Kimberly Ovitt, Director of Communication & Institutional Advancement
(480)727-8688 | kimberly.ovitt@asu.edu
The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University will officially open Tuesday, Dec. 14 with tours, scientific displays, and a dedication program featuring remarks by White House science policy advisor, John H. Marburger. The event begins at 8:30 a.m., with the dedication ceremony at 9:00 a.m. An open house and tours will be hosted from 10:00 a.m.-noon.
“The Biodesign Institute is a visible sign of where we want to take ASU to make it one of the great American universities of the 21st century,” said ASU President Michael Crow. “The researchers here will not just advance scientific knowledge, but are focused on delivering innovations that improve the quality of life for all people and advance society,” he said.
The dedication commemorates the opening of the first of four planned research buildings totaling nearly 800,000 square feet. Defying conventional classifications, the Biodesign Institute brings together biologists, chemists, physicians, physicists, engineers and computer scientists to address complex issues affecting human health. In addition to research aimed at curing and preventing disease, the institute’s efforts encompass environmental sustainability and national security.
Dr. Marburger, who directs the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy, is expected to talk about the need for multidisciplinary research approaches like that of the Biodesign Institute to solve the daunting problems facing scientists today. Other speakers will include Congressman J.D. Hayworth, Michael Crow, and Biodesign Institute director George Poste.
The program will be followed by facility tours. Each of the ten research centers comprising the institute will have a display highlighting aspects of their research. Examples include a display of biosensors, an atomic force microscope with a monitor allowing visitors to view objects at nanoscale, and a demonstration of how proteins cause muscle tissue to relax or contract.
