The Henry Wellcome Building for Comparative Medical Sciences will be officially opened today by Sir Dominic Cadbury, Chairman of the Wellcome Trust, at 11.30am

The £6.7M development has been funded by a £5.08M award from the Wellcome Trust Science Research Investment Fund, with £1.62M from the University. This beautiful new building is the centrepiece of the Institute of Comparative Medicine within our Faculty, and brings together research teams under one roof from the Vet School's themes of excellence:Oncology and Virology, Parasitic disease, Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Production and Public Health and Clinical and Translation Science.

The new four-storey building accommodates three storeys of laboratories and offices, with a roof-top Resource Centre with an open air terrace and wonderful views across the Campsies. The building boasts some novel features including two glazed bridges which physically link the building with its neighbours and a fine entrance foyer featuring a three storey high open atrium allowing glimpses of all floors.

Researchers housed in the Institute of Comparative Medicine have linked with engineers and computing scientists to break the boundaries of translational research with applications for improved animal and human disease diagnosis and prevention.

Internationally-acclaimed work on FIV, a strong example of our excellence in virology and oncology, has established links between viruses and tumours, resulting both in the development of life-saving vaccines for animals and humans and new diagnostics.

Developments across the themes of excellence are nurtured, and the Institute now houses rapidly expanding groups on infectious diseases epidemiology committed to improving animal and public health, and reproductive biology.

Professor Stuart Reid, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, said: "The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine is committed to research which makes a positive contribution to animal and human health. The new building provides a dynamic and progressive environment which brings together our laboratory based scientists into one embedded institute.

The cross fertilization of ideas, the efficiencies and economies, but above all the synergies will ensure that we deliver results that are timely, of value and of significance to society. We thank all of our supporters and particularly the Wellcome Trust for helping us to reach this important landmark."

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Programme: Started On Site March 2003
Handover: 30 July 2004
Staff Occupation: 16 August 2004

Design Team
Architect: NJSR Horspool
Quantity Surveyor: Armour Construction Consultants
Services Engineers: Harley Haddow
Structural Engineers: Beattie Watkinson
Main Contractor: Kier Scotland

First published: 12 May 2005