Translational Research

The University of Alabama at Birmingham opened the Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building in October of 2025. Designed by William Blackstock Architects, the $78 million project involved the renovation and expansion of the existing Lyons-Harrison Research Building to accommodate leading-edge labs, computational suites, meeting rooms, offices, and purpose-built venues for innovation and collaboration.

Wayne State University broke ground in September of 2025 on the Health Sciences Research Building (HSRB) in Detroit to drive innovation and address regional healthcare disparities. Designed by HKS, the 160,000-sf structure will accommodate leading-edge laboratories for the study of oncology, neuroscience, systems biology and immunology, and metabolism and infectious diseases.

Construction was completed in August of 2025 on the first phase of the redevelopment of Sydney Children's Hospital in Australia. Created in partnership with Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, the Children’s Cancer Institute (CCI), the federal government, and the government of New South Wales, the AUD 658 million ($429.9 million) project includes the construction of Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre to accelerate the translation of discoveries into clinical practice and improved patient outcomes. 

Masaryk University (MU) is constructing the MUNI BioPharma Hub to drive excellence in research, education, and innovation in Brno in the Czech Republic. Offering three underground levels and six stories above grade, the 163,504-sf project was designed by Pelčák a partner architekti to combine leading-edge scientific infrastructure with modern academic venues. 

The University of Sydney celebrated the beginning of construction on the AU$780 million Sydney Biomedical Accelerator in May of 2025. Created in partnership with the Government of New South Wales and Sydney Local Health District, the 387,500-sf structure will forge a vital link between the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and the university's Camperdown campus.

Construction will begin in fall of 2025 on the first phase of a 1,614,600-sf expansion of the Wellcome Genome Campus in the Hinxton, Cambridgeshire. The transformative project is led by master developer Urban&Civic and will extend the site from 125 to 440 acres. Supported by infrastructure works including roads, bridges, and utility networks, this visionary initiative will also deliver 1,500 homes, a recreation center, a swimming pool, and other amenities.

The University of Kansas Cancer Center broke ground in May of 2025 on a visionary complex that will collocate groundbreaking biomedical research with world-class patient care in Kansas City. Designed by HDR and Hoefer Welker, the $450 million facility will deliver a comprehensive array of services in a single integrated location, as well as providing direct access to leading-edge clinical trials.

RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey opened the $1 billion Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center in May of 2025 in New Brunswick. Designed by HOK, the 520,000-sf building collocates world-class research environments with welcoming settings for clinical care to optimize patient outcomes.

Yale New Haven Hospital is constructing the Adams Neurosciences Center on its Saint Raphael Campus in New Haven. Integrating research, clinical care, and medical education, the $838 million facility was designed by Shepley Bulfinch to set a new benchmark for neurological care in Connecticut. The two-tower, 505,000-sf complex will feature translational research laboratories for the creation of new therapies for Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and strokes.

Biogen is planning to centralize its operations with a 580,000-sf global headquarters in the Kendall Common development in Cambridge, Mass. Representing a 15-year lease agreement, the facility’s strategic location will strengthen existing partnerships with MIT in research, education, and commercialization, and build on Biogen’s legacy as an integral part of the Kendall Square ecosystem.

The Medical College of Wisconsin is constructing the $153 million Center for Cancer Discovery on the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center campus. Centralizing the university’s cancer research programs under one roof, this dynamic hub will catalyze discoveries in cancer biology, expand clinical trials, and create groundbreaking treatments for patients. 

Cleveland Clinic is constructing the $1.1 billion Neurological Institute in Cleveland, Ohio. The 1.2 million-sf translational research facility will consolidate 15 separate centers to catalyze interdisciplinary synergies and improve patient outcomes. Spanning fourteen stories, the state-of-the-art hospital will offer a comprehensive array of services such as neuro-simulation training, infusion therapy, neurodiagnostics, brain mapping suites, imaging, and digitized patient evaluations.

An evolution of the equipment and technology researchers need is transforming ordinary labs into facilities that deserve to be called next-generation or future-ready. Significant changes in space utilization and lab planning and design are driven by increased automation and robotics, the incorporation of manufacturing, enhanced information technology with an emphasis on data collection, ever-evolving technologies, developer core/shell fit-outs, hybrid work patterns, and different approaches to project delivery and construction. 

Ohio University began construction in January of 2025 on the $75 million Heritage Translational Research Center (HTRC) in Athens. Designed by Perkins&Will and DesignGroup, the 80,000-sf facility will consolidate laboratories and operations currently dispersed across campus, creating a collaborative ecosystem for clinical innovation. The four-story structure will provide bench space for translational biomedical research, as well as labs and support spaces for population health and clinical research.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore opened a 250,000-sf innovation center in January of 2024 to drive biomedical advances and accelerate the discovery of new health solutions. Developed and operated by Wexford Science + Technology, 4MLK serves as the gateway to the UM BioPark and will offer leasable space for life science and technology companies.