CSI dedicates molecular research institute
Staten Island Advance
Wednesday, November 19, 2003
 The
College of Staten Island held a virtual ribbon-cutting ceremony --
well, it was actually a virtual double helix -- yesterday on its
Willowbrook campus to dedicate a new biomedical and molecular
research institute.
The college received a $2.5 million state grant for the project last
year and will be expanding research on subjects ranging from
chemotherapy resistance to new vaccine development.
The money will be used to buy sophisticated lab equipment and fund
new and existing projects on molecular interactions in the body.
Researchers are hoping their work will ultimately translate into new
cancer-fighting drugs, devices needed for organ transplants and
other groundbreaking discoveries. Ten new scientists will be hired
into the CUNY system to conduct research for the institute,
including five who will be added to CSI's faculty. Veteran
professors are interviewing candidates now and say they have highly
accomplished academics coming in.
"This is a great day for the College of Staten Island," said Dr.
Fred Naider, a professor of chemistry and one of the institute's
founding members. "I've been a professor here for 30 years ... at
one time at Richmond College we had no equipment."
Research for the Macromolecular Assemblies Institute (MMA), as it is
called, will be centered in existing CSI labs, but will take place
throughout the system and involve collaborations with other academic
institutions.
Those at yesterday's ceremony said the institute will help put CSI
and CUNY on the map with patents, research grants, large-scale
public-private partnerships and better resources for students.
"It's all very exciting," said Dr. Ruth Stark, a chemistry professor
at CSI and the director of the new institute. "These are the types
of basic research efforts that can make long-term differences."
Dr. Marlene Springer, president of CSI, called yesterday a
"milestone" in the college's history and said the institute would
both further its reputation and provide more resources to students.
 Funding
for the institute was granted through the state Gen-NY-sis
(Generating Employment through New York Science) program, which is
allocating $500 million over a five year period to aid research
institutions in creating premier life science programs.
"There are great expectations waiting to see what happens," said
Republican state Sen. John Marchi, who fought to secure the state
money for CSI. "I know it's going to be good."
 Dr.
Robert Kurtz, whose company, BioResearch Inc., discovered an
effective antiviral agent, was also on hand yesterday.
Working with MMA will undoubtedly help his company and, in turn,
improve the health of all patients, he said.
By Jill Gardner
Reprinted here with permission from the
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