UW-Madison: Morgridge Discovery Grants Spark Creative, Collaborative Proposals for Research

MADISON – Response to the effort by John and Tashia Morgridge to jump-start the
Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery by providing $3 million in seed grants for
research has exceeded expectations, generating more than 220 initial proposals.

The Morgridges, both University of Wisconsin-Madison alumni, hoped the Discovery
Seed Grant program would lay the groundwork for the institutes and inspire the
entire UW-Madison community to collaborate and consider new approaches to old
problems.

The response to the seed grant initiative was broad-based, with more than 115
university departments listed on the proposals. The faculty committee that will
review the proposals has more than 220 letters of intent to evaluate.

The response was diverse in terms of where the proposals originated across the
campus and the state of Wisconsin. The committee will be reviewing ideas from 10
UW-Madison schools and colleges, 44 industry partners, and 42 colleges and
universities all over the world.

“We are overwhelmed by the response from the campus community,” John Morgridge says.
“It is clear that the UW-Madison is committed to collaboration to solve the world’s
most pressing problems.”

“We are anxious to see which of these proposals will be successful in the faculty
review process,” Tashia Morgridge adds.

The Morgridges announced in April that they were giving $50 million – the largest
individual gift ever to benefit the university – for construction of the Wisconsin
Institutes for Discovery. That was matched by $50 million from the Wisconsin Alumni
Research Foundation and $50 million from the state.

The institutes – one private and one public – will bring together researchers from a
broad spectrum of disciplines to attack the problems of disease, advance
regenerative medicine and solve other important problems. The institutes will be
located on the 1300 block of University Avenue.

Not surprisingly, some of the most prolific inventors on campus were also the most
active in submitting proposals. One inventor was listed on 15 applications, three
were listed on nine, and 16 had more than six.

A number of faculty members from other Wisconsin institutions were included as
collaborating researchers, including UW-Milwaukee, UW-Whitewater, the Medical
College of Wisconsin, Marquette University, Marshfield Clinic, the Madison
Metropolitan School District and Baraboo Middle School.

Industry was also well represented. Proposals from the private sector included many
UW-Madison startup companies, 3M, Amgen, GE Healthcare and Aurora Health Care.

“This response demonstrates that the campus is excited about the possibilities
provided by the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery,” says Carl Gulbrandsen, managing
director of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. “We have a long way to go to
bring the vision to reality, but this is a fantastic start.”

Paul Peercy, dean of the UW-Madison College of Engineering and chair of the Research
Steering Committee for the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, is sending a memo to
all applicants outlining the process for review and selection. The letters of intent
will be evaluated by August.

Successful applicants will be invited to submit full proposals, which will be due by
Oct. 1. The seed grants will be awarded in December.

Additional information about the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery and the
Discovery Seed Grant Program can be found at http://www.discovery.wisc.edu.