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Innovative TMC3 Collaborative Building to become central hub of Texas Medical Center’s new life science campus

Building will enable translational research initiatives for UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas A&M Health, UTHealth Houston and Texas Medical Center

Texas Medical Center (TMC), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas A&M University Health Science Center (Texas A&M Health), and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) today announced that the TMC3 Collaborative Building, a joint research building located on the new TMC3 life science campus, commenced construction in January 2021 and is scheduled to open in fall of 2023.

The 250,000-square-foot building will house synergistic translational research initiatives for the four founding institutions. This state-of-the-art environment for three of the nation’s leading academic healthcare institutions will be shared with commercial life sciences companies and industry leaders.

Located at the heart of the 37-acre TMC3 campus and facing the site’s unique Helix Gardens, the four-story building is designed to foster ongoing collaboration between academic healthcare institutions and industry partners. To facilitate collaboration, the three academic healthcare partners are creating a 43,000-square-foot joint research lab comprised of both lab and office/co-working space. The space will be built as an open environment with state-of-the-art collaborative digital platforms to facilitate seamless idea exchange.

Beyond the founders’ shared space, 85,000 square feet of lab and office space will be developed for industry partners, and MD Anderson will create an additional 14,000-square-foot space for strategic initiatives. The building also includes 14,200 square feet that will host TMC’s strategic initiatives, Braidwell, the TMC Venture fund, and national venture and equity fund partners.   

Four leaders sharing space, exchanging ideas

MD Anderson has a comprehensive process underway to develop plans for its portion of the building, which will be designed to inspire innovation and cutting-edge research that is pursued through a team-science approach that embraces creative collaborations.

“MD Anderson is proud to be a founding institution in TMC3. This project represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Houston’s academic medical community to collaborate together and with industry to advance our missions and accelerate knowledge and cures,” said Peter WT Pisters, M.D., president of MD Anderson. “TMC3 also represents a stepwise advance in the local life sciences ecosystem, which will create jobs and opportunity for Houston, the region and the state.”

Texas A&M Health will use the space as a new platform for pioneering advancements and commercial pursuits across the life sciences spectrum and other translational industries.

“This is about an opportunity for unparalleled collaboration,” said Jon Mogford, PhD, chief operating officer and senior vice president of Texas A&M Health. “By breaking down silos and bringing clinicians and scientists together in this resource-rich location to speed new therapies to market from regenerative medicine and advanced imaging to drug discovery and data sciences, we will have the ability to translate discoveries into preventions and treatments for patients in need.”

UTHealth Houston will leverage the expertise of its world-renowned scientists to expedite advancements in medicine. As a leader in the field of biomedical informatics, analyzing and identifying discoveries within large data sets is one of the innovative approaches its faculty will bring to TMC3.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to bring academics and industry together to accelerate discovery and medical breakthroughs,” said Giuseppe N. Colasurdo, M.D., president of UTHealth Houston. “With a focus on improving the health of our communities, we will elevate innovation and entrepreneurship, and work collaboratively to solve the greatest challenges of our time.”

Strengthening TMC’s position as a life science destination

The building will serve as the central hub of the TMC3 life science campus. It will include a 7,000-square-foot atrium that can seat up to 500 people for lectures, weekly programming, and informal events.

“The founding institutions behind the TMC3 Building are among the world’s leading innovators in health and science. Their work at both the bench and bedside saves lives. The entire spirit behind this building reflects a joint investment – both financially and strategically – in lifesaving research, data collaborations and technologies,” said William McKeon, president and CEO of Texas Medical Center.

Like the TMC3 campus itself, the building is bringing the collective commercialization of life science therapies to the Texas Medical Center for the first time in its 75+ year history. Collectively, the four founding institutions have invested $185.8 million in the building’s design and construction.

The building was designed by Boston-based Elkus Manfredi Architects, one of the nation’s premier life science architectural firms.

Media contact: media@tamu.edu

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