Indiana University has broken ground on the future home of the IU Launch Accelerator for Biosciences, or IU LAB, a five-story, 150,000-square-foot facility slated to open in 2027.
The university describes the facility as a key part of its commitment to position Indiana as a global hub for bioscience innovation, talent and commercialization.
The new facility is being built in the 16 Tech Innovation District in downtown Indianapolis.
“Through initiatives like IU LAB, we are leveraging IU’s world-class research enterprise and cultivating the next generation of talent to solidify Indiana as a global leader in bioscience discovery, commercialization and workforce development,” IU President Pamela Whitten said.
The university is partnering with researchers, bioscience organizations, promising startups and industry partners to drive research and breakthroughs in five critical disease areas: diabetes and obesity, neuroscience, rare diseases, cancer, and tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
IU LAB will be next to the Herron School of Art and Design’s Eskenazi Fine Arts Center on Indiana Avenue. It will have five interconnected spaces designed to foster collaboration and innovation across disciplines: the Academic Gateway, Futures Center, Bio Start-up Center, Public-Private Partnerships Center and Joint Center of Excellence for Point of Care Precision Medicine.
The facility will house advanced research cores equipped with advanced, specialized technologies and resources. These include microelectronics, sensors and imaging; basic biological enablement; artificial intelligence/machine learning and data science; advanced and sustainable chemistry; translational biomarkers; and AnalytiXIN genomics.
