Chemistry of Life Processes Institute

Breaking from traditional single-discipline methodology by fostering collaboration among a broad spectrum of scientists, the Chemistry of Life Processes Institute (CLP) transcends conventional intellectual and physical boundaries to generate new horizons of discovery. An “institute without walls,” the CLP provides the infrastructure necessary to help articulate and explore emerging research questions across the disciplines of physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, medicine, and computational science. The Institute’s role in promoting scientific discovery is shaped by the fundamental recognition that established institutional boundaries must be transcended to produce transformative scientific advances. Proceeding from the premise that interdisciplinary approaches to science can generate these advances in ways that traditional, single-discipline methodology cannot, CLP fosters collaborative research at the interface of the chemical, physical, engineering, and life sciences. In providing the organizational philosophy, administrative structure, and physical environment necessary to sustain these cross-disciplinary collaborations, the Institute reduces barriers that typically impede major scientific discoveries. And by uniting scholars from disparate disciplines to investigate emerging research questions that require the formulation of new paradigms and the application of novel methods, CLP also creates the conditions necessary for a new wave of scientific innovation on the Northwestern campus. CLP’s catalytic role in the discovery process will be complemented by a parallel endeavor to maximize the beneficial impact of its findings through translational research. The centerpiece of this effort will be the implementation of an Integrated Program for Molecular Therapeutics, which will provide a pipeline linking drug discovery to pre-clinical testing by capitalizing on the Institute’s established clinical partnerships and key strengths in high throughput screening, imaging, and proteomics. Accelerating the translation of scientific discoveries from the laboratory bench to the patient bedside, this entrepreneurially-oriented program will help the Institute transcend yet another entrenched barrier—the divide separating dynamic academic research from the marketplace, and by extension, from populations who will benefit from creative solutions to existing limitations in medical treatment. The Chemistry of Life Processes Institute establishes relationships with corporations and foundations to secure funding for projects of mutual interest.