LIFT

Davis labs at U of T Mississauga receive $17-million upgrade, part of LIFT project

noreen.rasbach — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 18:58:04 +0000

Davis labs at U of T Mississauga receive $17-million upgrade, part of LIFT project

noreen.rasbach Thu, 01/25/2018 - 13:58

Nicolle Wahl

Topic

Our Community

LIFT

Research & Innovation

U of T Mississauga

A $17-million renovation project has overhauled the infrastructure serving the Davis Building's “wet” scientific laboratories, sweeping away outdated technology and setting the stage for energy-efficient, modern and future-ready lab space.

The funding of the laboratories at U of T Missisauga is part of the Lab Innovation for Toronto (LIFT) project, announced in July of 2016, that will see nearly half of the ��Ƶ's research labs upgraded over two years.

The Davis Building renovations, which affect 63 laboratories and almost 7,000 square metres of space, will benefit up to 95 researchers in both the departments of chemical and physical sciences, and biology.

A large proportion of the renovations are not immediately obvious, but deal with critical issues such as back-up power, updated electrical power and air handling. But for two large laboratories, run by Professor Angela Lange and Assistant Professor Andrew Beharry, the renovations involved the installation of new facilities such as high-efficiency fume hoods, cell culture rooms, dedicated microscope suites and quarantine rooms.

“Everything is top-of-the-line,” says Brandon Lawrence, assistant director of planning design and construction. “It’s bright, clean and modern. The fume hood system is fully customizable, and saves a lot of energy.” For example, he says, as new faculty are hired, the system can be reconfigured to add additional research spaces within the labs.

In keeping with U of T Mississauga's commitment to sustainability, says Lawrence, the new labs also incorporate energy-efficient LED lighting systems, occupancy sensors and laminated wood materials that are environmentally friendly.

Beharry, who studies anticancer drug resistance and the discovery of new inhibitors for cancer therapy, appreciates the flexibility of the new space.

“Our work involves organic synthesis, biochemistry and cell biology. By having a new lab space, it allows us to do all of those things,” he says. “The lab has all the equipment and resources to carry out our day-to-day research with minimal delays.”

The LIFT project was announced in July of 2016, with nearly $190 million in funding to upgrade nearly half of U of T’s research labs. The university is providing $91.8 million, while the federal and provincial governments are contributing $83.7 million and $14.3 million, respectively, for a total of $189.8 million. The 55 projects are expected to be complete by spring of 2018.

U of T’s revitalized labs bring new possibilities for research

noreen.rasbach — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 16:14:47 +0000

U of T’s revitalized labs bring new possibilities for research

noreen.rasbach Fri, 12/15/2017 - 11:14

Cutline

A rendering of the new labs at the Faculty of Dentistry: “The new space will allow for sharing of research and cross-pollination of ideas between researchers," says Dean Daniel Haas (courtesy of Stantec Consulting Ltd.)

Rachel Halpern

Topic

Our Community

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Research & Innovation

More than a year after the announcement of what ��Ƶ President Meric Gertler called “an historic investment in Canadian science and innovation,” U of T’s revamped research labs are beginning to take shape.

The announcement of the Lab Innovation for Toronto (LIFT) project was made in July of 2016, with nearly $190 million in funding to upgrade nearly half of U of T’s research labs over the next two years. The university is providing $91.8 million, while the federal and provincial governments are contributing $83.7 million and $14.3 million, respectively, for a total of $189.8 million.

The LIFT project affects all three campuses and nine academic divisions. The facilities being renovated include medical, dental, biology, chemistry and engineering labs, as well as a former horse barn north of Toronto now used for ecological research, a green roof on the One Spadina building, an electro-acoustic music studio at the Faculty of Music and many others. In total, 546 labs are being fully renovated, providing state-of-the-art research facilities to an estimated 1,100 researchers and 5,500 students. Many labs at the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and the Faculty of Medicine are already near completion.

Before:

The old Faculty of Dentistry labs were isolated, had poor lighting and required equipment for every room (photo by Laura Pedersen)

After:

Move-in has begun in the renovated, bright labs that are open concept, reducing the need for duplicate equipment and allowing for collaboration between researchers (photo by Laura Pedersen)

Funding for the renovation is in part the result of the faculty’s strategic plan, with a priority on reinvesting in the internationally renowned research program, which required labs to be fundamentally reimagined. The plan also equally values research and education, as represented in the leadership of two vice-deans: Bernhard Ganss, research, and Jim Yuan Lai, education.

The new space addresses resource issues, including the move of a group of five principal investigators from a satellite location into the dentistry building. This will not only eliminate the isolation that comes with having researchers in multiple locations, but will reduce duplication as there was the need for equipment and supporting infrastructure in two locations. The flexible workspace includes benches that can be unplugged and moved, allowing for ease of moving when new members join the space.

“Safety was also going to become an issue in the near future with the previous space,” said Haas. “The old labs made it challenging to comply with modern safety standards. The new lab upgrades include details, such as automatic door openers, eyewash stations and safety showers, that make the entire wet lab compliant with advanced safety standards. It’s small changes like this that give our researchers peace of mind and allow them to better focus on their work.”

Bright, open workspaces and offices now exist in the new dentistry building, increasing communication between colleagues and researchers (photo by Laura Pedersen)

Located off campus on Edward Street, the dentistry building has limited green space, surrounded by tall buildings. Previously the daylight was mostly blocked, but the new plan provides light to all areas of the building, with the exception of a few labs where it’s not wanted. Wooden floors and accents as well as bright colours also add to the feeling of an outdoor space. The renovated space includes lighting that goes on with movement and that dims when the sun shines through the windows, eliminating excessive use of energy.

Hass said that “2018 will bring a fresh start with a new infrastructure that will transform the way we conduct research. We’re excited about what this new space will mean for the future of dentistry and our faculty.”

Read about LIFT's impact at U of T Scarborough

Read about the impact on Engineering

Read about the impact on Medicine

U of T Medicine, one of world's top 12 medical schools, to get much-needed upgrades to facilities

lanthierj — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 15:06:13 +0000

U of T Medicine, one of world's top 12 medical schools, to get much-needed upgrades to facilities

lanthierj Thu, 07/28/2016 - 11:06

Topic

“Not a moment too soon.”

That’s the reaction from Dr. Trevor Young, dean of the Faculty of Medicine, to news announced July 28 that a comprehensive $40M renovation – part of the $190M campus-wide Lab Innovation for Toronto (LIFT) project – will bring facilities in the Medical Sciences Building (MSB) into the 21st century.

“The state of our infrastructure at MSB belies our position as one of the Top 12 medical schools in the world,” said Young, noting that more than 270 researchers across eight departments will benefit from laboratory renovations to be completed over the next two years.

“U of T Medicine is highly productive in fundamental research. This investment is critical for us to offer students high quality training opportunities and to drive the research advances that keep us competitive on a global stage.”

Built in 1969, the Medical Sciences Building on Queen’s Park Crescent West is a notable example of Brutalist architecture with its linear concrete façade, sprawling floorplates and a warren of laboratory and teaching spaces to accommodate the scientific and academic needs of the time.

Nearly 50 years later, those facilities can no longer support the kind of high level, multidisciplinary research for which U of T is renowned. MSB laboratories are limited by their cloistered design, which prevents cross-pollination of ideas and interferes with ongoing scientific collaboration. While still functional, many labs are worn and outdated and lack sufficient ventilation and emergency power for today’s core infrastructure such as ultra-low temperature freezers.

In addition to upgrading critical infrastructure related to power, cold rooms, lab benches, flooring etc., this investment will modernize the Faculty’s anatomy teaching labs, which will improve the learning experience for approximately 2,500 students from a range of disciplines each year.

As well, a key piece of research equipment – a 1GHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) machine, only the second in the world – will be able to be installed thanks to structural slab reinforcements and other improvements to house the machine. NMR is a powerful imaging technique for scientists to investigate the biochemical complexities of the cell at the molecular level. This detailed research contributes to our understanding of how healthy and unhealthy cells function in our bodies; knowledge that can open targeted new avenues for disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

Renovations are under way and will be completed by mid-2018.

LIFT

Davis labs at U of T Mississauga receive $17-million upgrade, part of LIFT project

Read more about the LIFT project

U of T’s revitalized labs bring new possibilities for research

Read more about the LIFT announcement

Read more about the Faculty of Dentistry's renovation in U of T Dentistry magazine

Before:

After:

Read about LIFT's impact at U of T Scarborough

Read about the impact on Engineering

Read about the impact on Medicine

U of T Medicine, one of world's top 12 medical schools, to get much-needed upgrades to facilities