MIT Holds Groundbreaking for $240 Million Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research

---

Reported by Annette Kreuger, Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (Cambridge) is credited with producing some of the world's top engineers. Now the school has set its sights on being a global leader for the detection, diagnosis, treatment and management of cancer. To help achieve that goal, construction will soon begin on the $240 million Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research. The project is an integral part of a major research initiative that has been compared to no less than MIT's leadership in the development of radar technology in World War II.

The Koch Institute, or Building 76, will be a seven-story, 365,000-square-foot facility with a basement. Nearly 200,000 square feet of space within the building will be dedicated to laboratory and shared work areas. As mandated by MIT planners, New York's Ellenzweig has designed the building to enhance and encourage interdisciplinary research between scientists and engineers (source: Pharmaceutical Tracker - Online Database). The institute will accommodate up to 25 principal scientists that will be sourced out of the current Center for Cancer Research (CCR) and other departments, including Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

The fourth through seventh floors of the building will be completely devoted to research, with other labs spread throughout the remaining space. The ground floor will house an exhibit gallery that will be home to a changing display of art and information on MIT's leadership role in life sciences. The namesake of the building, David H. Koch, donated $100 million for construction. An MIT alumnus ('62), Koch holds both bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering and is an executive vice president and board member of Koch Industries. Koch has personally donated more than $400 million to a wide variety of organizations and programs that further cancer research, enhance medical centers and support educational institutions.

William A. Berry & Son Incorporated (Danvers, Massachusetts) was awarded the construction contract. The Koch Institute is expected to be complete by late 2010.

View Plant Report - 1071222
View Project Report - 35000890

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is a marketing information service specializing in industrial process and energy related industries with products and services ranging from industry news, forecasting, plant and project databases, as well as multimedia advertising campaign assistance.