The former Westside Pavilion mall is being transformed into a science and tech research center that will be called UCLA Research Park.
KNX News’ Margaret Carrero reported that the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy at UCLA and the Center for Quantum Science and Engineering will call the campus home.
“It will serve as a state of the art, a state-of-the-art hub of research and innovation that will bring together academics, corporate partners, government agencies and start-ups to explore new areas of inquiry and achieve breakthroughs that could serve the common good,” said UCLA Chancellor Gene Block.
The institute will host UCLA faculty members, scholars from different higher education institutions, and other leading scientists and practitioners in clinical and biomedical scientific research, including human genetics, genomics, computer science, engineering, and information science, according to UCLA.
Researchers will pursue new tools, treatments, and vaccines for cancer, autoimmune and immune deficiency disorders, infectious diseases, allergies, heart conditions, solid organ transplantation, and other major health-related issues, according to the university.
The state committed $200 million to the project.
“If you're going to do well in the future, you've got to invest in it. And that's really the spirit in terms of why we are here,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.
He estimated that it will take about 40 months to build and another two years until the location is operational.
The UCLA Research Park will also serve campus units spanning the disciplines, as well as the broader university community. In addition to its flexible work areas, the former mall includes a full 12-screen multiplex movie theater that may be converted into lecture halls or performance spaces, allowing UCLA to offer programming across the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
