Ohio officials have routed $9 million in tobacco lawsuit settlement money to the University of Cincinnati and five partner organizations to spend on biotech research equipment.

        UC already is pumping about $36 million into renovations at its new Genomic Research Institute, scheduled to open early next year in Reading. The research center will feature 60 laboratories and a staff of more than 350 scientists.

        The new $9 million grant will help pay for “core facilities” loaded with powerful computers and specialized equipment, said Dr. David Millhorn, institute director.

        “It's hard to get grants for infrastructure. Most of our grants pay for specific research projects,” Dr. Millhorn said. “But by having these core facilities, it will help make small biotech companies more likely to locate in the area.”

        Dr. Millhorn said the grant is an important early step for carrying out Gov. Bob Taft's Third Frontier initiative to promote high-tech economic development; and to advance UC's Millennium Plan to double biotech research in the next several years.

        The grant was one of three awarded statewide from Ohio's Biomedical Research and Technology Transfer Commission. In addition to UC, the $9 million grant will support work by Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Wright State University, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and Acero Inc.

        The other grants were $6.5 million for a cardiovascular bioengineering project and $6 million for a biomedical informatics system at Ohio State University.

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