Dear colleagues,
A few weeks ago, we helped lay the foundation stone for the Life Science Building. The building will be realised as a facility for extensive interdisciplinary interaction, technologically advanced equipment and the development of outstanding research communities where different areas of expertise and disciplines meet with one another. The construction process has taken time, but we are now seeing the building take shape. It is time for a status summary from the point of view of those of us at MED.
Groups from MED in the new building
It has been clear since almost the start of the planning phase that the Norwegian Centre for Molecular Medicine, (NCMM), will be in the building. NCMM is a node of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL, and part of the Nordic EMBL partnership within molecular medicine.
The nodes of the partnership serve as greenhouses for young, talented researchers, and foster collaboration and outstanding research into molecular medicine, both within the host institutions and across the nodes. At UiO, NCMM contributes to a number of collaborative projects associated with the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, as well as with our faculty and the university hospitals. In addition, the centre will be responsible for specific functions and core facilities in the Life Science Building that are relevant to a host of research communities.
The research of the future will require access to core facilities with highly specialised expertise and often expensive equipment. Several groups from our faculty are closely linked to or responsible for several of the core facilities in the Life Science Building. The building is prepared to house facilities within structural biology, flow cytometry, proteomics, advanced light microscopy, zebra fish, biochemical screening services, the Norwegian Sequencing Centre (NSC), X-ray diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Researchers at UiO and all of Oslo Science City, in the axis from Rikshospitalet to lower Blindern and adjacent areas, are potential users. In the building, they will also meet the UiO Growth House for Value Creation. This cross-faculty unit is important for further developing and strengthening UiO's position as a university that interacts well with other actors in the innovation ecosystem.
Our partner Oslo University Hospital (OUS) will also move into the building with part of the Clinic for Laboratory Medicine (KLM). This clinic is the largest academic group in Norway within health-oriented laboratory activities. Diagnostics will become a primary activity, however the clinic's research activities will also be expressed and provide further opportunities for synergies with the other groups.
How to interact in a new building
The Life Science Building will be the workplace for about 1,600 employees and 1,600 students who will engage in research and teaching in life sciences, medicine, chemistry and pharmacy. UiO recently invited the groups that already know that they will be moving into the building to the seminar: How will we live together?
For many, it is still unclear as to what will happen when the building is completed, however we are working hard on the planning process and will provide information when we know more. The stage will be set for many exciting meetings in the new building. Some units will be permanently located in the building, while others will be there temporarily. The core facilities will be available to everyone inside and outside the building. The building will be a resource for the entire Oslo region and serve as a meeting place for innovation.
We can see the building take form from our premises in Sogn Arena. The eastern side that is facing towards us has now had all of its floors constructed and external cladding has started on the part of the building that is facing Ringveien. We will eventually also see the east-facing tower with the four floors where we plan to have NCMM and some of our core facilities. The building will be a powerhouse in Oslo Science City, with the Faculty of Medicine as an integrated part of this.
