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Sen. Kit Bond, left, joined University officials in breaking
ground for the National Swine Research and Resource Center
and was commended for his vision and support of MU's national
leadership role in the life sciences. Jim Curley photo
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MU
Breaks Ground on
Swine Resource Center
By Jeremy Diener
University of Missouri-Columbia officials
broke ground May 4 on a facility that will serve as the world's
only clearinghouse for genetic material and swine for researchers
across the globe studying a multitude of health issues. Senator
Kit Bond joined University officials for the official groundbreaking.
“That we are able to break ground on
this facility today is a testament to the outstanding scientists
and their research, which sets MU apart from its peer institutions,” said Brady Deaton, MU Chancellor. “This facility provides
critical support for cutting edge research across disciplines
that will improve human and animal health and fundamental knowledge
around the world.”
The National Swine Research and Resource Center,
which will be located just southeast of the Animal Sciences Research
Center on the MU campus, will serve as both a repository and a
distribution hub for swine models used in a variety of research.
In addition, scientists at the center will conduct life-saving
research.
“The center will be a highly visible
program intimately tied to the University's efforts in the life
sciences,” said Lela Riley, MU professor of veterinary
pathobiology. “We will recruit and disseminate swine
models worldwide that will help researchers studying a wide array
of diseases with human health implications. This will be the first
center of its kind anywhere.”
Above is an artist's drawing of the center, which will be located just southeast of the Animal Sciences Research Center on the MU campus. Art provided courtesy of the College of Veterinary Medicine.
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Swine share anatomic and physiologic characteristics
with humans that make them ideal models for the study of human
diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Pig organs
also are excellent candidates for transplantation into humans
who are in need of life-saving organ replacements.
In September 2003, the National
Institutes of Health awarded MU nearly $10 million in research
and construction grants for the project – $7.1 million to
fund the center, and $2.84 million to construct a building for
the center. When completed, the building will have 15,000 square
feet of useable space. The expected cost of the building is $8.3
million.
While the center will contribute to a limitless
number of research projects, three areas MU researchers will study
include developing new transgenic pigs; improving cryopreservation,
or freezing cells at very low temperatures for future research;
and detecting agents that cause disease. Riley, John Critser,
Steve Kleiboeker and Jim Turk from the College
of Veterinary Medicine will join Randy Prather and Ed Rucker
from the College of Agriculture,
Food and Natural Resources to operate the center. Undergraduate
and graduate students also will have the opportunity to work with
researchers across multiple disciplines to develop a number of
projects at the center.
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Last Update:
November 15, 2007
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