Capital Initiatives

• Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts and Education Complex
• The Colonnade at the U of U
• Huntsman Cancer Hospital Phase II-B
• New Media Wing in the College of Fine Arts
• College of Nursing Building Renovation
• College of Pharmacy
• College of Science
• Student Housing
• Student Life Center
• The James L. Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building - USTAR
• Utah Museum of Natural History at the Rio Tinto Center

The James L. Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building – A USTAR Innovation Center

The James L. Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building—A USTAR Innovation Center is a 200,000 square-foot high tech research and development facility which is the centerpiece of a long range plan to unify research activities between the main campus and the Health Sciences Center. Within a decade, we envision a four-building interdisciplinary quadrangle that will bridge the physical space between health sciences and main campus, and unite the research activities in the health professions, biomedical research, engineering, business and law. The $130 million USTAR project is within $3.75 million of its goal (as of July 2009), and prominent naming opportunities are available.

The USTAR facility will house internationally recognized research teams focused on biomedical research, innovation, education and technology commercialization. The university must raise $30 million in non-state funds in order to leverage $100 million from the State of Utah through the Utah Science, Technology and Research (USTAR) Economic Development Initiative. To date, $26.25 million has been identified for the facility that will launch next generation research in areas critical to improving the human condition.

When completed in 2011, the building will support 25 senior faculty researchers, plus junior faculty, laboratory staff, and administrative personnel. The building will contain extensive wet lab and research computing space, faculty office space, meeting rooms of various sizes, and public areas designed to promote interaction within the scientific community. The following core facilities housed in the building will serve the entire university:

• Small Animal Imaging – A centralized core facility and dedicated staff will support imaging studies of small animals.
• Optical Imaging – The optical imaging core will house high-performance electron and confocal microscopes for use by researchers across campus.
• Nanofabrication – This 20,000 square-foot facility will provide a clean room for fabricating and characterizing electronic devices and mechanical structures, including silicon integrated circuits, microelectromechanical systems, solid-state sensors and other materials.

The University of Utah is proud to play a leading role in the USTAR vision. By creating a vibrant center for high-level multidisciplinary research and learning, this building will help to expand the region’s technical workforce, invigorate the economy and heighten Utah’s stature in national and international arenas.

For more information about how your gifts can support The James L. Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building—A USTAR Innovation Center, please contact Marilyn Davies at (801) 581-7194 or mdavies@coe.utah.edu.