Funding Opportunities at Chicago Biomedical Consortium (CBC)

Chicago Biomedical Consortium (CBC) was launched in December 2001 by the late Chicago philanthropist Dan Searle.Dan had a steadfast belief in the importance of scientific discovery, and he believed that collaboration among Chicago’s leading research universities was essential for both scientific and civic advancement. Faculty members at Northwestern, the University of Chicago, and UIC were challenged to think of ways to foster collaboration. The task was to design a plan that pulled faculty from across the city into a connected intellectual community, reducing rivalries and encouraging cooperation. Dan indicated that very substantial funding could be available for a proposal that passed muster.

In 2002, with a Planning Grant from The Chicago Community Trust, work began to turn a concept into reality. Each university sent representatives to form a city-wide Strategic Planning Group. Many ideas were considered at many meetings. Many busy faculty members donated many hours to the process. Key faculty leaders of the Strategic Planning Group were Rick Morimoto (Northwestern), Brenda Russell (UIC), and Jonathan Silverstein (University of Chicago). At the request of the University of Chicago and Northwestern provosts, Brenda Nelms and Katie Stallcup also played an active role in the development of the CBC.