The Gordon B. Shrum building opened its doors last month as the new home for the School of Biomedical Engineering with hopes of being a catalyst for global bioengineering research while improving patient health.
School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME) Director Peter Zandstra praised Canada's purpose-built biomedical engineering facility as opening doors for students to gain hands-on experience with technologies that can hopefully be implemented in a clinical setting — something that has not been done before at UBC.
“[Students] will be able to work in labs, engineering cells with biomechanical systems, robotics and computer simulations that weren’t possible before we had the building,” said Zandstra in an interview with The Ubyssey.
Opened on April 7, the building was named after Gordon B. Shrum: an influential former UBC faculty member and the first chancellor of SFU who passed away in 2018.
The project, billed at $139.4 million to complete, was funded by the BC government, UBC and private donors — including an unspecified contribution from the Shrum estate according to a statement on SBMEs website.
The expansive facility includes a 250-seat lecture theatre and laboratories outfitted with specialized technologies, including experimental diagnostic AI and crash impact testing sites.
Construction commenced during the pandemic. The building and space were designed by Canadian architecture firms Patkau Architects and Architecture 49. Featured in the atrium is a four-storey mural by artist Jen Ma, created to represent the impact of biomedical research on society.
“Often in the university, you walk by a building and you don't know what's going on,” says Zandstra, describing the first floor's transparent panel wall which allows working students to be seen from the University Boulevard bus loop.
“We had that concept that we want to invite people in … we want to involve the community,” Zandstra continued.
Established in 2017 in partnership between the Faculties of Medicine and Applied Sciences, the School of Biomedical Engineering oversees the curriculum of five specializations in the Bachelor of Applied Science program.
“The space supported the creative and technical demands of our project and played an essential role in helping us bring our ideas to life,” said fourth-year biomedical engineering student Sogand Golshahian.
Specializing in cellular bioengineering and bioinformatics, Golshahian worked with a team to develop a wearable muscle spasm monitor for tetanus patients as part of her Capstone Project.
“For the first several months, we were working across multiple locations and using a small makerspace in the Wesbrook building,” said Golshahian of a confusing production spread out across numerous facilities.
“Once we moved into the new Gordon B. Shrum Building, the difference was immediate and significant,” she added.
Zandstra cited such innovations as the driving force behind what he hopes to be a centre for global centre for biotech breakthrough and research.
“One of the things that would be wonderful is in 10, 15 — 20 years from now — people [will] look back and they'll be aware of all the exciting science and engineering that has been done here,” said Zandstra.
“Canada has an opportunity to really contribute to biotech and med tech innovation … we can train leaders that stay in Canada, that build companies and that have these impacts on our health care system.”
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