By AP/KWMU
St. Louis, MO – SLU's trustees have approved a new $80 million research facility at the school's Health Sciences Center.
The move allows the university to begin looking for a place and designing the building, which has been planned for several years.
SLU officials say it will be the largest building project in the university's 185-year history.
President Lawrence Biondi calls the new research center his top priority, saying the center will be a major investment in mid-town St. Louis.
Joseph Weixlmann, SLU's provost, said in a statment the university has several areas of emphasis on its research agenda, including biodefense, infectious diseases, virology, cardiovascular, cancer and liver disease.
"This initiative is critical to our success in attracting top-notch researchers and to compete for external funding," Weixlmann said in the statement. "The new structure will contain basic and clinical science research in focused areas."
The school will issue bonds to pay for construction of the center. The project will also rely on private donations.