Construction Begins on Sidra Medical and Research Center

The Qatar Foundation began construction in early 2008 on the Sidra Medical and Research Center in Doha, Qatar. Designed by Cesar Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli and executive architectural firm Ellerbe Becket, the center will provide world-class clinical care, medical education, and biomedical research facilities. Funded by $7.9 billion (US) by the Qatar Foundation, the project is located on the Education City campus near Weill Cornell Medical College. Featuring a three-zone design for patient, family, and staff, the all-digital, wireless clinical care facility will house approximately 380 beds. The biomedical research component will house five core facilities for stem cell, bioinformatics, tissue management systems, genetic-genomic and proteomic, and functional and anatomic imaging research. The project contractor is OHL of Spain. Completion is slated for 2011.