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HMR Funds Bioinformatics, Cell Research at Harvard

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BOSTON--Harvard Medical School has signed a $16 million, five-year research alliance with the pharmaceutical company Hoechst Marion Roussel involving bioinformatics and cell function. Harvard will receive the funding to study common mechanisms of cell function that have potential applications to human disease, including apoptosis, cell-cycle regulation, and cell regeneration.

The alliance takes effect July 1 and stipulates that Hoechst Marion Roussel will have exclusive first rights to negotiate licenses for patents resulting from the research, and can use nonpatented information at no additional cost. Harvard has the right to publish any information resulting from the alliance. Representatives from Hoechst Marion Roussel and Harvard will cochair a steering committee that will review proposals from Medical School faculty and manage fund allocation.

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