Half-way through the summer

As we pass the mid-point of summer, with many of our PI’s away on summer travel and research, I think it would be useful to preview some of what will await them and our students upon their return and the beginning of classes.

First, in late August, we’re opening up three brand-new labs in what’s currently called the new-wing of the Institute. One of those labs will embody the site of a new much closer collaboration between the Department of Neuroscience at Inova’s Fairfax Hospital and George Mason’s neuroscience research activities. The other two will be filled by Drs. Dan Cox and Nadine Kabbani. Dan works on drosophila neurobiology. Nadine is interested in the proteomics of dopamine and nicotinic receptor interactions within the central nervous system.

Second, probably in November we’ll commence construction of Phase II, or rather the “new” new wing of Krasnow, which will include eight new wet labs and associated support space, PI offices and a laboratory commons to complement the Great Room in the original building. That construction should be finished pretty much exactly a year from now so that we’ll take delivery of the new space in time for Fall of 2010. We’ll open up an intranet blog to post construction updates so that everyone at the Institute can coordinate their science. Hopefully the inconvenience will not be too great and what we gain will be both beautiful and functional.

Also, we’ve opened up a second “satellite” facility for Rob Axtell’s research in the new Volgenau Engineering Building. This space for agent-based modeling complements the existing Center for Social Complexity Space in the Research I building.

So the Institute continues to grow, even in these economically difficult times. That’s a tribute to the science that our faculty do.

Jim