HUNTSVILLE — Things continue to grow at HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology and the latest addition to its campus is one of a kind.
HudsonAlpha’s Greenhouse and Educational Learning Labs, a 14,000 square-foot facility, features top-of-the-line molecular laboratories and cutting edge technological features.
“For years, HudsonAlpha has been working with Alabama farmers to improve their crops and to make their land sustainable for future generations,” Gov. Kay Ivey said at the ribbon-cutting. “The people working in this one-of-a-kind facility will use the power of genomics to strengthen Alabama agriculture, build an ag-focused workforce, and create new economic opportunities for our state.”
The greenhouse will help researchers use genomics to help sustainably feed and fuel the planet and serve as a living teaching lab for Institute faculty and students.
“In its most basic sense, simply opening this facility is tremendously exciting for us because of what this building represents,” said HudsonAlpha President Dr. Neil Lamb. “Within these walls, scientific discoveries will unlock solutions to feed, fuel and clothe our world.”
The Center for Plant Science and Sustainable Agriculture will add significant lab and greenhouse space to propagate and grow research plants to improve existing crops, develop new uses for plants, lead more large-scale collaborations and develop low cost tools and genomic sequencing to link plant genes.
The facility is equipped with two lab spaces, seven grow rooms with 15-foot ceilings and technological advancements that make it a transformative research and teaching facility.
Research will focus on advancing sustainability in a variety of crops, maximizing fuel production from plant biomass, reducing fertilizer use and reducing or eliminating fungicides to increase crop yields. The next phase of the facility will be to install a demonstration garden to showcase advancements in crop improvement.
Brasfield and Gorrie served as the general contractor for the project. Fuqua & Partners Architects designed the building.
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