TerraPower Isotopes broke ground in May of 2026 on the Bellwether Laboratory in Philadelphia. Combined with the company’s expanding presence in Everett, Wash., the $450 million radioisotope manufacturing center will increase global production capacity for actinium-225 (Ac-225) by twentyfold to support the next generation of life-saving cancer therapies.
Colorado State University is constructing the Advanced Technology Lasers for Applications and Science (ATLAS) facility in Fort Collins. The $160 million building will enable research in fusion energy, fundamental science, and advanced materials characterization to solve pressing challenges related to clean energy.
Pfizer opened an oncology research and development center in May of 2026 on the Torrey Heights campus in San Diego. Designed by DGA, the 230,000-sf facility will accelerate the creation of groundbreaking medicines for gastrointestinal, hematologic, thoracic, breast, and genitourinary cancers. Supporting a broad pipeline of innovative biologics, the leading-edge complex features specialized laboratories dedicated to small-molecule drugs, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and multispecific antibodies.
The Applied Research Institute (ARI) broke ground in May of 2026 on a headquarters and biomanufacturing training center for Heartland Bioworks in Indianapolis. Located in the 16 Tech Innovation District, the $24.3 million facility will advance workforce development by enabling hands-on learning opportunities for the specialized skills needed to fuel the state’s rapidly expanding life sciences economy.
Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics opened a new headquarters and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) manufacturing facility in April of 2026 in Madison, Wis. Integrating leading-edge capabilities, the 175,000-sf building features process development laboratories, cell culture manufacturing laboratories, three cleanroom suites, and a center of excellence for gene editing.
The University of Utah Health dedicated the James LeVoy Sorenson Center for Medical Innovation in April of 2026 in Salt Lake City. Designed by VCBO Architecture, the $50 million facility will foster hands-on discovery, bridge connections between academia and industry, and accelerate the translation of leading-edge science into improved patient outcomes. The 60,000-sf building houses an ISO 8-compliant cleanroom, as well as advanced prototyping and assembly labs with the latest equipment for rapid design and fabrication.
Texas A&M University broke ground in April of 2026 on the Texas A&M Semiconductor Institute on the RELLIS campus in Bryan. Designed by Stantec, the $226 million research and development building aims to elevate regional leadership in the industry and advance next-generation discoveries. The collaborative 80,000-sf structure will feature Class 100 and 1000 cleanrooms modeled after fabrication facilities to enable full-scale production.
Michigan State University is planning to construct the Leinweber Center for Engineering and Digital Innovation in East Lansing. Supporting increased enrollment for undergraduate and postgraduate cohorts, the $340 million facility will house the colleges of engineering, natural science, business, social science, arts and letters, and communication arts and sciences.
Kadans Science Partner began construction in November of 2025 on a 217,000-sf science and innovation building in the United Kingdom. Designed by Sheppard Robson, Plus Ultra Manchester will accommodate organizations from across the life sciences, health research, advanced materials, and deep technologies sectors. The facility’s customizable floor plates will provide a flexible arrangement of laboratories, cleanrooms, offices, and assembly space. A vibrant atrium will interlink with numerous breakout zones to foster interdisciplinary collaboration.
Cabot, Cabot & Forbes broke ground in November of 2025 on an innovation, manufacturing, and research hub in Woburn, Mass. Developed from the former Industri-Plex Superfund site, The Bolt will offer leading-edge laboratory and office space for companies engaged in a wide range of sectors, including life sciences, biotechnology, energy, advanced manufacturing, and technology.
Arizona State University opened the Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building 12 (ISTB 12) in October of 2025, creating a vibrant gateway to the Polytechnic campus in Mesa. Designed by SmithGroup, the 173,194-gsf facility houses the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering’s new School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks. The three-story development will accelerate work in additive manufacturing, robotics, artificial intelligence, cyber manufacturing, semiconductor manufacturing, and clean energy.
Amkor Technology broke ground in October of 2025 on an advanced packaging and testing campus for semiconductors in Peoria, Ariz. Strategically located in the state’s growing innovation corridor, the two-phase project will offer over 750,000 sf of cleanroom space upon completion. The sophisticated hub will feature smart factory technologies and scalable production lines to meet evolving market demands for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing, as well as mobile communications and automotive applications.
Mass timber construction is widely lauded for its sustainability benefits, including wood’s natural carbon sequestration, lower embodied energy footprint, lighter weight compared to steel or concrete, and essential renewability. But does it pay off in terms of a university’s performance standards and cost concerns when embarking on a project as ambitious as Oregon State University’s Jen-Hsun and Lori Mills Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex, a $213 million, 143,000-sf facility dedicated to advanced programs in artificial intelligence, robotics, energy, and materials science? Scott Ashford, OSU’s dean of the College of Engineering, and Libby Ramirez, the university’s resident architect, argue that with careful strategy and an eye toward the data, the answer is “yes.”
Merck opened a filter and membrane manufacturing facility in October of 2025 in Cork, Ireland. Offering 32,291 sf of cleanroom space, the €150 million ($174.5 million) building will meet global demand in the production process of vaccines and life-changing biomedical treatments, including monoclonal antibodies and cell and gene therapies. By locating these expanded manufacturing capacities in Europe, Merck aims to reduce cross-border dependencies and ensure reliable access to critical filtration technologies.
The University of Pittsburgh is constructing the state-of-the-art BioForge center in the Hazelwood Green development, a brownfield site site that once accommodated a steel mill. Designed by HOK, the $250 million hub will drive breakthroughs and innovations in the manufacturing of precision biological medicines to improve human health. The 185,000-sf building will fill a critical gap in the local biotechnology ecosystem by addressing production constraints and cost-based obstacles to the wide distribution and accessibility of novel treatments.
