For the past five years, the Center for Bioanalytic Metrology (CBM) at the University of Notre Dame has served as the world’s leading consortium for academic research in analytical science and engineering.

Now, with five years of funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the CBM will enter Phase II of its mission to create new capabilities in measurement science and solve current, emerging and industry-relevant problems, creating value for its corporate, non-profit and federal members.

CBM Director Paul W. Bohn said, “Support from the NSF has allowed the Center for Bioanalytic Metrology at Notre Dame to play a pivotal role in advancing research and product development across a broad spectrum of industries; pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, energy, consumer products and ag/nutrition sectors are all represented in CBM. We are grateful to the NSF for supporting and affirming these efforts."

Bohn, the Arthur J. Schmitt Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and professor of chemistry and biochemistry, added, “The CBM's Phase II will lead to enhanced measurement science and more precise instrumentation to ensure that industrial products are safe, accurate and personalized.”

In addition to serving as the director of the CBM, Bohn is the inaugural director of Notre Dame’s Bioengineering and Life Sciences Initiative, which was launched in the spring of 2024.

For Phase II, Bohn will remain CBM director but step down from his role as Notre Dame site director for the CBM. Merlin Bruening, the Donald and Susan Rice Professor of Engineering, has accepted the position of site director.

Bruening said, “I look forward to working with Professor Bohn and our colleagues at Purdue University and Indiana University on this important research collaboration with our industry partners.”

The CBM was launched in 2019 as an NSF Phase I Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC). The IUCRC program accelerates the impact of basic research through close relationships between industry innovators, world-class academic teams and government leaders. IUCRCs are designed to help corporate partners and government agencies connect directly and efficiently with university researchers to achieve three primary objectives:

• Conduct high-impact research to meet shared industrial needs in companies of all sizes;

• Enhance U.S. global leadership in driving innovative technology development, and;

• Identify, mentor and develop a diverse, high-tech, exceptionally skilled workforce.

Notre Dame serves as the lead institution with Purdue University and Indiana University Bloomington as partners. During Phase I, the CBM facilitated over $3 million in industry-relevant measurement science research on behalf of its dues-paying corporate members, including AbbVie, Agilent, Corteva, Evonik, ExxonMobil, Genentech, Bristol Myers Squibb, Lilly, Merck, Moderna, P&G, Pfizer and Takeda.

Since its inception, the CBM has been at the forefront of developing cutting-edge bioanalytical tools and methodologies. The center's interdisciplinary approach, combining expertise in chemistry, biology and engineering, has led to significant advancements in understanding complex chemical systems and developing innovative solutions for real-world challenges.

The NSF's renewed support will enable the CBM to expand its research initiatives, foster new collaborations, and accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into practical applications.

For more information about the Center for Bioanalytic Metrology and its research initiatives, visit cbm.nd.edu.

Contact: Brett Beasley, writer and editorial program manager, bbeasle1@nd.edu, 574-631-8183

Originally published by Brett Beasley at research.nd.edu on Aug. 27, 2024.