University Dedicates New Bioscience Research Building

The University of Maryland's new Bioscience Research Building, a state-of-the-art laboratory and teaching facility that will significantly increase the university's and the state's contributions to bioscience research, was dedicated on September 18.

Maryland governor Martin O'Malley, Senate president (and university alum) Thomas V. "Mike" Miller, House speaker Michael E. Busch and Prince George's County Executive were on hand to officially open the building by "dividing" a cell flag.

"Strength in the biosciences is key to the future of the state and key to continuing to build a great university in College Park," said University of Maryland president, C.D. Mote, Jr. "With the Bioscience Research Building, we take a grand step forward on both fronts."

"The Bioscience Research Building affirms Maryland's commitment to bioscience and cutting-edge, life-saving research," said O'Malley. "The University System of Maryland and all of our research institutions play a critical role in driving our State's economy and securing Maryland's place as a leader bioscience research."

The 134,000 gross square-foot building has 35 labs for as many as 33 faculty-led research groups, greatly increasing the amount of high quality biosciences research space on the campus and making possible the new Maryland Pathogen Research Institute. The building also houses a 500-seat lecture hall and conference rooms for teaching and professional meetings.

Several labs contain core instruments and equipment that researchers from many disciplines on campus can use for genomics and imaging. Two labs are Biosafety Level-3 (BSL- 3) containment facilities, which will allow researchers to safely work with live pathogens, the microorganisms that cause disease.

Research Needs

Located in the hub of some of the world's leading government and private bioscience research activity, the University of Maryland will use the Bioscience Research Building for research in three of the most exciting areas of contemporary science -pathogens, neuroscience and genomics.

Each of the four levels in the building is dedicated to a different area of research: plant molecular and cell biology on the ground floor; neuroscience on the first floor; genomics on the second floor.

The entire third floor houses the recently established Maryland Pathogen Research Institute (MPRI). MPRI will be a primary user of the BSL-3 labs and will study new ways to detect pathogens in the environment and to prevent and cure global infectious diseases. This research was previously not possible in the university's old lab space.

Flexible laboratory spaces can be configured for specific research needs, then reconfigured for new requirements. Post-doctoral, graduate and undergraduate students will be involved with faculty research in the new building.

Attraction

The Bioscience Research Building is expected to attract more top scientists from around the country to join Maryland faculty who are already making their marks in life sciences research.

"We hope and expect the Bioscience Research Building will accelerate the rise of the university and our college to national excellence in the biosciences," said Norma Allewell, dean of the College of Chemical and Life Sciences. Even with the new building, says Allewell, "The campus needs more space to continue to develop life science facilities. One pressing need is for modern animal facilities to extend studies beyond the test tube."

State Support

The Bioscience Research Building cost $69 million and was funded primarily by the state of Maryland, with some additional funding from the university.

Construction began in 2004, but the building's opening was delayed by a year, after torrential rains flooded the basement of the almost completed building in June, 2006.

University of Maryland bioscience research is supported by grants from a number of institutions, including the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation. University of Maryland bioscience researchers also collaborate on research with scientists from government, private and other academic institutions.

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