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NORTH DAKOTA: UND: New Brain Lab Eyes Expansion Neuroscience research center broke ground in September By David Dodds - Herald Staff Writer Posted on Thu, Apr. 15, 2004 UND medical school's new "deep brain" research center only broke ground in September, and officials already are asking for permission to expand. Randy Eken, associate dean of administration and finance for the medical school, said that the state Board of Higher Education is expected to decide today if the medical school can accept an additional $1 million in grant funding to add onto its new neuro- science research center, currently under construction. The higher education board is meeting this week in Williston, N.D. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently awarded the new funding to UND, Eken said. "It's just great news," he said. "We've known for a while that we would get it, but now we have the official letter notifying us we'll get the money." Tunnel plans The $3 million research center, which provides much-needed laboratory space for UND scientists to study brain disorders, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, is being built west of the main medical school building. That facility is about 14,000 square feet, enough room for eight laboratories and a common workspace for researchers. According to Rick Tonder, UND associate facilities director, much of the focus of the new construction will be linking the research center with the main medical school building. Tonder said that could entail digging a tunnel or possibly an above-ground link, if it's found that existing buried infrastructure and steam lines make a tunnel too expensive. "And if there's the opportunity to add more laboratory space after all that, we will be doing that," Tonder said. Tonder said the next step, pending approval by the state Board, is to consult with architects about the project. He said the research center has been made in a way that accommodates future expansion, but he didn't expect to be doing it so soon. The hope had been to have the research center ready for dedication by the time of UND's 2004 Homecoming in October, Eken said. Land for sale In other UND-related news, the state Board today is expected to approve plans to post for sale more than 740 acres of land near Fargo and Wahpeton, N.D. The land was donated to UND by late alumnus and benefactor Burton Aarestad. The school, through its foundation, will try to sell the three parcels of land worth more than $1.1 million and used mainly for sugar beet production. The move is based on a recommendation from Bots- ford and Qualey Land Co, an area property management service, which cited potential future volatility in sugar beet markets as a reason UND should sell the land. Tonder said because a state university such as UND must follow often slow-moving processes in regard to sales of real estate, school officials agreed it wasn't in a good position to quickly react to the possible risks. The land that would be sold also includes a small 12-acre section just outside of Fargo that was once the residential property of Aarestad. UND will keep for now two parcels of Aarestad's gifted land, which sits in areas around Fargo and is prime for future development. The combined 200 acres is appraised at $635,000, but that price is expected to increase once development kicks in. UND has pledged to use revenue generated from Aarestad's gift to establish faculty endowments for the school's College of Business and Public Administration. Aarestad made his fortune as an electrician in Alaskan oil fields. The McHenry, N.D., native and 1951 UND grad died in January 2003. He was 78. Reach Dodds at 780-1110, (800) 477-6572, extension 110, or at [log in to unmask] SOURCE: Grand Forks Herald, ND http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/news/8434147.htm * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn