Multiple disciplines in one Building
Advances in biomedical research are occurring more and more at interfaces where the
biological sciences meet physics, chemistry, computer science, and engineering. These
other disciplines not only contribute new tools for biomedical research, such as highresolution microscopy, chemical “reporter” molecules, and software that allows large
databases to be interrogated with much-increased efficiency, but new subfields are
created that take advantage of the conceptual framework of fields that traditionally were
considered non-biological. Yet multidisciplinary research is challenged at many U.S.
research universities, where geographical separation, tenure-and-promotion policies,
and separate graduate degree programs create roadblocks to collaboration.
At the University of Colorado, one robust solution to the challenges facing multidisciplinary research came with the creation of the Colorado Initiative in Molecular Biotechnology (CIMB). The CIMB was established by the president of the university in 2003. The goal was to bring chemists, computer scientists, engineers, mathematicians and physicists together with molecular and cellular biologists and medical researchers to stimulate discoveries leading to novel diagnostics and therapeutics. Translational opportunities in the CIMB are concentrated in five general areas: cancer, cardiovascular disease, inherited diseases including Down Syndrome, virology/vaccine development, and regenerative medicine. Recruiting has been robust, and the interdepartmental search committees have already succeeded in identifying and recruiting excellent faculty who share the vision of bringing multiple disciplines to bear on problems of basic science and translational medicine.
A significant challenge with the current state of the CIMB is that its faculty are spread
over campus, with home departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Physics, and
MCDBiology (all in the College of Arts and Sciences) and Computer Sciences and
Chemical & Biological Engineering (in the College of Engineering). Thus, there was
great excitement when the University committed to building a Systems Biotechnology
Building to provide a unified home for the CIMB groups, space for 12 additional CIMB
faculty, and the existing Biochemistry and ChBEngineering faculty. Unfortunately, the
economic downturn led to a significant reduction in support from the State of Colorado,
and the building is now being designed at three-fourths the original size with about half
of that space being shelled rather than research-ready.
This would be transformative for the scientific research in the building: it would allow biochemists and structural biologists to move in proximity to the interdisciplinary scientists to stimulate studies of noncoding RNAs in medicine, cell signaling, and biomolecular structure-function relationships. Because of the unusual biotechnology focus of the program, translation of this basic science into medical advances would also be stimulated, with job creation both within the building and in the biotechnology industry throughout the region. This project will generate 230 long-term research, support, and administrative postions and 90 construction jobs in Colorado. The new space will be built to LEED Gold standard and may approach LEED Platinum.
