| Ohio BioProducts Innovation Center
The U.S. Department of Energy predicts that up to 50 percent of the country’s chemical and materials demand will be supplied from renewable feedstocks by 2050.
In today’s world — marked by record-high oil prices, increasing volatility of the petroleum supply, and concerns about the environmental impact of fossil fuels — bio-based products offer an excellent alternative to complement oil-based materials.
While the cost of petroleum-based chemicals has increased at an average of approximately 20 percent, bio-derived chemicals and polymers have increased just about 3 percent in total cost between 2003 and 2005. Biotechnology is enabling researchers to design specific traits in plants and microorganisms specifically targeted toward industrial applications. This emerging tool is making it possible to increase crop yields, pest resistance, and chemical functionality not previously available. Ultimately, bio-products have the potential to enhance our environment, economy, and quality of life.
The Ohio BioProducts Innovation Center (OBIC) is taking advantage of this critical juncture and opportunity. OBIC — a research initiative that integrates academia and industry toward the development of renewable specialty chemicals, polymers/plastics, and advanced materials — was established in 2005 through an $11.5 million Third Frontier award from the State of Ohio.
Liking Research and Industry
OBIC is a unique endeavor because it builds on the strength of Ohio’s two largest industries — agriculture and the chemicals, plastics, and rubber materials sector — as well as the significant portfolio of research capabilities at The Ohio State University, Battelle Memorial Institute, the University of Akron, the U.S. Department of Energy’s national laboratories, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Headquartered at Ohio State’s Ohio Agricultural research and Development Center (OARDC), OBIC draws on its partners’ research capabilities in agricultural biosciences, biological sciences, engineering, advanced materials and many others. Through its board of advisors, which has representatives from across the bio-products supply chain, OBIC links these research capabilities with the needs of the industry. Board members represent production agriculture, the bio-processing industry, and leaders in the polymer, chemicals, and materials industries.
Our Objectives
OBIC was created to:
- Develop novel germplasms that have desired market traits along with required agronomic characteristics.
- Foster innovation through industry/academic networks
- Establish a critical bridge between agricultural and specialty-chemical industries and genetic and chemical research capabilities.
- Accelerate commercialization of bio-based products by linking research capabilities and business needs.
- Increase jobs and economic growth and stability, strengthening Ohio’s competitive position in bio-based chemicals and materials.
- Catalyze strategic investments in renewable feedstocks and value-added chemicals and polymers.
- Work with industry to create new value chains for bio-products.
- Leverage platform building blocks/chemicals to create a bio-products innovation pipeline.
- Create platform technologies resulting in value-added bio-products and bio-product system solutions.
Our Strategy
In an effort to provide value to industry partners, OBIC operates through a Cell-to-Sell approach: a market-pull business model designed to link genetics, biotechnology, chemical conversion, and product development for the commercialization of bio-products.
OBIC also capitalizes on the strategic advantage of being located in Ohio. The Buckeye state is the U.S. leader in polymer and advanced materials technology and ranks first in the nation in paints and coatings, adhesives, rubber and detergents. Ohio is well positioned to contribute even further to the development of the specialty chemicals market — a $375 billion industry worldwide with an expected annual growth rate of 3.6 percent.
What We Have to Offer
OBIC is your link to bio-products research and development. OBIC can provide a vast array of support for your bio-products ideas or unmet needs via three technology platforms:
- Bio-derived feedstocks and platform chemicals.
- Bio-based specialty intermediates, monomers, and resins.
- Bio-polymers and bio-product system solutions.
Contact us to learn how OBIC can work with you in areas such as genetics, molecular biology, bio-processing, chemical/polymer engineering, and materials application, as well as in development services such as “proof of product,” venture capital, and commercialization/marketing of bio-products.
Contact Information:
Stephen Myers, Director
Ohio BioProducts Innovation Center
The Ohio State University
152 Howlett Hall
2001 Fyffe Court
Columbus, OH 43210
(614) 292-1399
myers.603@osu.edu
http://bioproducts.osu.edu
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