VOL. 23, NO. 21	APRIL 17, 1998

or the first time, Columbia has become part of a research and licensing collaboration between a consortium of three academic centers and a major pharmaceutical firm.

  The collaboration involves diabetes research conducted at the College of Physicians and Surgeons by Rudolph Leibel, at the Institute de Biologie de Lille of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in France, and at the British Diabetic Association, affiliated with Oxford. The research will be supported by funding from Eli Lilly and Co., the research-based pharmaceutical corporation.

  The consortium of the three academic partners and Eli Lilly will focus on the identification of genes responsible for type 2 diabetes and obesity.

  “The goal is to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying diabetes and obesity so that these disorders can be treated and ultimately prevented,” says Leibel, professor of pediatrics and medicine.

  The three research centers will receive funding for up to four years from Eli Lilly. In return, the pharmaceutical company gains options for intellectual property rights to technology resulting from the research.

  Jack Granowitz, executive director of Columbia Innovation Enterprise (CEI), says: “It’s the first agreement of its kind of which I am aware. And this is the first time CIE has been involved in negotiating a deal including three academic centers located in three different countries and a major U.S. pharmaceutical company.”

  In addition to research support, Columbia will receive a share of the licensing payments and royalties based on the sale of any resulting products.

  Most of the research conducted at Columbia will take place in the new Russ Berrie Medical Science Pavilion, where the new Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center is located.

  Type 2, or adult-onset, diabetes is often linked to obesity. Leibel estimates that 5 percent of the world’s population has type 2 diabetes and perhaps as much as 15 percent of people over age 60 is affected. Approximately 70 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are obese. A clear genetic link has been identified in this form of diabetes and the current collaborative study is designed to find some of the responsible genes.

  “Our idea is to bring together those specializing in human and animal genetics and industry experts to identify the genes. As the genes are identified, our research can be taken to the next step to produce drugs to help in the treatment of diabetes.”