Research and Development

The University of Michigan has transformed the way science is conducted and communicated by integrating the Museum of Natural History into its uniquely designed $261 million Biological Sciences Building (BSB). The 312,000-sf building opened for classes in 2018, and the museum opened a year later, facilitating connections between university researchers and the community. More than 200,000 members of the public visited the museum within the first year, underscoring the university’s belief that science is a social, not merely transactional, interaction.

The Hurley Group has transformed an existing office building in New Haven to create the Elm City Bioscience Center. Designed by Svigals + Partners, the adaptive reuse project offers over 100,000 sf of leasable research space for startup companies. Featuring BSL-1 and BSL-2 environments, the eight-story biotech hub provides lab suites with adjacent work areas, meeting rooms, and break rooms. Advanced mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems enable the structure’s 12,000-sf floor plates to easily adapt to changing requirements and configurations.

Mispro Biotech Services is building a 10,000-sf contract vivarium in Boston's Seaport District. The state-of-the-art facility will enable life science companies of all sizes to conduct preclinical drug development studies on rodents with the support of Mispro’s husbandry services, technical expertise, and regulatory compliance oversight.

The United States Congress passed Senate Bill 5002 in late 2022 to allow methods other than animal testing to be employed to establish drug efficacy and safety. Dubbed the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, the legislation supports the inclusion of cell-based assays, computer models, and microphysiological systems such as organ chips in preclinical testing operations. The bill also rescinds a stipulation that animal studies must be used when seeking a license for a biological product that is biosimilar or interchangeable with another product.

2022 offered a glimpse of what the post-pandemic era might look like, with a redefinition of “workplace” in a hybrid setting; examining the benefits and challenges of renovation vs. new construction; and using data to drive complex facilities decisions. The following are the reports that Tradeline readers found most helpful in 2022, as they focused on strategic space planning in this shifting environment:

Cal State East Bay broke ground in December of 2022 on the $30 million Applied Sciences Center in Hayward, Calif. Designed by SmithGroup, the 22,165-sf facility will provide flexible classrooms for active learning, a technology innovation hub, and interdisciplinary research space for programs in computer science and engineering. Open-concept laboratories will allow multiple student and faculty teams to engage in collaborative discovery.

Boston University opened the $305 million Center for Computing & Data Sciences in December of 2022. KPMB Architects designed the iconic facility, which provides learning labs, classrooms, research venues, meeting spaces, administrative offices, and a business incubator. Located on the Charles River Campus, the 19-story structure comprises a four-story podium topped by 13 floors, with MEP systems located on additional basement and penthouse levels.

Lincoln Property Company and FCP are constructing the Colorado Research Exchange (CoRE) in Broomfield to provide leading-edge lab and office environments for biomedical, pharmaceutical, and technology companies. Designed by HKS Architects, the 461,500-rsf complex will include three structures ranging from 114,000 sf to 173,000 sf. Supported by advanced HVAC systems and emergency backup generators, this innovation ecosystem will offer leasable floor plates of up to 40,000 sf with ceiling heights between 14 and 18 feet.

The University of New England broke ground in late November of 2022 on the $93 million Harold and Bibby Alfond Center for Health Sciences in Portland, Maine. Collocating the College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Institute for Inter-Professional Education, the 109,000-sf structure will address a state-wide shortage of physicians while accommodating allied health programs in nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, physician assistance, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and social work.

Data-driven tools that objectively measure the utilization and productivity of lab space can provide academic institutions with valuable insights for making key budget decisions about renovation, new construction, and allocation of existing resources. In 2018, space planners at Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) in St. Louis, Mo., set out to quantify the utilization of wet lab space as part of an effort to achieve ambitious growth and recruiting goals. The process led to the creation of a rolling five-year needs study with annual reporting of lab space utilization and researcher productivity using benchmarked performance metrics. The reporting tool now provides university administrators with accurate, objective data on a yearly basis that helps them better utilize existing resources, improve adjacencies, and validate the potential need for renovations and new construction.

The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) opened the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre in December of 2022 in Inchinnan in the United Kingdom. Situated in the heart of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland, the £88 million facility features sophisticated GMP environments where new pharmaceutical production methods can be proven at scale.

Brandeis University is planning a $145 million expansion of its existing science complex in Waltham, Mass. Designed by Payette, the 100,000-sf project will include the construction of a five-story building that will adjoin the atrium of the Sharpiro Science Center. The vibrant and welcoming structure will provide flexible research labs, core facilities, state-of-the-art classrooms, and maker spaces to support growing programs in applied sciences and engineering. 

The University of Memphis is constructing the $41 million STEM Research and Classroom Building to provide leading-edge environments for programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Designed by SmithGroup and A2H, the two-story, 65,000-sf facility will feature labs for advanced manufacturing, biomaterials, cybersecurity, data science, and earthquake engineering.

The U.S. Department of Energy broke ground in October of 2022 on the $86.2 million Science and User Support Center at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, N.Y. Designed by Gensler and Burns & McDonnell, the 75,000-gsf structure will act as a welcome center and innovation hub for visiting researchers, guests, and facility users. Modern, configurable conference spaces will promote interaction among investigators as they explore interdisciplinary synergies and discover new technologies and solutions.

The College of William & Mary is expanding the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) with the construction of a $74 million research building in Gloucester Point. Replacing Chesapeake Bay Hall, the 64,000-sf facility will provide a new home for the Institute's four academic departments: Aquatic Health Sciences, Biological Sciences, Fisheries Science, and Physical Sciences. The three-story structure will feature sophisticated wet and dry labs, an interactive teaching lab, collaboration spaces, conference rooms, and faculty offices.