The newest addition to the Adelaide BioMed City – one of the largest health and life sciences clusters in the Southern Hemisphere – has opened in South Australia.

The University of South Australia’s $247 million Cancer Research Institute includes the university’s School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, the globally recognised Centre for Cancer Biology, the technology-based Innovation and Collaboration Centre, and a future-focussed public museum, MOD.

The 14-storey building was designed by architects Swanbury Penglase and BVN Donovan Hill.

It will be home a range of research concentrations including personalised medicine through the exploration of genomic sequencing, drug therapeutics, vaccine development, the early origins of diseases, nanomedicine and biopharmaceutical engineering, immunotherapy, gene regulation, and triggers for tumour development.

The new building joins the eye-catching South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) the University of Adelaide’s Health & Medical Sciences Building and the $2.3 billion Royal Adelaide Hospital in the northwest corner of the Adelaide CBD.

There is also talk of building a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital in the hub, which sits alongside the recently redeveloped Adelaide Convention Centre on the city’s Riverbank precinct.

University of South Australia vice chancellor professor David Lloyd says the Cancer Research Institute building was a vital addition to the health and biomedical precinct, helping to boost the links between research, teaching, industry and practice.

“There is now a SA precinct dedicated to excellence in health research and practice and the building underlines UniSA’s leading role in the quest to beat cancer and a range of other diseases,” Prof Lloyd said.

“This gateway facility in a research and education-rich environment is now a core element of UniSA’s central campus at City West, strengthening our position as Australia’s University of Enterprise and one of the world’s highest ranked young universities.

The building, officially opened today by South Australian Premier Steven Marshall, is the tallest structure in the state with a structural timber façade of Australian hardwood.

About 44,600 tonnes of concrete were used in its construction – including 62 precast columns, only 36 of which are loadbearing.

The roof supports a solar thermal array which, during peak performance, contributes 50 percent of the hot water energy demand for the building at full occupation of 750 researchers.

The first two floors of the building are dedicated free public gallery spaces. Home to UniSA’s futuristic museum of discovery, MOD, the space will feature two unique and challenging exhibitions a year, focussed on the intersection between science, creativity, art and innovation.

Image courtesy of Insight-Visuals/Chris Oaten.

This story was originally from The Lead South Australia.

Andrew Spence

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