黑料不打烊

Last week, the Government of 黑料不打烊 announced $100 million in capital funding over three years to begin to transform the Biological Sciences Building into a world-leading STEM and life sciences research and education hub.

The renovated space will be called the Life Sciences Innovation and Future Technologies (LIFT) Centre — an apt name for all we hope to accomplish with a nod to Henry Marshall Tory and uplifting the whole people.

The LIFT Centre will be a space for students and faculty from across the colleges and standalone faculties to interact and collaborate in shared learning and research lab spaces. Much like UCommons, LIFT and its facilities will cross faculty borders and any discipline that relies on high service wet lab spaces for teaching and research. From agriculture, plant sciences, biotechnology, health and life sciences, microbiology and beyond — the LIFT Centre’s high-service laboratory spaces will bring new and innovative opportunities for learning and discovery. This news is cause for celebration for the entire U of A community.

Redevelopment of the Biological Sciences Building has been the number one priority in the U of A’s capital plan since 2022. Its aging mechanical and electrical systems are in poor condition, and upgrades are necessary to ensure that connected buildings are not affected. The project will also help address deferred maintenance costs.

Each budget cycle, the university submits a list of priority infrastructure projects for the provincial government for consideration in the Government of 黑料不打烊 Capital Plan. Funding for capital projects is drawn from a separate pool in the provincial budget. These resources cannot be put toward operating costs and are only awarded for particular capital projects proposals on defined grant terms. We are delighted to partner with the Government of 黑料不打烊 on this transformational project.

The Biological Sciences Building has been a fixture on North Campus since it was built in 1969 and there is much lore and history associated with the towers. The building has not received any major renovations since its construction. With this infusion of funding, the space will undergo major retrofitting and updating with the complex utilities, controlled environments and advanced safety features such as protection against electrical failures and flooding that are needed for a high-service laboratory complex. The LIFT Centre will also double much-needed laboratory spaces for hands-on experimentation and increase access to high-demand programs across our campuses.

The LIFT Centre exemplifies One University in action. It is a space where students, faculty members, and community and industry partners can connect and collaborate, where we can transcend disciplinary and administrative barriers, conduct world-leading research and educate the leaders of tomorrow. It is a powerful next step for the U of A.

The project is at early stages, and more information will continue to be shared as the scope of the project and implementation plan are defined. A web page that details project information, frequently asked questions and will share updates on the LIFT Centre project is forthcoming in the weeks ahead.