Genesis

September 30, 2004

Genesis of a Life Sciences Research Institute

by Mary Somers

	A conceptual drawing of the five storey Life Sciences Research Institute. It will be located on the old Grace parking lot on University Avenue at Summer Street.

Building a world-class life sciences sector in Nova Scotia is one big step closer.

President Tom Traves and Colin Latham, president of the Life Sciences Development Association, have announced the creation of an institute - the Life Sciences Research Institute (LSRI) - that will foster life sciences research and innovation. An outgrowth of the work of the Life Sciences Development Association, the LSRI is a partnership of Dalhousie University, Capital Health and the IWK Health Centre.

The LSRI will be housed in a five-storey facility on University Avenue (site of the old Grace parking lot). Its lead tenant will be the Brain Repair Centre, which is dedicated to research into disorders such as Parkinson's, Huntington's, Alzheimer's and spinal cord injury.

This phase of the project will involve the hiring of a project manager, selection of an architect, design development and completion of construction drawings. Funding for this has been provided by the federal government, through ACOA Nova Scotia, and by the Province of Nova Scotia through its Research and Innovation Trust Fund.

There will be a fund-raising campaign before construction of the institute begins. Dal, the IWK and Capital Health will be asking other stakeholders for input and advice at various stages.

The LSRI would foster research in the life sciences that could lead to commercial applications and economic growth for the region. It would provide opportunities for collaborative efforts among researchers and add value to HRM and the Atlantic Provinces by attracting new business, a highly skilled scientific work force and new investment in the region.