UNE's College of Pharmacy receives $4 million from R&D bond toward pharmaceutical research

Governor John Baldacci  announced on Aug. 11, 2008 that the University of New England‚Äôs College of Pharmacy has received a $4 million grant from the Maine Technology Asset Fund established with the $50 million research and development bond approved by voters November 2007.

The grant will help fund the completion of the research labs designed to facilitate drug discovery and development in UNE’s College of Pharmacy building, currently under construction on Stevens Avenue in Portland.

‚ÄúThese funds will greatly accelerate our schedule to provide the type of services necessary for drug development," said John Schloss, Ph.D., chair of pharmaceutical sciences for the College. 

Schloss explained, "We plan to bridge between basic research efforts in drug discovery and clinical drug development.  By providing this necessary link between basic and applied efforts, we hope to facilitate drug development in Maine and to ensure that all promising discoveries are translated into new products.  At the same time the College of Pharmacy will develop new strategies for improving individualized pharmaceutical and nutraceutical care."

The University of New England has moved swiftly with plans to build a top-tier College of Pharmacy to be known for its academic excellence and ranked within the top 25 programs in the nation for research funding. The College will accept its first class of pharmacy doctoral students in the fall of 2009. It began its pre-pharmacy undergraduate program in 2007 with 120 students registered for fall 2008.

In addition to providing the region with much-needed pharmacists, the College will help the state achieve several objectives outlined in the 2005 Science and Technology Action Plan for Maine, by enlarging and spreading the knowledge base within Maine, boosting academic R&D capacity, developing an educated, technically skilled work force and broadening the impact of research institutions.

UNE’s College of Pharmacy will create a substantial center of research activity, with scores of students and pharmaceutical researchers joining with colleagues in other colleges, hospitals and labs to research compounds, experiment with dosages, design clinical trials, and develop new products and services.

Business and Investment in Maine
The College will provide a place where existing Maine biotechnology companies can bring promising discoveries for analysis and potential further development, thus drawing new business and investment to Maine, and strengthening the state‚Äôs network of services and support by facilitating the steps necessary to bring a company‚Äôs product to market. 

UNE’s President Danielle Ripich, Ph.D., said, “The $4 million represents the largest grant the University of New England has ever received, and we’re extremely pleased to have the state recognize our efforts towards growing the R&D sector in Maine. Our College of Pharmacy’s plans for pharmaceutical research will not only differentiate us from most other pharmacy schools, but also will take research and development in Maine to a new level.”

Governor Baldacci
"Investments in research and development have had continuous positive impacts on Maine‚Äôs economy, job market and institutes of higher education," Governor Baldacci said in announcing the 14 grants, which went to universities, nonprofit research centers and businesses. "This $4 million award will be used to help the University of New England complete the construction of research labs at its College of Pharmacy, which is scheduled to open next year. The research and development that will be able to be done at this facility will help to build Maine‚Äôs economy for the future by creating jobs, providing a state-of-the-art research facility and providing the State with much-needed well-trained pharmacists.  This investment by the Maine Technology Institute will benefit not just the University of New England, but the surrounding communities and the State as a whole.‚Äù

“The College of Pharmacy at UNE will be a critical research resource for the state, joining the strong existing biomedical research facilities," said John Richardson, commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development. "The UNE research agenda will fill a niche in pharmaceutical development that will complement our biomedical research cluster and help us translate basic research into new products that will enhance human health.”

Previous Grants and Gifts
The College of Pharmacy was earlier awarded a $1 million lead gift from the Hannaford Charitable Foundation, one of the largest grants the Foundation has ever awarded. Other significant funding has come from the Libra Foundation, the Betterment Fund, and pharmacist and UNE trustee Brian Dallaire.

Named one of the best regional universities in America by U.S. News & World Report, the University of New England is a leader in health sciences education and biomedical research, offering student-centered, interdisciplinary programs in the College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Health Professions, College of Arts and Sciences and newly established College of Pharmacy.