BASF forms Ivy League links

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Office of Technology Development (OTD) today announced an agreement to jointly establish the BASF Advanced Research Initiative at Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS).

The initiative will establish a fully collaborative, integrated partnership among Harvard and BASF researchers. BASF will provide direct funding to Harvard researchers, initially supporting 10 postdoctoral students. Total funding over the next five years is expected to reach $20m.

BASF and OTD said they plan to define and pursue projects in areas including, applied physics, physics, applied mathematics, chemical biology, systems biology, bioengineering, and materials science.

BASF will develop and commercialise any projects that reach proof of concept stage.

Initial areas for investigation include exploring new chemical approaches to processes and materials and understanding the formation of biofilms and deriving new strategies to inhibit or limit their growth by modifying surfaces and materials. The control and elimination of such microbes is critical for clinical and industrial settings.

‘We are delighted to be working together with one of the world’s most respected universities for science and engineering,' said Dr. Stefan Marcinowski, member of the board of executive directors of BASF Aktiengesellschaft and executive research director. ‘We expect this initiative to generate new and unconventional innovations, which can lead to future products that are relevant to the needs of society.’