October 28, 2008:The University of Utah has announced that the Sorenson Legacy Foundation has made the lead donation of $15 million to begin constructing a 193,000-sq. ft. biomedical and neurosciences building designed to help create and develop the next wave of health sciences technology.
Named the James L. Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building in honour of Utah’s renowned medical device inventor and entrepreneur, the facility will become the heart of the state’s $500 million Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative (USTAR), and will anchor the university’s new “Interdisciplinary Quadrangle” on 11 acres bridging upper and lower campus.
“The Sorenson family has shown extraordinary foresight and vision with this gift,” said U. of Utah president Michael Young. “Because of their generosity, USTAR will invest $100 million in this state-of-the-art facility and promote a new generation of discovery and economic development in the health sciences. James LeVoy Sorenson’s interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial approach to finding creative solutions for challenging medical problems endures in the vision for this facility.”
As a hub for USTAR’s research and development, the building will be home to advanced imaging and nanotechnology laboratories, including a 20,000-square-foot nanofabrication area designed to create and develop new bioengineered materials and devices, as well as MEMS, circuits, memory, and sensors, among others. Funds for operations come from USTAR, a $500 million 20-year commitment by the Utah legislature to propel the state to the forefront of the global knowledge economy by building intellectual assets and developing innovative products.
“With Utah’s combination of higher education, research and innovation, we can lead the world in biomedical development,” said James Lee Sorenson, oldest son of James LeVoy Sorenson. “And we honor my father’s legacy by helping advance healthcare technologies that also create entrepreneurial opportunities for our community.”
Groundbreaking at the site, near Federal Way and Wasatch Drive on what is now the university golf course, is scheduled for early summer with completion in spring 2012. Total cost is $130 million.