Biomedical Frontiers: SPRING/SUMMER 1997, Vol.4, No.3
Berrie Pavilion Opens

the second building in the growing Audubon Biomedical Science and Technology Park opened May 30 with the official dedication of the Russ Berrie Medical Science Pavilion. The Berrie Pavilion is the first new research building on Columbia's medical center campus in more than 20 years. It doubles CPMC's lab space for cancer research, devotes two floors to an expanded $30 million genetics program, and will house New York's most comprehensive diabetes research and treatment center.

The building is named for Russ Berrie, founder of Russ Berrie and Company Inc., who donated $13.5 million to partially finance the pavilion. Russ Berrie and Company Inc. is one of the world's leading suppliers of toys and gifts, ranging from stuffed animals to home decor. The balance was funded by a $10 million gift from the Fairchild Foundation, plus a mix of federal, state, and Columbia University money.

The building's second floor will house the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, named for Mr. Berrie's mother, who had diabetes, as does Mr. Berrie. The center will open to patients in early 1998.

Columbia's Genome Center will occupy roughly two floors in the seven-story building. A recent $30 million agreement between Columbia and VIMRx Pharmaceuticals has contributed to a major expansion of the genome center.

In addition, space will be dedicated to cancer research, while an expanded research program in pediatrics will occupy approximately 12,000 square feet of space. A significant portion of this space will be occupied by a new division of molecular genetics that is interested in the molecular mechanisms that control body weight and mediate susceptibility to diabetes.

The Berrie Pavilion is the second of five planned structures in the Audubon Biomedical Science and Technology Park. The Mary Woodard Lasker Medical Research Building, the first building constructed in the park, now houses 15 biotechnology companies. Audubon is the first and only university-related research park in New York City. Columbia has more than 250 active license collaborations with industry, and ranks among the nation's top three universities in the revenues it derives from technology transfer activities.

The Berrie Pavilion: A lab (left);
the front lobby (below);
and opening day (above) with, left to right,
Dr. Herbert Pardes, New York Gov. George Pataki, Russ and Angelica Berrie,
Columbia President George Rupp, and U.S. Sen. Alfonse D'Amato.