The collaborative research agreement between Cleveland Clinic and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will provide students in Integrative Biology and Chemistry doctoral programs with hands-on, state-of-the-art biomedical research training.

A new partnership between Florida Atlantic University and Cleveland Clinic’s Florida Research and Innovation Center (CCF) is poised to enhance advanced workforce training in South Florida’s burgeoning biotechnology sector.

The collaborative research agreement between Cleveland Clinic and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will provide students in Integrative Biology and Chemistry doctoral programs with hands-on, state-of-the-art biomedical research training. The program will be facilitated by Shailaja Allani, Ph.D., director of Florida Atlantic’s Center for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (CMBB). Under CMBB’s new program, Biotech Bridge, the center serves as a connecting platform between students, faculty, researchers, industry partners and the community to accelerate advancements in molecular biology and biotechnology into real-world applications.

“Our mission at Biotech Bridge is to bridge the gap between knowledge and opportunity by integrating education, research and industry-academic partnerships to drive innovation and collaboration in life sciences.  This new fellowship program with our partners at the Florida Research and Innovation Center is a perfect example of how we can bring this mission to life,” Allani said. “This training opportunity will equip our graduate students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in the rapidly evolving field of biotech research.”

Student fellows accepted into the program will be awarded FAU-CCF graduate research assistantships at the Florida Research and Innovation Center where they will participate in research related to the completion of their degree programs.

The Florida Research and Innovation Center, which is in Port St. Lucie adjacent to Cleveland Clinic’s Tradition Hospital, focuses on basic and translational research related to infectious diseases, immune-related disorders and cancer. The center is also the primary site of Cleveland Clinic’s global vaccine development program, where scientists work to design and test novel vaccines. Importantly, the center also focuses on developing local talent to build its scientific and health care workforce.

“At Cleveland Clinic, we are committed to fostering an environment that nurtures the next generation of scientists, physicians and clinical staff,” said Michaela Gack, Ph.D., scientific director of the Florida Research and Innovation Center. “As a medical academic center, education is at the heart of what Cleveland Clinic does. Our ongoing work in this area has already made an impact across our community, and our collaboration with Florida Atlantic University is another powerful step in shaping the future of research and health care.”

Students eligible for the joint graduate program are pursuing their Ph.D. at Florida Atlantic’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science in either the Department of Biological Sciences or the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. As part of the partnership, several Florida Research and Innovation Center researchers, including Gack, will serve as affiliate faculty in the College of Science.

“For decades, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science has been at the forefront of research and education in fields that are fundamental to the entire biotechnology industry through its multidisciplinary programs, including the Biotech Bridge initiative,” said Valery Forbes, Ph.D., dean of the College of Science. “Our exciting partnership with Cleveland Clinic will connect the next generation of scientific talent with a vibrant hub of biomedical research – with the ultimate goal of developing life-saving treatments for some of our most challenging diseases.”

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