Euro 11m project funds new life sciences building in France

French-based biotech cluster organisation Alsace BioValley is involved in a b11m construction initiative aimed at pooling together life science r&d on one site.

The initiative, which will involve the construction of a 2,795 sq m building housing two centres, aims to provide a range of services, research and high value added expertise for the academic and industry.

The Center for Integrated Biology (CBI) and the Platform Center (HdP), sponsored by the Alsace BioValley cluster, are located in the Illkirch Innovation Park close to French research lab IGBMC (The Institut de Genetique et de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire).

"What's new about this project is the way it will build in Alsace a center of excellence combining services and very high level scientific expertise, thus helping to standardise, professionalise and organise the services required, which hitherto have existed only in academic labs," said Nicolas Carboni, managing director of Alsace BioValley.

Pascal Neuville, president of Alsace BioValley, said: "Our goal in implementing this project is to encourage the creation of industry partnerships, in our region, with international players who are impressed with the go-getting Alsace attitude."

It will be part of the 2007-2013 national regional project contracts. The overall budget is b11m including sales tax. Financing comes from the Alsace Region (b2.84m) as well as from the State, the department of the Bas-Rhin and the Urban Community of Strasbourg. A request for funding will also be made to the European FEDER fund.

The Alsace hosts 200 companies, 60 labs and 15,000 employees.