enable Â鶹´«Ã½to advance the important work being conducted in our Center of Excellence in Neuroscience, which will benefit Maine’s residents, businesses, quality of life, and the economy.”

About the Â鶹´«Ã½

The Â鶹´«Ã½ is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.