Field Notes
The members of the Society toured the Delaware Biotechnology Institute (DBI). This facility began operations in January of 2001. It has successfully completed a five year start-up period and is now a well-recognized unit of the University of Delaware. Relations between the Institute and the colleges and departments most intimately involved with life science research and education have reached a level of integration, collaboration and alignment that has enabled research in plant and animal genetics, human health, complex environmental systems and biomaterials.

DBI has helped forge and provide leadership to a strategic alliance among Delaware’s academic, public and private institutions in support of a statewide life science segment, encompassing research, education and economic development. Through this interdisciplinary, inter-institutional collaboration the State’s academic and medical institutions have been awarded over $65M in federal grants since 2001, principally from National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and United States Department of Agriculture. These funds have fostered the creation of a substantial, statewide infrastructure of people, facilities and programs involving fourteen colleges and departments at seven academic and medical institutions. About 100 faculty and research staff are involved with DBI.