Celebrating the launch of IU LAB
Indiana University marked a transformative moment for Indiana, its capital city and the state’s flagship university on Monday, Jan. 27, with the formal establishment of the IU Launch Accelerator for Biosciences, or IU LAB, at the 16 Tech Innovation District in Indianapolis. Supported by a $138 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., the first-of-its-kind academic-industry initiative will harness Indiana’s extensive resources to make the Hoosier state a national leader in bioscience discovery, commercialization and talent development.
IU President Pamela Whitten joined Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, and community and industry leaders at the celebration event and official launch of IU LAB, which will leverage research advancements and spur innovation in biosciences and several critical disease areas, including diabetes and cancer.
The initiative will leverage the power of the state’s leading organizations in biosciences, including IU, the IU School of Medicine, 16 Tech Community Corp., Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, BioCrossroads, Indiana Biosciences Research Institute, Regenstrief Institute and IU Health, as well as leaders in entrepreneurship and venture capital. Together, these partners will advance education and training opportunities for students and current professionals, accelerate the development of new startup companies, and further the development of new therapeutics, diagnostics and devices that will improve lives in Indiana and beyond.
Led by its first president and CEO, former Indiana Secretary of Commerce David Rosenberg, IU LAB will also offer educational programs for residents of neighboring communities and participate in 16 Tech’s Community Investment Fund, which provides grants to support opportunity and revitalization of neighborhoods near the 16 Tech Innovation District.
“As we celebrate the launch of IU LAB, let us recognize its extraordinary potential to transform our state’s life sciences ecosystem,” President Whitten said at the launch event. “Together, we will create a brighter future for Indiana, one marked by innovation, collaboration and improved human health.”
Read more about IU LAB
Watch a video celebrating the launch of IU LAB
Governor Braun delivers first State of the State address
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun delivered his first State of the State address on Wednesday, Jan. 29, to a joint session of the Indiana General Assembly in the Indiana House of Representatives chamber.
“Not everyone I met has had an easy time these last few years. Many families were barely holding their heads above water as prices just kept rising,” Braun said. “But despite all of that, what comes through most clearly when listening to Hoosiers is our resilience, our optimism and a shared desire to make our state truly great.”
During his remarks, Braun commented on the importance of education to workforce development and requested a round of applause for Indiana’s teachers and all Hoosiers who are dedicated to helping students.
“Indiana’s future depends on how we educate the next generation,” he said.
IU President Pamela Whitten attended the State of the State address again this year, which was her fourth as president.
Watch or read the address
State Update
The IU State Relations team has reviewed every bill that has been introduced at the Statehouse and determined if and how the bill could impact the university. This Statehouse Update provides a summary of bills the team is tracking and that moved during the fourth week of session.
Read the State Update
Federal Update
This week’s Federal Update covers Congressional and Executive Branchactivities of interest in Washington, D.C.
Read the Federal Update
Economic Engagement Update
The Forge welcomes first tenants
The Forge, a new 22,000-square-foot sustainably designed Class-A office building in Bloomington’s Trades District, has officially welcomed its first two tenants. Both new occupants are affiliated with Indiana University, which is working to accelerate the development of the Trades District, including The Forge, with the support of a $16 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its statewide initiative College and Community Collaboration.
Folia, a fast-emerging software company co-founded by IU Bloomington alumnus Ravi Bhatt, is The Forge’s first new tenant. The company helps modern enterprises streamline their research, analysis and idea generation practices through several products, including iAnnotate, an award-winning annotation platform that allows users to read, mark up and share documents on a tablet. Bhatt, who has a degree in cognitive science from IU Bloomington’s College of Arts and Sciences, relocated Folia from Chicago to Bloomington several years ago.
As announced earlier this week, joining Folia at The Forge will be Vivum AI, a trailblazer in evolutionary AI technology that is powering a new generation of autonomous systems, including advanced robotics and unmanned vehicles. The company was co-founded by Derek Whitley, a U.S. Navy veteran who earned a dual degree from IU Bloomington in complex systems and cognitive science.
Folia and Vivum AI both began their business journeys as members of The Mill, southern Indiana’s largest entrepreneurial support organization.
Learn more about Folia
Learn more about Vivum AI
Learn more about Lilly Endowment’s $16 million grant to IU
IU Bloomington provost spotlights efforts to strengthen STEM workforce
In his most recent campus update, Indiana University Bloomington Provost Rahul Shrivastav shared insights from a recent national panel discussion on STEM education and underscored IU’s commitment to innovation in STEM teaching and supporting both students and faculty.
Shrivastav spotlighted several initiatives and programs that are making a major impact by connecting students with hands-on learning experiences, career development opportunities and access to STEM communities, and promoting faculty growth and innovation through research and grant support and faculty mentorship and leadership initiatives.
Read his message
College of Arts and Sciences launches national model for student success
The Pillars Undergraduate Experience, a new framework at the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University Bloomington, will equip students for academic achievement and lifelong career success in today’s rapidly changing economy. It is the first initiative of its kind in the nation that integrates four key components—research, career readiness, intentional life design and immersive learning—into a cohesive program.
“This integrated approach makes a liberal arts and sciences education more accessible, relevant, and forward-looking for today’s students,” said Rick Van Kooten, executive dean of the College and a professor of physics. “The Pillars Undergraduate Experience equips students to connect their studies with real-world opportunities, which in turn will help them define and pursue rewarding and fulfilling career trajectories.”
Discover the new framework
IU in the News
IU to support mental well-being in collaboration with Lilly Endowment and rural congregations
A $1.4 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Ministry in Rural Areas and Small Towns Initiative will support the Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement and other university partners in creating a suite of mental well-being resources that address needs expressed by rural congregations and their communities.
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IU Southeast research center builds better futures for southern Indiana communities
The Applied Research and Education Center at Indiana University Southeast has made its mark helping local organizations and agencies make informed decisions on issues such as child care, housing, poverty, and educational services for immigrant workers and their families.
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No limits—IU Luddy autonomous race team keeps pushing boundaries
The Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering’s Autonomous Racing team doesn’t just keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in autonomous racing, it does it faster and more efficiently than anyone else in the renowned Indy Autonomous Challenge. If it leads to world-changing breakthroughs in building safer cars for everyone, all the better.
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High uric acid levels linked to deadly outcomes in children with severe malaria
Indiana University School of Medicine researchers and their collaborators in Uganda at the Makerere University School of Medicine have uncovered a significant connection between elevated uric acid levels and life-threatening outcomes in children with severe malaria.
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IU search and rescue course teaches skills that could save lives
Fundamentals of Search and Rescue, which is open to the public, trains students to find people who are lost or missing in wilderness environments.
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