PRESS RELEASES   All aboard the 'LambdaRail' 06/06/2004 Sunday Oklahoman 2004-06-06 By Michael D. Anderson Ph.D. The Presbyterian Health Foundation Research Park in Oklahoma City will be on the National LambdaRail. What? National LambdaRail (NLR) is a major initiative of U.S. research universities and private-sector technology companies to provide a nationwide infrastructure for research and experimentation in networking the vast data basis used in technology and applications. Presbyterian's research park, because of OneNet, will have select access to the NLR. This network will provide a 100-fold increase in data-transfer capacity with other institutions that are members of the NLR, which in turn will be interconnected worldwide. Data can be downloaded in minutes that would otherwise take months. The metaphor looks like this: Consider a great freeway whose multiple lanes are gridlocked in commuter traffic. That is the present status of today's Internet. Members with NLR connectivity will have exclusive access to a designated two-way, multiple-lane freeway. The new facilities include a point-to-point 10Gbps (10 gigabit per second) data channel to any other NLR member. Around-the-world interconnections are available with the StarLight optical network for high-performance applications. What is the use of a super-computer if it cannot transmit its data in a timely manner in the collaborative community of research scientists? NLR makes the connection. All of the buildings in Presbyterian's research park have the potential to be connected with the NLR. Scientists here can work on the frontiers of new evidenced-based knowledge, and they can expand those horizons. The Presbyterian Health Foundation has been supporting biomedical research and biotechnology for more than a decade. The technology infrastructure of Oklahoma is essential to its growth in the future. If technology and biotechnology are the innovative economic engines of the future, then it is imperative that Oklahoma continues to advance what it has begun. We are able to: Increase the number of basic research scientists in our universities and institutes. Continue to enhance the infrastructure of our schools and our academic programs in math and sciences. Support start-up companies that translate basic research to retail commodities. Recent actions of the state Legislature promote this development by passing a bill for funding endowed chairs whose matching money has already been pledged and given by private sources, such as the Presbyterian Health Foundation. Consider the impact of research scientists occupying these chairs. On the average, each scientist brings into the state $500,000 each year in research grants. From basic research arise innovative ideas that can be translated to companies. These companies bring excellent jobs to the state, and the mission of those companies serves the high cause of better health and quality of life. Presbyterian's research park welcomes two new biotech companies this summer, joining 22 companies already at work. Jobs in the research park pay more than twice the state's average. Innovation, taking concepts to solutions, enlivens Oklahoma. Committed people are making this happen. As Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Anderson is president of the Presbyterian Health Foundation, a private foundation in Oklahoma City focused on medical research and medical education.