The University of British Columbia officially opened a new $133 million Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences building Tuesday.
The new 246,000-square-foot building will allow UBC's Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences to nearly double its graduation rates by 2015 to 224 new graduates. It will also double the faculty's research space for new drug research and allow for the expansion of the faculty's masters, doctoral and Doctor of Pharmacy programs.
In addition to UBC faculty programs, the new building will house several research organizations, including the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD).
"Our new building's collaborative learning and research infrastructure will greatly increase our capacity to lead the world in pharmaceutical sciences and create an environment that challenges our students address real world health issues," said Robert Sindelar, dean of pharmaceutical sciences.
The B.C. government contributed $86.4 million towards the new building, which features an interactive educational exhibit called the History of Medicines.
Designed by SmartDesgin Group, the new exhibit features interactive media technology designed by Vancouver's NGX Interactive. (See the next issue of Business in Vancouver for more on NGX Interactive's digital interactive media technology.)
The exhibit includes a 27x7-foot media wall and several large touch-screens, one of which tells the story of certain key medicines, like penicillin.
It also includes an interactive yearbook that includes the bios and photos of 6,000 graduates dating back to the 1940s.
