Arkansas: Land of Opportunity

The Arkansas Biosciences Institute (ABI) is an agricultural and medical research consortium dedicated to improving the health of Arkansans.

The ABI was created as the major research component of the Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act of 2000, which was approved in the general election by 64 percent of Arkansas voters.

Scientists with the five member organizations - Arkansas Children’s Hospital; Arkansas State University; the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture; the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences - focus on agriculture and basic and clinical scientific research that will lead to health improvement, especially in the area of tobacco-related diseases. As part of its enabling legislation, ABI has five research areas:

• Agricultural research with medical implications
• Bioengineering research that expands genetic knowledge and creates new potential applications in the agricultural-medical fields
• Tobacco-related research that identifies and applies behavioral, diagnostic, and therapeutic knowledge to address the high level of tobacco-related illnesses in Arkansas
• Nutrition and other research that is aimed at preventing and treating cancer, congenital and hereditary conditions, or other related conditions
• Other areas which are related to primary ABI-supported programs

Every week, news services announce breakthroughs in biosciences research. Some of these agricultural and medical research breakthroughs are occurring in Arkansas - and funding from the ABI will enable research institutions to expand their research and attract additional federal and private research support.

Thanks to this new seed money, and the research collaborations which the ABI will foster, Arkansas will be able to attract more researchers and scientists to the state, stimulate industry partnerships for new economic development, and work faster and harder to improve the health of Arkansans.

Upcoming Meetings

July ABI Board Meeting - date to be determined

ABI Fall Research Symposium - Friday, September 25, at Arkansas State University

ABI Researchers in the News!