UW Medicine Completes Second SLU Phase

In early June the South Lake Union neighborhood took another major step on the journey to becoming one of the nation’s premiere biomedical research sites. University of Washington Medicine opened its second research hub at 815 Mercer St. This phase includes a 170,000-square-foot laboratory and an 86,000-square-foot office building, bringing another 950 UW Medicine scientists and employees to the SLU neighborhood.

Several UW Medicine research groups are now located together at the new location, including the Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine; the Center for Lung Biology; the Diabetes & Obesity Center of Excellence; and a proposed Mitochondria and Metabolism Center run by the Department of Anesthesiology. Combining research groups in one location allows scientists to collaborate more easily with one another to work toward solving some of the nation’s most pressing medical problems.

The first phase of UW Medicine’s research hub is located on the north end of the block along Mercer Street. The building at this location and others in the SLU neighborhood house about 400 researchers. Many of these scientists are working on specific diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and diabetes, among others.

The UW Medicine Phase II building is designed as a sustainable, eco-friendly facility that provides a healthier environment for employees. The UW also has an option for a third phase in the SLU neighborhood.