The Kleinmuntz Center supports a variety of IGB initiatives, from economic, and professional, to outreach, prioritizing work that has societal impact, scientific merit, and commercial potential, and enables the IGB to take our commercialization and social impact efforts to the next level, further developing our reputation as one of the leading genomics institutes in the country.
Kleinmuntz Center Inaugural Year
In its inaugural year of operation, the Catherine and Don Kleinmuntz Center for Genomics in Business and Society significantly enhanced and accelerated the broader impact of the IGB research and innovation by providing unique opportunities for public engagement and social impact. The Kleinmuntz’s generous support allowed IGB to reach roughly 3,500 people with educational events. Read about the first year of the center here.
Special Lecture with Dr. Joanne Tornow, National Science Foundation
Join us for a special lecture on October 23, 2019 at 4:00pm, sponsored by the Kleinmuntz Center, by Dr. Joanne Tornow, Assistant Director for Biological Sciences at the National Science Foundation. The talk is titled “Life Innovates, Biology Integrates: A Vision for the Biological Sciences” and a reception will follow immediately after, at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Conference Room 612.
13th annual iCON Awards
The Kleinmuntz Center is proud to sponsor a table at the 13th annual iCON Awards in honor of Dr. Martin Burke, who is receiving the 2019 iCON Innovator Award on September 26th. Dr. Burke is a Professor of Chemistry and a member of the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, both at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research group has pioneered the field of molecular prosthetics, including the development of an automated Lego-like platform for creating small molecules. The event is hosted by the Illinois Biotechnology Innovation Organization (iBIO).
Launch Celebration at Loft Lucia
The Kleinmuntz Center launch celebration was held this summer in the beautiful Loft Lucia space, with an impressive lineup of speakers, emceed by IGB Director Gene Robinson, including President Timothy Killeen, Interim Vice Chancellor for Research Susan Martinis, Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Brian Cunningham, Nutrition Professor Zeynep Madak-Erdogan, Chemistry Professor Paul Hergenrother, and founders of the center Drs. Catherine and Don Kleinmuntz.
World of Genomics with NASEM
With support from the Kleinmuntz Center the IGB was able to partner with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to present Family Science Day at the NAS Building: DecisionTown in the World of Genomics in Washington D.C., combining the IGB's largest outreach event World of Genomics with NASEM's engaging DecisionTown interactive public experience. Over 3,000 visitors attended to see how the decisions they make every day are influenced by science, engineering, and medicine.
