To translate more of its ideas into value – both on Wall Street and on the bottom line – DuPont is marketing its knowledge base by establishing a five-year, $35 million research and development alliance with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The partnership will help the company lay out a path to long-term materials and biotechnology goals.

The alliance encourages the formation of multidisciplinary teams from the science, technology and engineering community, and the business, management and policy arenas. The projects will focus on bio-based materials and technologies, including fine chemicals, monomers, biopolymers and biomodified polymers.

Not only is the MIT/DuPont partnership emblematic of the company's increased emphasis on life sciences, it also solidifies our dedication to be more collaborative, as well. Relationships such as these are expected to grow in number and scope and will be key to future growth for DuPont.

Teams will be supported up to $1.5 million per year on a multiyear basis. Once through the initial selection process, projects will be described in detail through formal proposals and oral presentations to outline goals, research approach, specific milestones and an assessment of the projects' business relevance to DuPont. A joint DuPont and MIT steering committee will approve projects to be funded.