Renovation of Laboratory Space in the Chemistry Department for Biomolecular Research

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Scientific and technological advances at the molecular level are providing dramatic new approaches to address critical problems at the interface between biology and chemistry. These advances may well redefine current boundaries between existing fields, and cross fertilization of ideas across traditional disciplines will allow the development of new successful collaborations in biotechnology and advanced molecular materials. Molecular biological approaches are used in several research laboratories in the chemistry department at the University of California - Riverside (UCR). However, faculty are dispersed in many locations within Pierce Hall, in which space for chemistry was constructed in 1965. The building lacks certain core facilities necessary for the conduction of faculty research in the following areas: inorganic chemistry, chemistry of biomaterials, receptor-ligand binding chemistry, synthetic organic chemistry, and nucleic acid chemistry. A partnership between the NSF and UCR will be established to develop the required research infrastructure to provide a physical focus for extension and development of collaborative efforts across tradition boundaries in chemistry. Improving the research infrastructure in Pierce Hall will involve the renovation of 21 research laboratory spaces on the third floor. Renovations include: asbestos abatement, removal of non-code compliant fume hood, sinks, and benchwork, upgrade of utility systems to include additional power, steam and industrial hot water, reconditioning of HVAC, gas, vacuum and plumbing lines, and the installation of casework, fume hoods, and cabinets. Joint-use core facilities including cold rooms, a centrifuge room, multipurpose instrumentation rooms, a Level 3 recombinant DNA facility and a hot lab will be created. This project, complementing a previous ARI Chilled Water Project in Pierce Hall, will directly enhance the research prospects for five senior personnel, eight postdocs, twenty graduate students and eleven undergraduate students. Having modern facilities will improve research training opportunities for students with research interests at the Chemistry-Biology interface. Since the university has the largest percentage of minority students of any UC campus, and women comprise over 52% of the UCR student body, this project will have an impact on the recruitment of these groups of individuals into the physical sciences where both are seriously underrepresented.