TMC3 Founding Institutions Chart Unprecedented Course for Life Sciences with New Research Campus
MD Anderson News Release April 23, 2018
Founding TMC3 institutions – Texas Medical Center (TMC), Baylor College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, today announced a 30-acre collaborative research campus with an anticipated groundbreaking in 2019 and completion in 2022. The forthcoming health care nexus will bridge the geographic gap between TMC’s existing clinical and research campuses and establish Houston as an international hub for biomedical research.
The project will include more than 1.5 million square feet and bring together leading researchers with a host of top-tier expertise from the private sector. The project marks the first time the founding institutions have built and shared space on a major scale in the Texas Medical Center.
“The TMC3 campus will establish Houston as the Third Coast for life sciences, attracting the best scientific minds from around the globe,” said Texas Medical Center President and Chief Executive Officer William F. McKeon. “With researchers working hand-in-hand alongside industry titans on this new campus, Texas Medical Center as a whole will further advance its position as a preeminent global player in life sciences.”
The groundbreaking project will generate a $5.2 billion stimulus to Texas and create 30,000 new jobs, according to a third-party economic impact study1. Researchers will pioneer advancements in therapeutics, medical devices, regenerative medicine, genomics, and data science, among other areas.
“The new 30-acre research campus will provide our top medical minds with the resources to remain at the forefront of the health care industry,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “This cutting-edge facility will not only generate thousands of jobs, but it will solidify Texas’ position as an international leader in biomedical research. I thank the Texas Medical Center, UTHealth, UT MD Anderson, Texas A&M University and Baylor College of Medicine for being a part of this transformative project, and for their continued commitment to changing the world through advancements in health care.”
The centerpiece of the TMC3 campus – resembling the indelible double helix shape of a DNA strand – will be a multi-story building spanning nearly the entire length of the 30-acre complex. The shared facility will include core laboratories, restaurants, retail and commercial space.
“TMC3 will move Houston much farther into the forefront as a global hub for biomedical research, leading to more innovation in this great city that has repeatedly remade itself as a global leader for science and innovation,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said. “More than ever, people who chart the course for the future will want to work, live and play in Houston.”
The crown jewel of the facility will be an elevated park designed by famed High Line landscape architect James Corner. The rooftop park – which will be open to the public – will soar 60 feet above the campus, offer sweeping views of downtown Houston, and feature gardens, walking and running trails.
The new campus city center will also boast the TMC Hotel and Conference Center, which will be a destination for leading experts to convene. “We want to drive collaboration, and we know that happens when top researchers innovate side-by-side. Breakthroughs do not just happen in the laboratory,” McKeon said, “They also take place over coffee, on group runs, or during chance encounters with colleagues. The TMC3 campus will foster unparalleled opportunity for new discoveries on a daily basis.”