Penn to invest $750 million in science, engineering, medicine, including DRL renovations

Penn President Amy Gutmann announced a $750 million investment into science, engineering, and medicine at Penn over five years to further research programming and create new on-campus research spaces.

The investment will support research in novel therapeutics and health-related initiatives, energy and sustainability, and data engineering and science, according to a press release. It will also include renovations to David Rittenhouse Laboratories and the development of a new Physical Science Building.

The Perelman School of Medicine will use the funding to invest in research programming efforts, faculty recruitment, and improvements to campus research spaces, according to the press release. Research will focus on mRNA biology, vaccine development, immune health, cellular engineering, and gene therapy.

“The large scale of these PSOM investments is more than matched by the opportunity to continue making breakthrough discoveries to create new therapies and improve health,” Gutmann said in the press release.

The investment will also allow the University to “substantially reimagine” the DRL. The building, originally constructed in 1954, has faced a series of issues in recent years including broken heating, water damage from burst pipes, and a lack of functioning women’s restrooms.

In 2013, plans to renovate DRL were scrapped due to a lack of funding. The press release acknowledged that renovations to the DRL are critical for recruiting and retaining faculty. 

In addition, a modern Physical Sciences Building will be built between the DRL and the Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology. It will provide research spaces for faculty and teaching laboratories that allow undergraduate students to get involved with research, the press release states.

The investment will also allow for creation of the Eidos LGBT+ Health Initiative by the School of Nursing, the Energy and Sustainability Initiative by the School of Arts and Sciences and the Innovation in Data Engineering and Science Initiative by the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Funds will also be used to recruit 10 new faculty members to the Energy and Sustainability Initiative and IDEAS Initiative focus areas.

The investment was made possible by faculty, the Penn Center for Innovation, and the Power of Penn fundraising campaign, according to the press release. Gutmann said she believes the new investments will be an important addition to the University’s research initiatives. 

“These new initiatives will continue to support faculty recruitment and retention, and position Penn to be a world leader in some of the most critically important and impactful scientific fields for years to come,” Gutmann said in the press release.