The Arkansas Bioscience Institute (ABI) celebrated two decades worth of scientific exploration and research at Arkansas State University on Sept. 18.

Faculty, staff, students and alumni gathered together to celebrate the institute’s achievements and accomplishments 20 years after the opening ceremony of the ABI on September 18, 2004. 

Travic Marsico, executive director and vice provost for research, innovation, and discovery at ABI, said since he began his professional journey at A-State, the promise of becoming a research institution was exciting and he wanted to be a part of that change.

“Sort of like the American dream, we are a changing institution, and ABI is right at the center of that change,” Marsico said. “That is what is really exciting to me.”

As the ABI marks this milestone, the celebration highlights festive events that honor its achievements, give historical context and how to get involved with the institution.

The events and expectations

The two-day event kicked off with a brief ceremony in front of the ABI building at 2 p.m., followed by tours until 5 p.m. Guests viewed the equipment, scientific instruments and students working on their research projects. A dinner and celebration dance party followed at the Fowler Center from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Keynote speakers and notable attendees came to the ceremony such as former Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe, who championed the state’s involvement in the ABI, recognizing its transformative impact on research in the state’s university. Others included: Todd Shields, A-State chancellor; Calvin White, A-State’s vice chancellor and provost; Shane Broadway, A-State’s vice president of university relations; Carole Cramer, the founding executive director of ABI; Billy Hudson and Julie Hudson of Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Prathima Pattada, Program Director for ABI, said faculty had been planning for the event for a year, expecting 200 RSVP attendees, including students, faculty, staff, alumni and guests from outside the college. She said this is a big event for the ABI. 

“The Institute has been here in A-State for 20 years now, and we have researched and found a lot of discoveries, innovations that have gone through, and students who have been educated and gone on to take positions in research fields and various other fields as well,” Prattada said. 

Prattada said they discovered almost 1,200 people – students, faculty and staff – have either visited or been a part of ABI in the last two decades. She said she was excited to reach out to nearly 500 people, encouraging them to return to campus and see the progress.

Pattada wanted people to come and see what the institute is doing and what they have been able to accomplish for the past 20 years. 

“We are still here to serve A-State and the faculty, staff and students have been looking forward to give that service to A-State,” Pattada said.

ABI history and accomplishments

When the statewide Arkansas Bioscience Consortium celebrated its 20th year anniversary in 2001, the voters of Arkansas passed a referendum to allocate tobacco settlement dollars to health care and research in the state, leading to ABI’s conception.

Marsico said 2024 represents the opening of the ABI facility and the collaborative research produced there.

“So that’s why we were celebrating 20 years of existence here on campus at A-State with this building in place,” Marsico said. 

The core mission of ABI’s has not changed but has been refined to focus on identifying interdisciplinary research opportunities.

Marsico said the faculty and staff developed a strategic plan to assess ABI’s strengths for future goals, identifying their vision to serve the people of Arkansas as the leading student-centered interdisciplinary research institute. 

“Our mission statement is educating, discovering and innovating through interdisciplinary research that improves agriculture, health and well-being in Arkansas,”  Marsico said. “We use our core values to always be pushing toward that mission, but that fits well under the statewide consortium mission.”

Groundbreaking research projects, scientific innovations and developments at A-State’s ABI such as: the National Science Foundation’s plant powered production initiative, collaboration with the University of Nebraska and Kansas State University to develop climate resilient crops through vitamin C pathways, cancer biology and sending worms to space to degrade plastic.

Since Jan. 1,  ABI has submitted grant proposals to external sources totaling $17.7 million for funding of upcoming scientific research projects, which are currently under review.

How to get involved

The outreach program at A-State champions the ABI regarding student involvement.

R. Shea Harris, outreach coordinator at ABI, said through Cramer’s determination to build a figurative pipeline from K-12 to A-State. 

“I have been in charge of that program for about 10 years and we’ve hosted probably close to 5,000 K-12 students that have went on to Arkansas State and are now in professional or schools, or are working as doctors, nurses, scientists in different parts of the nations,” Harris said. 

Harris said seeing K-12 students and witnessing the start of their fascination with scientific exploration and experimentation was important to him in wanting to encourage the expansion of the ABI and  said accessibility is the key to do so.

He said getting involved as soon as possible can provide valuable opportunities, such as volunteering in a research lab or securing internships. 

“A-State’s large enough where we have cutting edge research going on, but also small enough where you can actually get involved in that research as a freshman,” Harris said. “You don’t have to wait until you’re a graduate student.”

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