196.1106.  Centers to be established — definition — areas in which centers to be established — approval by board — screening committee appointed for each area — rules, powers and duties. — Centers for life sciences research shall be established and shall be subject to the following provisions:

  (1)  A "center for excellence for life sciences research" means a system or regional consortium of public and private not-for-profit academic, research, or health care institutions or organizations engaged in competitive research in targeted fields consistent with the strategic purposes of life sciences research as provided in sections 196.1100 to 196.1130;

  (2)  The life sciences research board shall monitor and adopt such rules as are necessary to assure quality and accountability in the operation of the centers for excellence for life sciences research;

  (3)  One St.  Louis area center for excellence may be established within the geographical area encompassing the city of St. Louis and St.  Louis, St.  Charles, Jefferson, and Franklin counties.  If any part of a municipality is located within any one such county and also encompasses a part of another county in this state, the entire area encompassed within the city limits of such municipality shall be a part of the geographical area of the St. Louis area center for excellence;

  (4)  One Kansas City area center for excellence may be established within the geographical area encompassing Jackson, Clay, Andrew, Buchanan, and Platte counties.  If any part of a municipality is located within any one such county and also encompasses a part of another county in this state, the entire area encompassed within the city limits of such municipality shall be a part of the geographical area of the Kansas City area center for excellence;

  (5)  One Springfield center for excellence may be established within the geographical area encompassing Greene, Christian, and Webster counties;

  (6)  A Missouri statewide center for excellence may be established that shall encompass the institutions, agricultural research centers dedicated to the development of plant-made pharmaceuticals, and campuses within the University of Missouri system and those regions of Missouri not encompassed within another center for excellence; provided that the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Missouri-St. Louis shall participate in the centers for excellence in their respective geographical regions;

  (7)  The life sciences research board shall receive and review suggestions for the formation and composition of the initial centers for excellence.  After receiving and reviewing such suggestions, the life sciences research board shall determine the initial composition, and shall consider and approve the organizational plan and structure of the St. Louis area, Kansas City area, Springfield area, and Missouri statewide centers for excellence;

  (8)  Before any center for excellence is considered to be a center for excellence for life sciences research under sections 196.1100 to 196.1130, its composition and organizational structure shall be approved by the life sciences research board;

  (9)  Any center for excellence for life sciences research that is established within a geographical area specified in sections 196.1100 to 196.1130 shall be comprised of a consortium of public and private not-for-profit academic, research, or health care institutions or organizations that have collectively at least fifteen million dollars in annual research expenditures in the life sciences, including a collective minimum of two million dollars in basic research in life sciences;

  (10)  Each center for excellence for life sciences research shall appoint a screening committee.  The centers, through their screening committees, shall solicit, collect, prioritize, and forward to the life sciences research board proposed research initiatives for consideration for funding by the board.  Members of each screening committee shall generally be familiar with the life sciences and current trends and developments with either technical or scientific expertise in the life sciences with an understanding of life sciences and with an understanding of the application of the results of life sciences research.  No member of a screening committee shall be employed by any public or private entity eligible to receive financial support from the life sciences research trust fund; and

  (11)  The centers for excellence for life sciences research shall have any and all powers attendant to carrying out the operations that are not contrary to the provisions of sections 196.1100 to 196.1130 or any rules, guidelines, or decisions adopted by the life sciences research board.