The first sod will be turned on a new $58 million Co-Location building site today by the University of Tasmania's Vice-Chancellor Professor Daryl Le Grew, the Director of the Menzies Research Institute Professor Simon Foote and the Dean of the Faculty of Health Science Professor Allan Carmichael.

The first sod will be turned on a new $58 million Co-Location building site today by the University of Tasmania's Vice-Chancellor Professor Daryl Le Grew, the Director of the Menzies Research Institute Professor Simon Foote and the Dean of the Faculty of Health Science Professor Allan Carmichael. The Co-Location building will accommodate the Menzies Research Institute and the Tasmanian School of Medicine (currently located at the Royal Hobart Hospital and Sandy Bay campuses) together with a number of Faculty of Health Science administrative functions.

Work begins immediately with the new building expected to be completed by October 2009.

Director of the Menzies Research Institute Professor Simon Foote said today was an important milestone.

"The new building will complement the recent growth and expansion of the Menzies Research Institute, with state of the art laboratories and cutting-edge equipment on a shared site with the School of Medicine," Professor Foote said.

"Sharing with the School of Medicine will further strengthen our existing relationship and help to deliver high quality undergraduate and postgraduate research education in Tasmania."

University of Tasmania's Vice-Chancellor Professor Daryl Le Grew said the Menzies Research Institute had grown into a nationally significant medical research institute and an icon for Tasmania.

"The University has made a significant investment in Menzies and is proud of its record, including its groundbreaking research into a number of diseases," he said.

"Menzies has developed a well-deserved reputation as a leader in tackling some of the most pressing health issues facing the world today. It is now turning over $16 - 17 million annually in research earnings and other support and is on track for continuing growth.

"The Menzies Institute is the embodiment of the UTAS-State Government partnership and we look forward to an exciting future from what will soon be its new home."

The Dean of the Faculty of Health Science Professor Allan Carmichael said the new building would enable the Faculty of Health Science, through its School of Medicine, to facilitate excellence in teaching, learning and research within medicine. 

"This learning centre, with its state of the art facilities, will continue to underpin the future health of the Tasmanian community," Professor Carmichael said.

Funding for the Co-Location building has come from UTAS, the State Government, the Federal Government and The Atlantic Philanthropies.

The team behind the Co-Location building includes the UTAS Co-Location team, the managing contractor John Holland-Fairbrother Joint Venture, architects Lyons Architecture of Melbourne and local architects JAWS Architecture.

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