After months of negotiations, Arizona has landed an independent, world-class research institute dedicated to new ways to diagnose, treat and cure diseases.
Gov. Jane Hull recently announced that the Translational Genomics Research Institute will make its home in Phoenix.
The new Arizona-based institute is named the Translational Genomics Research Institute or TGRI.. Officials said ASU faculty and students will be closely linked to the research that takes place at the institute.
Jeffrey Trent, a graduate of Arcadia High School who earned graduate degrees at UA has accepted the position of president and chief scientific officer of the TGRI. Trent, currently the scientific director of the National Genome Research Institute, said he will relocate to Arizona.
"I am delighted to return to Arizona with my family, to participate in this extraordinary statewide initiative to use the science of genomics to accelerate discoveries to cure disease and improve lives," Trent said in a prepared statement.
"I am both impressed and thrilled by the collaboration of so many different interests who have come together for one to create infrastructure and opportunity to make a profound difference in science and medicine."
Trent has been featured in local and national media for his groundbreaking work on the human genome.
"I am happy to say this native son is returning home bringing literally a world of experience with him," Hull said at a press conference. "This is the beginning of a new era of scientific research that will benefit Arizona and the world."
Jonathan Fink, vice provost for research at ASU, said genomics studies "take tissues, cancer tumors and analyze them to come up with new treatments for people to cure cancer." Such studies are competitive and expensive.
"ASU will be able to compete with universities such as UCLA, Harvard and Stanford," Fink said. "It will be a great opportunity because of all the money this will bring."
Gail Howard, director of economic development at ASU, said the TGRI project will cost about $120 million over a five-year time period. Of that amount, about $90 million has been committed from public and private sources to support the TGRI in its first five years of operation.
"It is a collaborative effort," Howard said. A large piece of the money is coming from the state tobacco education funds; a big chunk is from Piper Trust and Flinn Foundation; and the rest from a variety of other private and public organizations. Arizona's universities have kicked in $17.5 million.
"I think it is very exciting, a real chance for the community to jumpstart its biotech development," Howard said. "It will be great for ASU."
The city of Phoenix will design, build and finance the TGRI headquarters in the heart of Copper Square at Seventh and Van Buren streets at a cost of up to $21 million. The city has agreed to lease the building to the TGRI for 30 years.
Howard said new ASU faculty members will be hired in the next year to work at TGRI, and ASU students will work with them.
ASU President Michael Crow said he is excited about the instituteís move to Phoenix.
"I thoroughly support that," Crow said. "Our hope is that undergraduates as well as graduate students will be a part of it."
Reach the reporter at erin.hawksworth@asu.edu.