University of Central Florida researchers and students have started moving into the Sanford Burnham Prebys building in Lake Nona Medical City. The building will be home to the new UCF Lake Nona Cancer Center.
UCF College of Medicine Dean Deborah German envisions the space not only as a treatment center for cancer patients, but also as a place where scientists can take part in the cutting edge research that produces new cures.
“In those research laboratories are scientists and those scientists are teachers and they are teaching young people to become scientists and physicians and nurses and will care for people at the same time they’re discovering cures,” said German.
German said clinicians and researchers will benefit from the building’s proximity to a new UCF teaching hospital and other UCF College of Medicine campus buildings. Other medical research groups like the Sarah Cannon Research Institute and Provision Healthcare will also be on site.
The California-based research institute Sanford Burnham was offered more than $155 million in incentives in 2006 to move to the area, but left in 2016 citing dwindling revenue.
The Orlando City Council, Orange County Board of Commissioners and UCF Board of Trustees voted to transfer the land to UCF as part of a $50 million deal in August.
