Research & Development

Signature Research Centers are innovation laboratories. They translate research into commercial products, services and applications by:

• bringing together talent, technology, infrastructure and resources around areas of research with high commercialization potential;
• linking research expertise to local industries most likely to create new businesses;
• enhancing public-private and cross-disciplinary collaboration; and
• attracting top-notch talent and cultivating next-generation skills and knowledge among graduate and post-graduate students.

By bringing together the top researchers and cutting edge laboratories at Oregon’s four research universities, the Signature Research Centers level the playing field, allowing Oregon to compete against the nation’s best research labs to help all Oregon industries.

Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI)
ONAMI is the state's first Signature Research Center that focuses on the commercialization and application of its technologies across a wide variety of industries. Established in 2003, ONAMI has already generated a return of 10 federal dollars for every state dollar invested in research.
ONAMI web site

See how an ONAMI grant helped Home Dialysis Plus create a revolutionary home system.

Oregon Built Environment and Sustainable Technologies Center (BEST)
Focused on research and development in clean energy, bio-based products and green building industries, Oregon BEST is helping create new bio-based products and sources of alternative energy from forests (and forest products) and agricultural land, building on Oregon's current reputation as a global leader in renewable energy.
BEST web site
See how an Oregon BEST grant to OIT is helping with biodiesel development.

Oregon Translational Research and Drug Development Institute (OTRADI)
OTRADI provides Oregon’s universities, research laboratories and private companies with access to previously out-of-reach equipment capable of screening thousands of chemicals a day, as well as mentoring and businesses support in the pursuit of drugs to fight infectious diseases.
OTRADI web site
See how OTRADI helped DesignMedix grow