University of Chicago Joins Global Scholars Program

The NIBR Global Scholars Program (NGSP) is a competitive program designed for innovators from invited institutions to gain funding for breakthrough science not covered by traditional grant support.

The University of Chicago has joined the competitive program which is supported by the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) and designed to provide researchers with funding as well as access to disease biology, drug-hunting, and translational research expertise.

Through the NIBR Global Scholars Program (NGSP), NIBR – the “innovation engine” of Novartis – supports projects focused on novel science with the goal of being translated to drug discovery and/or clinical research.

“The University of Chicago’s invitation to participate in the NIBR Global Scholars Program is a key milestone in our growing relationship with Novartis. We are excited to join other world-class institutions and showcase the University’s breakthrough research,” said David Gross, director of industry relations and strategy at the Polsky Center.

“Novartis understands the importance of investing in early-stage drug discovery, and we look forward to the collaborative projects that may emanate from this program,” Gross added.

University of Chicago investigators will now submit research proposals to a competitive review and selection process driven by NIBR. Innovative projects chosen for funding among all institutions participating in the NGSP will receive up to $1 million funding over three years in addition to drug-hunting expertise from dedicated NIBR scientific collaborators. An assigned alliance manager also will help ensure the collaboration is productive while handing all operational components of the program.

“Collaborations such as these are critical for faculty researchers who are developing innovative solutions to society’s biggest problems,” said Jay Schrankler, associate vice president and head of the Polsky Center. “We are thankful for the support and knowledge gained through this program with the goal of commercializing new technologies for the benefit of all of humankind.”