From Telstra bigpond news:
Current Render 22/02/2011SA medical research institute plan
Sunday, May 17, 2009 » 10:46pm
Details of the new $200 million health and medical research institute to be built in Adelaide have been unveiled.
Details of the new $200 million health and medical research institute to be built in Adelaide and funded by the federal government have been unveiled.
The state government and federal member for Adelaide Kate Ellis revealed pictures of the building to be located next to the planned new Royal Adelaide Hospital in the city, with construction to commence next year and be completed by 2012.
Construction of the building is expected to create about 1400 direct and 1500 indirect jobs, with up to 675 researchers to work there on completion.
The government said about half of those were expected to be new to the state.
Premier Mike Rann told journalists in Adelaide the government had lobbied the federal government for funding for the project.
'We were absolutely delighted that the expertise we have in South Australia in medical research, some of which is world leading, will be getting fantastic new world-class facilities,' he said.
Mr Rann said medical research facilities were currently 'scattered' around the city and health minister John Hill said they were desperately short of space.
Mr Hill said the new 25000-square-metre facility would 'attract the very best health and medical minds from around the world'.
Early next week, advertisements will be placed nationally and internationally to appoint a design team with experience in medical research facilities.
A managing contractor will be appointed soon, the government said.
Professor John Hopwood, currently based at Women's and Children's Hospital and one of Australia's leading medical researchers, said it was 'the beginning of a very, very rich future in medical research'.
He said he expected many overseas researchers to be interested in moving to Adelaide to work once the new facility was completed.
'Practically, this will overcome our lack of dedicated laboratory space that is drastically needed to coordinate and focus high quality medical research, and to encourage leading researchers to SA,' he said.