BY NICK ZAGORSKI
For more information
• Read more about Scripps’ venture in Florida
• Read about the Burnham Institute for Medical Research’s new center at Lake Nona.
• Read more about the new Max Planck Florida Institute groundbreaking.
As we noted in the December 2009 issue of ASBMB Today, the Scripps Research Institute was a scientific visionary when it opened a new campus in Jupiter, Fla., back when the state was primarily known for its beaches, oranges and a certain talking mouse.
It was a risky move, but not only has it thrived, Scripps has also been instrumental in helping bring in partners to this growing biotech cluster in southeastern Florida. And, just last week, a major recruiting effort hit a significant milestone with the official groundbreaking of the first Max Planck Research Institute in the United States.
The aptly-named Max Planck Florida, whose upcoming 100,000-square-foot biomedical facility across the way from Scripps’ Jupiter center is slated to open in early 2012 (though some work is already underway at temporary quarters on the campus of Florida Atlantic University), will focus on cutting-edge research in neuroscience, bioimaging and integrative biology. This new institute will provide a renowned and internationally respected scientific presence that should boost the research culture not just in southeast Florida, but across the entire state.
“The groundbreaking for Max Planck’s permanent home in Jupiter demonstrates that the vision of bringing world-class science to Palm Beach County is becoming a reality,” says ASBMB member Harry Orf, the vice-president of scientific operations at Scripps Florida. “The cutting edge bioimaging capabilities Max Planck will bring to Jupiter will complement the academic and translational research programs at Scripps Florida and provide ample opportunities for collaborations and the submission of joint grants.”
Nick Zagorski (nzagorski@asbmb.org) is a science writer at ASBMB.