The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors on Monday approved an agreement with Carilion Clinic in Roanoke to create a joint division of health sciences within the university.

Carilion Clinic CEO Ed Murphy addressed the board about the research and health care potential of such a collaboration, which would combine Tech's interdisciplinary science and engineering programs with health initiatives such as Tech's new masters of public health and the new Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.

Complex math, science and computer technologies are "critical to cutting edge medicine," Murphy told the board.

Tech President Charles Steger encouraged the board to approve the partnership, saying it would help achieve one of the university's top goals -- increasing research grant funding.

Health care is seen by experts as one of the biggest growth areas for research and economic development. As the university copes with state funding cuts, research funding becomes more important.

Without a division of health sciences, Tech's grant applications to the National Institutes of Health and other major funding sources are less competitive than they could be, Steger said.

The resolution was long on potential but short on details Monday. No financial or structural plan was presented. Steger said that by spring a committee would be convened to research and draft such plans.

-- Tonia Moxley