Jackson Laboratory Set to Open Doors

The new Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine is set to open its doors next week in Farmington.

The 183,500 square foot building has a workforce of about 150 people and overall the facility is expected to generate 300 jobs, according to the Hartford Courant.

The lab has been at a temporary spot at the UConn Health Center.

Jackson Laboratory is already home to a number of world-renowned genetic scientists, including Charles Lee.

With any luck the laboratory will have two things to celebrate next week; the opening of the new center and a hopeful Nobel Prize win for Charles Lee.

Lee is a top contender for the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, according to a Thomson Reuters study. The award is expected to be announced Oct. 6.

George Weinstock, a leader on the Human Genome Project, joined the lab, according to the Courant.

The lab drew some political controversy after it was built in part with $291 million in state funds. The topic came up during a recent debate between Gov. Dannel Malloy and Republican nominee Tom Foley.

Foley argued it was too much money on too few jobs. Malloy argued it wasn’t just about jobs; it was about keeping the state highly attractive to the growing bioscience industry.

Image via Shutterstock.

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