Taylor The University of Louisville s Department of Biology occupies the Life Sciences Building, which was built in the 1960s when the institution s focus was on teaching rather than research. As a result, the subsequent increase in research activity by the faculty and students in the department has been hampered by the building s configuration and support systems, which were built to serve classroom and teaching lab functions. The University plans to renovate a portion of the basement of the Life Sciences Building to accommodate modern research in microbiology and molecular biology. The area will be reconfigured for group research, including undergraduate and graduate students, and building systems (fume hoods, lighting, plumbing, electrical, and ventilation) will be modernized. Walk-in growth chambers will be installed to support research and research training in microbiology. The renovation will resolve safety issues stemming from the use of hazardous materials and will create environments suitable for state-of-the-art research instruments. Overall research productivity of the department will increase as a result of the renovation. Reconfiguring the area will increase the number of students who can take part in faculty research, and as a result a greater number of students will be attracted to scientific careers.
