Source: Brad Kramer, 785-532-5606, bradleyk@k-state.edu
http://www.k-state.edu/media/mediaguide/bios/kramerbio.html
News release prepared by: Lea Studer, 785-532-3432, lstuder@amisuccess.com

Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010

NEW STATEWIDE CENTER TO CREATE, COMMERCIALIZE BIOSCIENCE-BASED PRODUCTS AND MORE

MANHATTAN -- The Advanced Manufacturing Institute at Kansas State University will use a nearly $600,000 Partnership for Innovation grant from the National Science Foundation to support the development of a statewide science and engineering center to create and commercialize bioscience-based products, processes and technologies.

"Kansas is a leading agricultural production state and has heavily invested in developing its bioscience research capacity. By creating a science and engineering center to accelerate the transformation of scientific discoveries and inventions into innovations, Kansas will be able to multiply the number of bioscience products brought to market, and create more high tech jobs in the state," said Brad Kramer, director of the Advanced Manufacturing Institute.

"To do this, we are building partnerships between university and industry researchers who are creating new technologies, engineers experienced in developing and scaling up bioprocessing technologies, state-funded organizations that are charged with diversifying and building the state's bioscience economy, and industrial partners who are committed to bringing specific bioscience technologies to market," Kramer said. "We're also involving undergraduate and graduate business and engineering students in these projects. This opportunity provides them a professionally mentored work experience, and prepares them to be bioprocessing professionals and bioscience entrepreneurs."

Additional support funds will be provided by the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation. Other partners in the project include the Kansas Polymer Research Center at Pittsburg State University, K-State Olathe and the K-State Bioprocessing and Industrial Value-Added Program.

"We are excited about helping to build this research center that is unique in Kansas and, frankly, in the United States," said Andy Meyer, executive director of the Kansas Polymer Research Center. "Each partner in this project brings complementary strengths, and we offer our 100-plus years of combined experience in applied, industrial polymer development. We're glad that the National Science Foundation has recognized the potential benefit of funding this center for the advancement of bioscience growth in our state."

The Advanced Manufacturing Institute is a part of the K-State College of Engineering. It is a Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation Center of Excellence that provides engineering and business services. More information about the institute is available online at http://www.amisuccess.com.