The Neuroscience Engineering Collaboration (NEC) building was constructed in 2012 and completed in 2016. The $37.5 million dollar building houses mostly researchers.
“The goal is to create an environment that fosters cutting edge research,” M.D. Ph.D Director, Mark Rich stated. “By having such a research facility, the hope is that graduate and undergraduate students will have the opportunity to participate in clinically relevant research projects. The hope is that this will bring together engineers and neuroscientists, that will create such an environment.”
Currently the building is occupied by the neuroscience, cell biology and physiology, engineering, psychology and biochemistry departments.
The building does not offer courses to students. There is an auditorium that holds different research seminars. The NEC building consists of 15 labs, along with approximately 35 offices. The labs are all used by graduate and undergraduate students.
According to the Boonshoft School of Medicine website, “A full 55,000 square feet of the four-story building (including a basement) is assigned to research.”
Rich stated, “Faculty and graduate students’ use the building the most as it is primarily for research. Most of the graduate students are in master’s degree or PhD programs, but there are 4-5 MD/PhD students as well. Some medical students and undergraduate students also do research projects in the building.”
