|
In 2002 Governor Jeb Bush, Senator Jim King, Senator Ron Klein and Representative Chris Hart led the passage of groundbreaking legislation entitled the Technology Development Act . The act called for the appointment of the Emerging Technology Commission and tasked them with the award of $30 million appropriated by the legislature for the creation of research Centers of Excellence. The act also charged the Florida Research Consortium with the development of the criteria for selection and award. Using these criteria, the commission finalized its selections in the spring of 2003 and forwarded its recommendations to the Florida Board of Education. During the summer of 2003 the Board of Education unanimously approved the selections and funding was awarded.
The three Centers of Excellence are:
- Center of Excellence in Regenerative Health Biotechnology
University of Florida
This Center will stimulate promising research and commercialization that addresses the prevention, cure and rehabilitation of chronic, genetic and degenerative diseases, as well as traumatic injuries, microbial infections and cancer. It will employ breakthrough technologies in gene therapy, tissue replacement, transplantation, biomaterials and vaccines.
- Florida Photonics Center of Excellence
University of Central Florida
This Center will develop intellectual capital in photonics and transition this knowledge to Florida's private sector. The center will build on UCF's success in the field of optics and will expand into the growing fields of nano-photonics, bio-photonics, advanced imaging and 3-D displays; and ultra-high bandwidth communications.
- Center of Excellence in Biomedical and Marine Biotechnology
Florida Atlantic University
This Center will work in partnership with industry for the discovery, development and commercialization of new medicines from Florida's natural marine resources. Other partners include Florida International University, Nova Southeastern University, the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution and the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce.
|
