$50M Lilly Grant Boosts IU Genomics Initiative

For the second time in three years, the Lilly Endowment is demonstrating its strong commitment to Indiana University's role in life sciences education and research by awarding $50 million to advance the Indiana Genomics Initiative (INGEN).

INGEN was launched in December 2000 with a $105 million grant from the Endowment — the largest grant ever made by the Indianapolis-based philanthropic organization and the largest received by IU. The goal is to propel IU forward as a world-class biomedical research institution and to serve as the foundation for a robust life sciences enterprise.

The Endowment presented the $50 million grant with the stipulation that it be used in areas of greatest need involving INGEN.

"By helping IU attract top-flight researchers and strengthen its role in this highly competitive area, this grant will build the intellectual capital of our state, so vital to Indiana's future prosperity," said N. Clay Robbins, president of the Endowment.

According to IU School of Medicine Dean D. Craig Brater, M.D., the most immediate need for INGEN is research space. The university has yet to determine specifically how the Endowment's latest grant will be used, but using it to supplement construction of new facilities is a possibility, Dr. Brater said. Some of the funds will be used to support INGEN programs on the Bloomington campus.

The initial $105 million Lilly grant allowed IU to build on its existing resources in the basic sciences and information technology, including recruitment of 23 new researchers at the Indianapolis and Bloomington campuses. INGEN resources already have helped bring an additional $32 million in new research grants to IU, and an additional $36 million in grant applications are under review.

For more information on INGEN, see http://www.ingen.iu.edu.