“The new lab is our most recent step in expanding and enriching the school’s offerings for both faculty and students,” said School of Medicine Dean Bruce Koeppen, MD. “Its establishment represents a critical milestone in the growth of the medical school, permitting our faculty to pursue pure research and mentor students.”

The 6,000-square-foot laboratory is a model facility with sophisticated equipment for mammalian cell and microbial culture, analysis of biological materials including DNA, RNA, and proteins, and confocal microscopy of biological tissues. In addition to pursing original research, faculty will use the laboratory to develop and deliver new curriculum experiences.

The goal is to provide opportunities for the medical school faculty to pursue independent research projects and mentor students in biomedical research, according to Richard Zeff, Ph.D., professor and chair of medical sciences, associate dean for scholarship. The lab has a research proposal program in place and several initial projects have been approved. Projects are planned in the general areas of cell and molecular biology, physiology, immunology and neuroscience.

“Faculty members in the department of medical sciences have expertise in a broad range of biomedical sciences, studying such topics as blood cell development and the immune system, bone metabolism and skeletal formation, and the brain and behavior” says Dr. Zeff. “This is an exciting time for biomedical research, and the new laboratory offers our faculty the opportunity to pursue their own research while providing students with new ways to engage in what they’re learning in the classroom.”