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MEDIA CONTACT: Kristine M. McGrath
561-716-2101, 561-297-1168, kmcgrath@fau.edu
Keith McKeown
858-784-8134, 619-944-9070, kmckeown@scripps.edu
FAU Hosts Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for FAU/Scripps Research Facility
JUPITER, FL (March 11, 2005) - The Scripps Research Institute's presence in Palm Beach County was literally set in stone today as Florida Atlantic University hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the FAU/Scripps Research Facility on FAU's John D. MacArthur Campus at Jupiter. Heading the long list of dignitaries attending the event was Governor Jeb Bush, who delivered the keynote address.
"Today is a defining moment in Florida's future, and I thank everyone who played a part in making this day a reality," said Governor Bush. "The opportunity Scripps brings to our state is unparalleled. We owe this moment to the unprecedented commitment and outstanding support of the people of Florida who collectively recognized the potential Scripps offers to the future of our state as we endeavor to lead the nation in discovery and innovation."
The $12 million state-of-the-art building, complete with wet labs, will be the home of Scripps' Florida-based researchers until a permanent headquarters facility is built for them. Construction was funded by Palm Beach County. FAU will reimburse the county $10 million over the next five years and will take over the building when Scripps moves out.
"Our on-going and productive partnership with FAU permits Scripps Florida to move forward now with the breakthrough scientific research that we will carry to our permanent home in the future," said Scripps Research President Richard A. Lerner, M.D. "Our researchers are already hard at work in this wonderful facility and we can anticipate discoveries here that will improve human health."
The FAU/Scripps Research Facility will afford FAU faculty members and their students the rare opportunity to work side by side with some of the world's most accomplished biomedical researchers. The relationship promises to help fast-track FAU's development as a center of cutting-edge research activity. Scripps and FAU researchers have already initiated several joint projects and more are planned.
"This is truly a defining moment for Florida Atlantic University, Palm Beach County and the state of Florida," said FAU President Frank T. Brogan. "Research work of the highest importance will take place in this building, setting the stage for the growth of an important new sector of our economy. FAU is privileged to play a role in this process, and we intend to take full advantage of the priceless opportunities the Scripps partnership has to offer."
The FAU/Scripps Research Facility was constructed by Centex Rooney Construction Company of Plantation. The architect was Schwab, Twitty & Hanser Architects of West Palm Beach.
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Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the university serves 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida's southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts eight colleges - the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, and the Colleges of Business, Education, Engineering & Computer Science, and Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs. The University is observing its 40th anniversary this year.
The Scripps Research Institute, headquartered in La Jolla, California, in 14 buildings on 100 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean, is one of the world's largest independent, non-profit biomedical research organizations. It stands at the forefront of basic biomedical science that seeks to comprehend the most fundamental processes of life. Scripps Research is internationally recognized for its research into immunology, molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, neurosciences, autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases, and synthetic vaccine development. Established in its current configuration in 1961, it employs approximately 3,000 scientists, postdoctoral fellows, scientific and other technicians, doctoral degree graduate students, and administrative and technical support personnel. Scripps Florida, a 364,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art biomedical research facility, will be built in the near future in Palm Beach County. The facility will focus on basic biomedical science, drug discovery, and technology development. Palm Beach County and the State of Florida have provided start-up economic packages for development, building, staffing, and equipping the campus. Scripps Florida now operates out of 40,000 square-foot lab facilities on the Florida Atlantic University campus in Jupiter.
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