CSU opens $53 million research incubator

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May 12, 2010 - Trevor Hughes - CSU on Wednesday formally opened a $53 million research incubator that officials hope will help cut years off the time it takes to bring vaccines and treatments for dangerous diseases from the laboratory to the marketplace.

The Research Innovation Center on Colorado State University's Foothills Campus provides space for university and private researchers to work side by side perfecting and marketing vaccines and treatments for everything from the plague to West Nile virus and tuberculosis.

While CSU scientists and professors will use the 72,000-square-foot building to teach students and conduct research, portions of the building will be rented out to private companions, said CSU President Tony Frank. He said the simple act of bringing CSU researchers together with private companies could help speed development of treatments by up to two years.

"Your goal is to contract that research and development pipeline," said Frank, a veterinary pathologist who has worked for the pharmaceutical industry. "By putting the two things side by side, the goal is to speed things up."

CSU paid for the building with borrowed money, although federal grants paid for equipping portions of it, including a simulated biosafety level-three laboratory where students will practice working safely with dangerous diseases. CSU has a real BSL 3 laboratory building adjacent to the research innovation building.

The research center has two floors of lab and office space, along with conference rooms. In the basement, but not included in public tours Wednesday, is a vivarium where mice and other small rodents being used for experiments will live.

Also attending Wednes-day's opening was Gov. Bill Ritter, who said CSU's commitment to basic scientific research will help the state lure venture capitalists who can see commercial possibilities.

"Research and development is actually the backbone of an economic development strategy," Ritter said. "We've seen dramatic results."

CSU officials said they expect that renting out space to private businesses will help pay for the building. Rents for office and lab space will range from $20 to $45 square foot, they said.