Background

The concept of the Oregon Translational Research and Drug Development Institute (OTRADI) was developed by the Oregon research universities and local biotechnology companies. Oregon university research programs produce the licensable technologies and services that form the foundation of therapeutic development (lead compounds, diagnostics, and therapeutics). OTRADI provides a value added component to Oregon companies and universities to develop their respective intellectual property further before partnering with large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, seeking additional investment or, creating start-up companies. The types of tasks performed by OTRADI would include chemical and biological screens, validated targets or "hits", lead optimization, toxicology assays, medicinal chemistry and assay optimization.

The OTRADI signature research institute model is unique in the constituencies that are collaborating and, the focus on infectious disease. The addition of an infectious disease therapeutic-development focused Signature Research Center in this area will enable companies and research institutions to engage in technology-based economic development, create additional value in existing intellectual property portfolios, attract additional grant money to Oregon institutions, attract additional researchers (with additional grants) to our region, and accelerate the local infrastructure for the biotech, diagnostic and pharmaceutical clusters.