This project, Cardiovascular and Regenerative Sciences in WIMR Phase II, is an integral component of the Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research (WIMR) strategic initiative. WIMR embodies a three phase effort to broadly incorporate the research enterprise of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) into a physical and intellectual resource that ensures complete integration of basic and clinical sciences into an engine of discovery and translation, thereby facilitating innovation and application to a broad swath of disease-driven initiatives. The present C06 proposal is a subset of the WIMR Phase II project, a $134M, 266,000 gross square foot (GSF) facility comprised of seven laboratory floors constructed on top of underpinnings already completed during WIMR Phase I. The major scientific focus areas of WIMR II are the integration of neuroscience, cardiovascular science, regenerative medicine, molecular medicine, and visual science research, as well as fundamental cancer biology and regenerative medicine applications in surgical specialties. This proposal requests partial support to construct and fit-out one research floor in WIMR II focused upon cardiovascular and cardioregenerative sciences. In this proposal, we will fully build-out and equip one floor of WIMR II, providing more than 25,000 assignable square feet (ASF) of highly integrated space. As shown and discussed, shared infrastructure ensures economy of scale and further enhances collaboration. These resources are specific to the cardiovascular and cardioregenerative science positioned there. In conclusion, we propose to build-out and equip one floor of WIMR Phase II, with 25,000 ASF, at a cost of nearly $19M, with this request being $15M. This will provide state-of-the-art facilities in a highly transdisciplinary facility for at least 12 to 15 research teams.
