This University of Nebraska Medical Center proposal describes a plan to renovate the entire interior of the 52,900-square-foot Eppley Cancer Institute building. Opened in 1963, most of the research taking place in the building focused on testing carcinogens and toxins on animals, and the majority of the structure was devoted to animal housing and testing. Forty years later, very little updating and remodeling have been done in the building, and all systems are at the end of their service lives. However, the outreach and mission of the Eppley Institute have grown and changed tremendously. The institute is now the academic unit of the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center, a university-wide matrixbased cancer research organization that is one of 61 NCI-designated Clinical Cancer Centers in the country. The Eppley Institute's research focus has changed from animal testing to molecular and cellular biology research in cancer, including development of transgenic animal models for cancer research. The purpose of this project is to remove the antiquat34d, inefficient and deteriorating facilities in the ECI building and replace them with state-of-the-art laboratory, administrative and conference space. This complete renovation of the interior of the ECI building will provide facilities to retain and support the innovative work of current funded investigators;successfully recruit and provide laboratories for the additional funded investigators necessary to reach its research growth objectives;maintain its leadership in biological and clinical cancer research.
