Cancer center gets design recognition
- Details
- Published on Monday, 10 December 2012 15:47
- Written by The Peorian
The Central Illinois Chapter of the American Institute of Architects recently awarded the new Cancer Research Center and entrance at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria (UICOMP) an Honorable Mention at its annual Design Awards event.
With public-private collaboration and support, the Cancer Research Center at UICOMP completed a $13 million expansion project in December, 2011. Architects for the project were from Peoria-based Farnsworth Group Inc.
The Cancer Research Center at the University of Illinois The sleek, modern design of the two-story addition includes outward-leaning glass framed with a metallic skin. A lighted "sail" greets visitors to the building and the interior entrance is vast with bold lines, a UICOMP news release said. The 2012 AIA Central Illinois Design Awards, held Nov. 15 in Bloomington, recogniz significant achievements in the profession of architecture.
But the Cancer Research Center holds more than unique building components. Within its walls, UICOMP researchers continue making new discoveries in cancer research, the release said.
"In 2012 alone, cancer biology researchers at UICOMP have published 25 scholarly articles detailing their findings, adding to their already impressive list of internationally-recognized findings. Since 2001, the cancer biology program at UICOMP has received nearly $28 million in research funding," it said.
And the cancer research program continues to grow. UICOMP recently welcomed a new researcher and her work in cell "signal reception and desensitization" could provide future, unique methods for delivering cancer-fighting drugs, the release said.
Dr. Eleonora Zakharian says understanding how certain molecules and their complex structures operate could shed light on more easily delivering cancer-fighting treatments and inhibiting cancer cell growth.
Zakharian brings funded research to Peoria in Transient Receptor Potential ion channels and biological polymers such as Polyhydroxybutyrate and Inorganic Polyphosphates – molecules found in all living organisms. She is funded by the National Institutes of Health and by the American Heart Association.
