2014.03.31
Construction begins on new IIIS research building
The official groundbreaking ceremony for the new IIIS (International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine) research building took place on Friday, March 28, 2014.
Located adjacent to Kasuga Pond in the University of Tsukuba Medical Area, the construction site will link together all the laboratories of the institute and serve as the core facility for IIIS. This building will in part fulfill a goal of the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI), which seeks to create a vibrant environment where frontline researchers, regardless of nationality, are invited from around the world to engage in advanced research with state-of-the-art equipment and full administrative support. While the institute’s researchers were brought together for this special occasion in particular, the plans for furthering integrated sleep medicine research under one building are already underway.
In attendance at the ceremony were the design and construction firms, along with delegations from the University of Tsukuba and IIIS. Kyosuke Nagata, President of the University of Tsukuba delivered the opening remarks, commenting on the bright future that lies ahead for IIIS and the university, as they share a common dream to promote basic research and open the door for contributions to society. Masashi Yanagisawa, Director of IIIS, took time to pray for a safe construction period and delivered his thoughts on the positive direction of the institute as it continues to grow and attract bright young minds. With the ground blessed during the traditional Japanese ceremony and the construction underway, the research and administration of IIIS look forward to the completion of the new building planned for the end of FY2014.
photo:View of construction site for the new IIIS research building