? The applicant requests $4 million toward the construction of 16,170 sq. ft. of laboratory space in Skirkanich Hall, a new 33,000 sq. ft. laboratory building for the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Bioengineering. The cost of the laboratory space is estimated at $14,376,100. The University of Pennsylvania will cover the balance of the cost. This project is part of the bigger Skirkanich Hall construction project with a total cost of $38 million. The Department of Bioengineering has displayed strong leadership in bioengineering education, training and research with strong ties to the School of Medicine and the Institute of Medicine and Engineering. It is one of the oldest in the country. The Department is entering a phase of aggressive growth by adding eight new faculty over a period of four years and doubling the size of the graduate program. The growth in research will emphasize the development of fundamental engineering science and application to four thrust areas: Injury Bioengineering, Neuroengineering, Orthopedic Bioengineering, and Cardio-pulmonary Engineering. Funding from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) program will enable the construction of new facilities to support the growth of the department in new research areas, and enable investment in existing research programs by allowing researchers to move from substandard space to new space. The vacated space will be upgraded from other funds to support the expansion of Bioengineering within the University of Pennsylvania. ? ?
