A project that could assist researchers in discovering innovative strategies to combat diseases is one of the initiatives that will receive substantial enhancement through a newfound collaborative agreement that Washington University in St. Louis has established with prominent science and technology firm MilliporeSigma. This partnership builds upon nearly a century of joint innovation and signifies a major growth in research collaboration between the two institutions.
On July 24, the organization entered into a nonbinding memorandum of understanding with WashU. The accord encompasses cooperative programs between MilliporeSigma and various schools within WashU, including Arts & Sciences, the McKelvey School of Engineering, and WashU Medicine.
“This agreement marks a new chapter in the shared legacy of WashU and MilliporeSigma,” stated Chancellor Andrew D. Martin. “Collaboration is essential to our university’s research and scientific triumph. Teaming up with an industry frontrunner like MilliporeSigma will enhance our ability to produce solutions for the world’s most pressing challenges.”
“Partnerships between academia and industry are increasingly vital in today’s ever-evolving scientific environment,” remarked Jean-Charles Wirth, chief executive officer of MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. “Our collaboration with WashU highlights MilliporeSigma’s dedication to empowering the upcoming generation of scientists who will drive advancements in health care and the life sciences. By merging WashU’s exceptional research abilities with our cutting-edge technologies and industry know-how, we can ignite innovation with lasting influence.”
In collaboration, MilliporeSigma and WashU aspire to fast-track the process from laboratory discoveries to clinical applications, ultimately accelerating the introduction of life-saving treatments to patients.
One of the inaugural researchers to join the new collaboration with MilliporeSigma is Alex Quillin, a recent PhD graduate from WashU’s Vagelos Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences. She is focused on commercializing a tool designed to monitor significant RNA modifications in cells—a development that could pave the way for new insights into the origins of various diseases.
The tool was initially conceived in the lab of Jennifer Heemstra, the Charles Allen Thomas Professor of Chemistry at WashU’s Arts & Sciences and Emory University. Now, MilliporeSigma will make significant strides towards ensuring the tool is widely accessible on a global scale.
Quillin is collaborating as a member of a team at one of MilliporeSigma’s manufacturing and research-and-development facilities in St. Louis.
“My primary objective is to transform the assay developed in the Heemstra lab into a kit that can be commercialized,” Quillin explained. “We aim to enable other researchers to execute the assay swiftly and obtain the necessary data.”
Beyond directly promoting discovery and innovation through collaborative research and technology transfer, the new agreement between MilliporeSigma and WashU also seeks to bolster science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and nurture the development of leaders in the life sciences through fellowship programs, internships, and mentoring, among other initiatives.
There is already a robust talent pipeline connecting WashU and MilliporeSigma. WashU alumni founded Sigma Chemical Co., which was acquired by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and now functions as MilliporeSigma. Nearly 100 alumni currently hold positions at MilliporeSigma and its parent company. Notably, Jeffrey Whitford, MBA ’12, MilliporeSigma’s vice president for sustainability and social business innovation, played a crucial role in bringing the new agreement to realization.
Since 2012, MilliporeSigma has provided annual support for the WashU Institute for School Partnership’s STEMpact program. The organization has also sponsored several research initiatives at WashU and contributed over $13.8 million worth of laboratory materials and supplies to assist scientists in advancing critical research throughout the university.
“This collaboration with MilliporeSigma exemplifies the kind of academic-industry partnership that accelerates the journey from discovery to impact,” expressed Doug E. Frantz, vice chancellor for innovation and commercialization at WashU. “By aligning our research strengths with MilliporeSigma’s industry insights, we are creating a formidable platform to propel transformative ideas out of the laboratory and into the broader world, where they can ultimately enhance human health and advance scientific development.”
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