ABSTRACT
A rich variety of interdisciplinary centers, institutes, laboratories, research parks, and corporations have been created at American universities to pursue agricultural biotechnology. The National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges' Division of Agriculture also established a blue ribbon committee to explore a range of issues and policies, including the legal framework for scientific inquiry at public universities and guidelines for the development of university-industry research contracts. While partnerships between university and industry have existed for several decades, the new types of university-industry relationships in biotechnology are more varied, more aggressive, and more experimental. In many states, university-industry collaboration is a condition for qualifying for research funds. A further issue involves the potential conflict of interest between industry and university agendas. Moreover, the new research centers generate the additional conflict of divided commitments and loyalties created by joint appointments at both the university and the center.
