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Tobacco Settlement Funds Begin Work 
in Agricultural and Medical Research

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Jan. 18, 2002) -- Researchers with the new Arkansas Biosciences Institute, or ABI, provided a vision of their plans today at the first meeting of the Institute's board. Their agricultural and medical research is focused on improving the health of Arkansans, especially in the area of preventing cancer and other tobacco-related diseases.

The Institute is a partnership of scientists from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture (UA Agri), the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (UAF), Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH), and Arkansas State University (ASU). It was created as part of the Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act, approved in the fall, 2000, general election by a 64% majority of Arkansas voters.

Dr. Michael Owens, ABI Director, presented a summary of the research underway at each of the partner institutions:
Scientists at the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture are investigating ways in which foods can be grown containing nutrients that will prevent cancer and other diseases. They will also build new research programs linking medicine and tobacco-related illnesses, such as identifying plant genes and gene products with medical implications. Much of this research will be in collaboration with scientific colleagues at UAMS.

At UAMS, areas of research will focus on cancer, heart disease, lung disease, and addiction studies. Funds will be used to study genes and signals that make lung cancers grow and to investigate how cancer cells attract the blood supply they need to grow and spread. Biochemists are studying enzymes that break down bad chemicals in tobacco smoke. A technology called Agene microarray analysis@ is helping understand the genes involved in cancer and other diseases.

ABI funds at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville will support scientists who are studying how the body's proteins affect disease. These studies are aimed at understanding the causes of heart disease by analyzing protein function and structure. Other scientists are studying how normal and abnormal bodily processes are regulated and controlled by proteins. A particular strength of UAF scientists is their skill at using highly advanced instruments to accomplish their goals.

Arkansas Children's Hospital is working to improve the treatment of childhood asthma, which is made worse by smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke. Research will also focus on reducing the impact of birth defects and the pain and suffering in newborns. As with the Division of Agriculture, scientists are also working in the areas of diet and nutrition.

Scientists at Arkansas State University's new research facility will strengthen existing research and develop new research related to the mission of the Institute. These include agri-medical applications and associated environmental risk and benefit assessment. ASU's research program plans to develop and expand its relationships with other ABI partners.

Dr. B. Alan Sugg, Chairman of the Institute Board, said, AI am glad the voters in Arkansas chose to invest the tobacco settlement funds to improve our state's health through this medical and agricultural research. These scientific partnerships will generate additional funds for research at a rate of several dollars for every dollar invested. Further, we expect this to have a tremendous impact on science education in our schools at all levels.

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The ABI is a partnership of scientists from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas State University, the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority, the National Center for Toxicological Research and Arkansas Children's Hospital.

The institute was established:

1. To conduct agricultural research with medical implications;

2. To conduct bioengineering research focused on the expansion of genetic knowledge and new potential applications in the agricultural-medical fields;

3. To conduct tobacco-related research that focuses on the identification and applications of behavioral, diagnostic and therapeutic research addressing the high level of tobacco-related illnesses in Arkansas;

4. To conduct nutritional and other research focusing on prevention or treatment of cancer, congenital or hereditary conditions or other related conditions;

5. To conduct other research identified by the primary educational and research institutions involved in the Arkansas Biosciences Institute or as otherwise identified by the Institute Board, which is related or complementary to the above-listed research areas.

 

The Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act of 2000 sets forth the composition of the Arkansas Biosciences Institute and the ABI Board.

ARKANSAS BIOSCIENCES INSTITUTE BOARD MEMBERS

Dr. John W. Ahlen, President, Arkansas Science and Technology Authority
Dr. Jonathan Bates, President and CEO, Arkansas Children's Hospital
Dr. Daniel A. Casciano, Director, National Center for Toxicological Research
Mr. John C. Freeman, Regional President of Arkansas, Union Planters Bank, N.A.
Dr. Phillip L. Rayford, Retired Professor
Dr. Milo Shult, Vice President for Agriculture, University of Arkansas System
Dr. B. Alan Sugg, President, University of Arkansas System
Dr. J. Leslie Wyatt, President, Arkansas State University
Dr. John A. White, Chancellor, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Dr. I. Dodd Wilson, Chancellor, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Dr. S. Michael Owens, Director, Arkansas Biosciences Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

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