The College of Charleston is one of ten South Carolina colleges and universities to receive a $16 million grant to support a network to develop biomedical-research programs in areas such as regenerative medicine, biochemistry and molecular biology.

The funding comes from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), a division of the National Institutes of Health. The grant will provide five years of funding for SC INBRE (the IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence), a network of academic institutions working together to enhance biomedical-research infrastructure and increase competitiveness of researchers in the state. It is the continuation of a $17 million grant received five years ago.

The theme of the College of Charleston project is “Building Biomedical Research Opportunities in Genetics, Neurobiology, and Chemical Biology.”  The goal is to develop a self-sustaining community of biomedical researchers capable of garnering independent NIH support and to raise the competitive status of biomedical research at the College of Charleston.

Faculty members will work with at least two undergraduates each summer as well as during the academic year on cutting edge research in their respective fields.
Along with the College of Charleston, the network includes the University of South Carolina; Clemson University; the Medical University of South Carolina; Claflin University;  Francis Marion University; Furman University; South Carolina State University; USC-Beaufort and Winthrop University.