Microsoft has created a new division called the Internet Services Research Center  (ISRC), which will focus on search and advertising technology.

The new group will be a part of Microsoft Research and will work with MSN and other product groups in the company.

Satya Nadella, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Search & Advertising Platform Group, said work between developers and researchers throughout Microsoft has produced good results in search and ad-related technologies.

"We're committed to delivering better, faster search results for our customers and more creative, effective ways of delivering value for advertisers," Nadella said.

"We have been able to make an incredible amount of progress in just a few years. Our investments in engineering in conjunction with ISRC, Live Labs and Microsoft Research will enable us to bring new innovations to the market in a rapid fashion."

Leading the ISRC will be Dr. Harry Shum, who was recently promoted to corporate vice president. Shum has been chief scientist for the Search & Advertising Platform Group since early 2007.

"Throughout the company we have crack research teams with brilliant minds and fires in their bellies working on next-generation search and ad technologies," said Shum. "We're harnessing their energy and ingenuity and consolidating them into one, cohesive organization."

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