Host Organization Partnership Proposal
Seattle Biomedical Research Institute

Seattle Biomedical Research Institute (SBRI) advances global health through key research discoveries. Founded in 1976, SBRI is the largest independent, non-profit research institute in the United States focused solely on the world’s most devastating diseases, including malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. The mission of SBRI’s 200+ employees is to eliminate the world’s most devastating infectious diseases through leadership in scientific discovery. SBRI’s discoveries have resulted in promising leads for vaccines and drug targets, as well as seminal contributions to scientific knowledge.

SBRI’s work takes place in a lab setting. The labs include traditional ‘wet lab’ equipment and activities as well as state-of-the-art computing and other technical equipment. SBRI’s 15 principal investigators publish widely (262 journal articles published since 2000) and also protect their discoveries by filing patents (19 in 2005). The research is aimed both at improving the quality of life for those who suffer from infectious diseases and extending life. 

SBRI’s 15 principal investigators hold joint appointments at the University of Washington, primarily within the School of Public Health and Community Medicine and the School of Medicine. Students within the UW Pathobiology Graduate program, which is currently being incorporated into the new Department of Global Health, receive part of their education at SBRI. The affiliation between SBRI and the UW began in 1992. SBRI is physically and fiscally separate from the University.

 Description of the facility in which the librarian would be working

The sponsored librarian will work in a brand-new 116,000 square foot biomedical research facility (March 2004 move-in) located in the South Lake Union neighborhood approximately mid-way from downtown and the University of Washington, and very close to other life sciences organizations (e.g., Rosetta/Merck and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center). S/he will have a private cubicle centrally located close to SBRI’s research labs for ready access to all colleagues. S/he will have a laptop outfitted with SBRI standard software with access to the internal intranet resources, high-speed Internet connection and secure remote-access. The laptop will also have full wireless capability for roaming within the SBRI facility as well as at other wireless-equipped locations.

Partnership Description

SBRI is eager to participate in the proposed learning partnership in order to provide the most current research techniques and information sources to our 200+ employee base. SBRI’s bioinformatics expertise, particularly in genomics and proteomics, is on the cutting edge, and our growing size has led to establishment of a Bioinformatics Core to make these resources available to all researchers. The Sewell Fund Learning Partnership will help SBRI realize several goals that will enhance the utility of this core: 1) upgrade library/informatics research techniques throughout our 15 independent labs and at all career levels; 2) centralize services so that there is a uniform standard of contemporary and high-quality research approaches within the entire Institute.

Research scientists excel based on their individual accomplishments. SBRI as an institute excels based on the climate and support we provide our scientists. We aim to recruit the best and the brightest scientists, help them conduct their research collaboratively using the latest technologies, and, then, support their discoveries so that lab research can be translated, when ready, into applications in the field. Innovation is a core value at SBRI – this partnership will allow SBRI to be on the cutting edge of advancing librarianship for practical implications in a data-rich environment. Additionally, as a training organization we also have a culture of learning that has the potential to enrich the librarian’s career and subsequent contributions to the larger community.

Proposed Activities:

Note: this initial list will be refined when a candidate and SBRI are evaluating fit. The Librarian will play a leadership role in all activities outlined below.  Key liaison personnel and resources

Assist in the development of an internal search ‘engine’/system to collect, aggregate & organize applicable SBRI research data (IT Director, Web developers)

Additional learning opportunities

SBRI hosts two weekly scientific seminars, at which the Librarian is welcome, as well as an annual two-day scientific conference. In addition, the Librarian will be invited to be an active participant at the BRIITE (Biomedical Research Institution Information Technology Exchange) bi-annual meeting. In working with specific principal investigators, the Librarian will determine other appropriate professional meetings to attend.

Ideal Candidate

SBRI seeks a mid-late career librarian, or a mid-late career-changer with relevant prior experience, who has mastered the basics of her/his trade and is able to share best practices in a setting where independence, initiative and technical competence describe the employees who excel. A librarian who is versed in health sciences—especially with familiarity with life sciences and/or research settings—is preferred. Experience with knowledge management in general, and electronic records management more specifically, will be highly valued. SBRI also desires a candidate who has experience implementing information technology to support library sciences. This can be either in the implementation of off-the-shelf products (e.g., SBRI is just beginning to roll out SharePoint in its labs) or in the design of custom, in-house written solutions.

Anticipated Outcomes 

SBRI's use of library resources currently relies on individual approaches and specific sources. Many sources are now electronically searchable, but there is no Institute-wide approach to library research, except for selected individuals at SBRI who have access to the University of Washington's online journal system.

The proposed partnership will change SBRI’s use of library resources in several important quantitative and qualitative ways. First, it will open the eyes of SBRI scientists at all career levels to a greater variety of high-quality sources. They will be able to pursue their research in a more systematic and thus more efficient way.

In addition, as a discovery-based research environment, SBRI has the opportunity to shape how librarians operate in a hybrid academic/industry setting. As a result of the partnership, SBRI anticipates designing and deploying new systems and procedures that will benefit the entire Institute in years to come. In conclusion, the proposed learning partnership comes at a time of dramatic growth in SBRI scientific programs. Therefore, it will help set a critical course for informatics systems.

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