Research and Development

Bruntwood SciTech opened Citylabs 4.0 in March of 2025 in Manchester in the United Kingdom. Created in partnership with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), the £42 million ($55.3 million) facility promises to catalyze breakthroughs in precision medicine, healthcare, and the life sciences. The development’s strategic colocation with MFT in the city’s biomedical cluster enables direct access to joint clinical trials, diagnostic collaborations, and advanced resources to accelerate the discovery and implementation of healthcare innovations.

Simmons University is partnering with Skanska to create Longwood Place, a vibrant nexus for research, work, and community engagement in Boston. Featuring 2.6 acres of public space, the mixed-use project will leverage sophisticated amenities to transform the district into a destination for economic growth and innovation. The redevelopment of the university’s residential campus in Fenway will provide over 1.3 million sf of Class A lab and office environments, retail and community venues, and approximately 380 housing units.

The University of British Columbia opened a CAD 139.4 million (USD 100.3 million) facility for the School of Biomedical Engineering in April of 2025 in Vancouver, Canada. Designed by Patkau Architects and Architecture49, the 158,000-sf Gordon B. Shrum Building enables hands-on education and training for students in the life sciences and catalyzes innovative solutions for pressing health challenges.

Biogen is planning to centralize its operations with a 580,000-sf global headquarters in the Kendall Common development in Cambridge, Mass. Representing a 15-year lease agreement, the facility’s strategic location will strengthen existing partnerships with MIT in research, education, and commercialization, and build on Biogen’s legacy as an integral part of the Kendall Square ecosystem.

George Mason University opened the $107 million Life Sciences and Engineering Building in Manassas in March of 2025. Located on the SciTech campus, the 132,000-sf facility leverages a central location in Virginia’s tech corridor to drive advances in research and education. The four-story structure houses growing programs within the colleges of Engineering and Computing, Science, Education and Human Development, and Visual and Performing Arts.

Louisiana State University Health Shreveport (LSUHS) will establish the Cancer and Cardiovascular Research Facility to showcase the institution’s innovative activities and groundbreaking discoveries. Representing an investment of approximately $50 million, the first phase of the adaptive reuse project involves the renovation of 60,000 sf in a former 160,000-sf department store to provide open labs, offices, education and conference rooms, and support areas. 

Harwell began construction in early 2025 on Tech Foundry West in the United Kingdom. This dynamic nexus is rising on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire and will offer 70,000 sf of leasable laboratory, advanced manufacturing, and office space. Designed by Scott Brownrigg, the development integrates individual units within a flexible layout to ensure future adaptability to varying multi-tenant arrangements.

The new Research Building IV (RB4) at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) in Columbus, Ohio, provides an ideal environment for productivity, collaboration, and flexibility by using a space policy to maximize the efficient use of labs and ancillary spaces; a neighborhood floor plan; and shared resources. The 290,000-sf building, which opened in May 2023 as part of NCH’s Abigail Wexner Research Institute (AWRI), aligns with the hospital’s “one team” culture by providing opportunities for scientists to collaborate, propelling pediatric research forward and closing the gap between lab research and bedside care.

Brandywine Realty Trust has completed construction on 3151 Market Street, a dynamic innovation facility in the heart of Philadelphia’s life sciences cluster. Designed by Gensler, the 472,000-sf tower offers purpose-built offices and customizable laboratories with options for chemical and biological use, GMP production, and vivarium operations. Collaboration and knowledge exchange are enhanced by an advanced conference center and a café, complemented by private terraces and green spaces to amplify employee productivity.

The Medical College of Wisconsin is constructing the $153 million Center for Cancer Discovery on the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center campus. Centralizing the university’s cancer research programs under one roof, this dynamic hub will catalyze discoveries in cancer biology, expand clinical trials, and create groundbreaking treatments for patients. 

Sciontec is planning to construct Hemisphere, a £156 million ($205.3 million) laboratory and office development in Liverpool, U.K. Strategically sited in the city’s Knowledge Quarter, the complex will include two eight-story structures offering a total of 216,861 nsf. Designed by AHR to foster workplace wellbeing and productivity, this nexus of discovery will also include a central biophilic plaza, interior greenhouses, showers, and a cycle hub.

Roche announced the launch of the Roche Genentech Innovation Center in March of 2025 on Harvard’s Enterprise Research Campus in Allston. With an initial lease of 30,000 sf of lab space in the first phase of construction, Roche intends to expand their R&D presence to eventually accommodate 500 employees. The initiative will bring together cardiovascular, renal, and metabolism experts with data science and AI specialists to accelerate innovation in drug discovery and development.

Cleveland Clinic is constructing the $1.1 billion Neurological Institute in Cleveland, Ohio. The 1.2 million-sf translational research facility will consolidate 15 separate centers to catalyze interdisciplinary synergies and improve patient outcomes. Spanning fourteen stories, the state-of-the-art hospital will offer a comprehensive array of services such as neuro-simulation training, infusion therapy, neurodiagnostics, brain mapping suites, imaging, and digitized patient evaluations.

Rice University opened the Rice Nexus in February of 2025 in Houston's Midtown neighborhood. Spanning 10,000 sf across two floors, the university’s flagship innovation hub is based in the Ion building to drive entrepreneurship and commercialization in association with industry partners. Tramonte Design Studio's vision for the Rice Nexus created labs for advanced tech development and free office space for early-stage startups, as well as showcasing faculty and student inventions.

The 2024 SEFA Lab of the Year was awarded to the new Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED) Center in Basel, Switzerland, that opened in September 2024 as a state-of-the-art research center dedicated to the discovery and development of groundbreaking drugs. The pRED Center exemplifies the future of transformative research by fostering innovation and collaboration, and embodying Roche’s commitment to advancing global healthcare and delivering life-changing treatments.