The University of Puerto Rico (UPR) and the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Co. (PRIDCO) signed an agreement for the construction of the Biotechnology Center for Research and Bioprocess Training in Mayagüez. Construction will begin in the summer of 2005 on the $12.5 million project.

This joint industrial/academic complex in the western part of the Island is one of the priority projects in the UPR science and technology agenda. PRIDCO will provide the land where the Biotech Center will be constructed.

UPR President, Antonio García Padilla, emphasized the importance of the agreement because it gives the Island an instrument for the development of an economy based on the knowledge and intellect of Puerto Ricans.

García Padilla stated that the Biotechnology Center would combine the most modern academic and industrial resources for the benefit of both the students of the Mayagüez campus and the pharmaceutical sector.

“The profiles of the most advanced societies show how closely related are economic development and the well-being of their residents with the investments made by their governments, private sector and their universities in the research field”, said García Padilla.

The UPR President added that investments in research projects “ that advance knowledge as the most important of our competitive advantages”, constitute a priority for Puerto Rico and our future economic development and should be launched from the point of view of the quality of research based on the most strict global criteria.”

PRIDCO Executive Director, Marie Robert said “the Center will place Puerto Rico as a world-class competitor in industrial biotechnology”. Additionally, she stated that the lack of a Center in Puerto Rico has been an obstacle to attract new business to the Island, because our competitors, Ireland and Singapore, each have one already. “My commitment is to transform Puerto Rico into a global leader in the high technology sector”, stated Robert.

The concept of the Biotechnology Center was developed by a team from the University of Mayagüez Industrial Biotechnology Program and Economic Development Center, PRIDCO executives of the offices of Science and Technology and Infrastructure Development, representatives of the Flour Daniel consulting firm, specialized in the development of pharmaceutical facilities and the UPR Office of the President. The team submitted a UPR-PRIDCO proposal to the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the federal agency that approved the $2 million grant for the construction of the Biotech Center.

The Biotech Center, to be constructed in the Mayagüez Guanajibo Industrial Park, is funded by a $5 million grant of the UPR Centennial Fund, $5 million by PRIDCO and $2.5 million from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Final construction is estimated to take one year.

The Biotech Center will be administered by a non-profit organization, presided by a Board of Directors, with representation of the UPR, PRIDCO and Industry. This Board of Directors, to be constituted shortly, has as its immediate task the organization of the corporation and the recruitment of an executive director with experience in the biotech industry and the academia.