Science & Technology

From the cutting-edge research being done at our world-famous Ag Lab to the recent opening of the Peoria NEXT Innovation Center, central Illinois is at the forefront of revolutions in healthcare, agriculture, energy and technology.

In 2003, the Peoria City Council created the 700-acre district known as Renaissance Park, a neighborhood which encompasses the nation’s largest agricultural research lab, a nationally recognized university, two regional medical centers and a world-renowned college of medicine. Many of the region’s cutting-edge research projects and technological innovations are being developed right here, in the heart of Peoria.

LEADERS IN BIOSCIENCE

One of the greatest reservoirs of intellectual capital in Peoria is the USDA-ARS National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR Ag Lab), internationally renowned for its bioscience innovations. More than 250 research personnel from nearly a dozen scientific disciplines are charged with creating ideas, knowledge and solutions for high-priority national research problems. Bioenergy research continues to be one such priority for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Peoria’s NCAUR is a leader in the Bioenergy and Energy Alternatives National Program, along with regional research centers located in California and Pennsylvania. A significant strength of the bioenergy program is the range of industry stakeholders, with university, state and federal partners.

One NCAUR research team specializes in using bacteria, yeasts and other microorganisms to ferment grain sugars and other agricultural materials into fuel ethanol. A Washington University research team is investigating microbial fuel cell systems to produce electricity or hydrogen fuel. These individual teams have pooled their labs’ resources and expertise to undertake a cooperative project to convert sugars in agricultural materials into electricity or hydrogen. One resource they’ll share is the Peoria-based ARS Microbial Culture Collection, which houses about 87,000 accessions of freeze-dried microbes from around the world.

Another resource unique to NCAUR is an automated molecular biology robot. The system was developed by an NCAUR molecular biologist and his Peoria colleagues, with an engineering team at Hudson Control Group, Inc., of Springfield, New Jersey. The system’s inventors expect it will greatly streamline studies aimed at harnessing the power of proteins for industrial applications, such as making fuel ethanol from sugars in corn fiber.

Supercritical fluid technology—which uses carbon dioxide to extract, fractionate and purify a wide array of materials—is not new. However, a research team at NCAUR is evaluating a new use of this technology as a potential pretreatment to convert lignocellulosic biomass, such as switchgrass and corn stover, to fermentable sugars for ethanol production.

These NCAUR projects were among nearly two dozen that were highlighted during the ARS Showcase of Bioenergy Research in the summer of 2008. The showcase, held at NCAUR, featured bioenergy-related projects from research locations within the eight states of the ARS Midwest Area, along with representation from the Eastern and Western ARS Regional Research Centers.

The development of alternative renewable energy sources remains a leading topic of national interest, and NCAUR and the ARS program remain leaders in the bioenergy research arena.

INCUBATING TECHNOLOGY

Peoria NEXT is a consortium of local universities, hospitals, businesses and research institutions that invests in new science- and technology-based start-up businesses in the region. This unique collaboration aims to ensure Peoria’s place as a preferred location for research, development and commercialization of science and technology in the areas of agriculture, engineering, bio-engineering and medicine. More than 200 start-up companies have gone through Peoria NEXT.

Located on Main Street in Renaissance Park, the Peoria NEXT Innovation Center opened its doors last summer, and central Illinois opened its arms to a new wave of high-tech companies looking to make their mark on the world. As a technology incubator, the Center leverages the strengths of Caterpillar Inc., the NCAUR Ag Lab, Bradley University and other health-science and technology organizations throughout the region, providing a place for entrepreneurs and technologists to commercialize innovative ideas into successful businesses.

Peoria NEXT has also founded numerous Centers for Excellence, which are directed by members of the community and drive research in specific areas of technology commercialization. The Peoria NEXT Center for Excellence in Robotics was recently awarded a multi-million dollar Department of Defense grant to fund its research.

Peoria NEXT really is a “one-stop shop” when it comes to providing businesses with access to development and support services. From management and marketing to human resources and customer development— all the issues facing businesses and entrepreneurs can be addressed by a network of experienced professionals just a phone call away.

PIONEERING ENERGY SOLUTIONS

One of Peoria NEXT’s greatest success stories is that of Firefly Energy, Inc., a technology firm developing next-generation lead-acid battery technologies with the potential to revolutionize this $16 billion worldwide market. Based on an innovation discovered at Caterpillar, Firefly was the first spin-off project through Peoria NEXT. This up-and-coming company won the Frost & Sullivan 2006 Technology Innovation Award, was named one of the top 200 private technology companies in North America in 2006 and was a co-winner in the energy category in 2007’s Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Awards.

Firefly is currently developing its battery technology for its first customer, the Swedish company Husqvarna. In addition, the company landed a contract with the U.S. Army and is slated to begin shipping prototypes for testing by mid-2008. Firefly also recently announced plans to expand into the trucking market, where its battery technologies will help achieve compliance with new anti-pollution regulations.

With an abundance of farmland, our region is quickly becoming a central location for the development of biodiesel and other renewable technologies. With minimal transportation costs and easy access to river barges, many companies are realizing the benefit of locating their ethanol projects right here. Aventine Renewable Energy, based in Pekin, is currently undergoing a major expansion project to increase its production capacity by more than 50 percent. A new biodiesel plant just south of Peoria is in the works, which, when complete, would produce 45 million gallons of fuel annually.

The Midwest has been called the “Saudi Arabia of wind,” with wind farm projects sprouting up throughout the region. While rural areas continue to be the main destination for these towering structures, one local company plans to begin selling wind generators that can be placed on urban and suburban houses as well. Until recently, the sheer size and noise produced by the turbines have kept wind generators out of every city’s limits. But Peoria’s smartenergy ltd. aims to change that with a smaller, quieter, residential- friendly version that supplements the home’s heating system, providing heat from wind energy instead of fossil fuels.

As energy costs continue to soar and we become more aware of our impact on the environment, the demand for renewable technologies will grow. Here in central Illinois, we will continue to work to produce cost-effective, environmentally friendly solutions to meet the world’s energy needs.

The Peoria area boasts a number of promising companies in the early stages of development. Another Caterpillar spin-off, Akoya, Inc. has developed unique analytical software that recognizes cost-reduction opportunities in a design configuration. iSoy Technologies Corp. was established in 2004 to develop, manufacture and market a new class of natural sun care, skin care and anti-aging products utilizing enzymes derived from soybeans at the NCAUR Ag Lab.

InformMed produces a unique hand-held device linking hospital drug data with nurses at the bedside to ensure correct dosages. Local security firm The Kern Group, Inc. has developed a device which provides enhanced interior vehicle security and the delivery of advertising and information for public transit. Another promising start-up in its early stages, IPICO Sports has plans to revolutionize the sports industry with its products, which utilize advanced Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies.

GROUNDBREAKING HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Researchers at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria (UICOMP) utilize state and federal grants to conduct groundbreaking studies for treating strokes, cancer, spinal cord injuries, cardiovascular disease, exposure to biological and chemical agents, and more. In addition to the potential medical and scientific benefits, this ongoing research has a significant economic impact by creating employment opportunities in the community.

UICOMP’s Donald E. Rager, M.D., Clinical Skills Laboratory is a state-of-the-art medical training and simulation resource that is open to all area healthcare educators and providers.

The College of Medicine’s Donald E. Rager, M.D. Clinical Skills Laboratory is a state-of-the-art medical training and simulation resource available to all area healthcare educators and providers, including hospitals, community colleges, emergency medical services, fire departments and nursing homes. UICOMP’s Library of Health Sciences is open to the public and provides a comprehensive collection of resources and services in support of medical education, research and practice.

On July 31, 2007, UICOMP announced plans to begin construction of an approximately 20,000-square-foot cancer research facility on its campus in downtown Peoria. The expansion project is a collaboration among the University of Illinois, Caterpillar Inc., OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Methodist Medical Center, various federal, state and local government entities and private donors. Part of UICOMP’s vision to further develop state-of-the-art research facilities in Peoria, the proposed research center will be dedicated to the study of molecular, cellular and genetic characteristics involved in many cancers, with an emphasis on regulating invasion, migration, blood vessel formation and tumor growth. PP