University Communications

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Commerce Head to Speak at UWRF Tissue Center Opening

MARCH 2, 2009-- The opening of the new University of Wisconsin-River Falls Tissue and Cellular Innovation Center (TCIC) —an innovative partnership linking biotech research to the real world—will be celebrated March 9 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the University Center.

The celebration will include a symposium and feature keynote speaker Wisconsin Secretary of Commerce Richard J. Leinenkugel.

The symposium is from 9 to 11:30 a.m., followed by the official opening celebration from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A TCIC collaborative fellows meeting will be held from 12:45 to 2:30 p.m.

Tim Lyden, associate professor of biology and director of the TCIC, says the collaborative work of the TCIC is made possible through a strong public-private partnership between UWRF, WiSys Technology Foundation Inc., Marshfield Clinics and Phillips Plastics.

“This event represents a new concept in the role of undergraduate institutions within the state to develop academic, clinical and industrial partnerships with the intent of fostering innovative new solutions to fundamental research questions which in-turn, have the potential to help develop the biotechnology, biomedical and nanobiotechnology sector of the state's economy,” Lyden said.

The mission of WiSys is to identify innovative technologies throughout the UW System and bring them to market--in collaboration with Wisconsin companies whenever possible. TCIC's work includes a natural, three-dimensional scaffold, developed by a UWRF researcher, for growing tissue and cells that could drive new methods for developing vaccines and producing proteins that are important for making new drugs.

The TCIC has hired a post-doctoral fellow who will work with the TCIC director to support ongoing research and mentor students. The UWRF-based TCIC is one of five similar centers being developed on UW System campuses. The others are Eau Claire, La Crosse, Platteville and Stout.

All events--with the exception of the lunch for invited guests--are free and open to the public.

For more information contact:
Tim Lyden, Ph.D., UWRF, 715-425-3362, timothy.lyden@uwrf.edu ;
Mike Cenci, WiSys, 608-263-0871, mcenci@warf.org ;
or Kevin Harter, UWRF, University Communications, 715-425-3771, kevin.harter@uwrf.edu

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