By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
Southern Research on Tuesday celebrated the grand opening of its $98 million state-of-the-art biotechnology center, expected to stimulate growth in Birmingham’s biotech industry.
The new facility will enable Southern Research to accelerate the development of therapies for high-impact diseases — from emerging biological threats to chronic conditions — advancing both commercial drug candidates and strategic programs with U.S. government partners in support of national health and security.
The ribbon cutting on the 150,000-square-foot building, located on the corner of Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard and Ninth Avenue South, attracted the many partners who joined forces beginning in 2022 to make the project a reality: the University of Alabama (UAB); the State of Alabama, the City of Birmingham and Jefferson County, as well as a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
“We celebrate not just the unveiling of a state-of-the arts building, or its significant economic impact of the state and to our local government, the jobs it creates and sustains, but the launch of a bold vision for the future of healthcare and scientific discovery,” said state Senator Jabo Waggoner, (R-Vestavia Hills) during the grand opening.
“This center represents a community convergence of cutting edge technologies, brilliant minds, and a shared commitment to advancing human health,” he added.
The new building is the first major campus addition since 1987. Southern Research broke ground on the building in 2022.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said, “What we have in this facility offers hope for a future where more diseases will become conquered and our communities can talk less about being sick and more about being well. It is about creating a better future for all of us.”
UAB officials said the center marks a major milestone that doubles SR’s lab capacity and significantly expands its ability to combat chronic illnesses, cancer and infectious diseases, while reinforcing the organization’s commitment to advancing human health and addressing some of the most pressing biomedical threats of our time.
“Southern Research and the University of Alabama at Birmingham continue to partner in groundbreaking discoveries that impact lives throughout Alabama and beyond,” said UAB President Ray L. Watts, who is serving as interim CEO of Southern Research. “This new, world-class facility will accelerate those efforts dramatically, as we work together to become the biotech commercialization leader in the Southeast. We could not make this progress without local, state and federal support and appreciate their continued efforts to grow the biotech industry in Birmingham.”
State Sen. Rodger Smitherman, (D-Birmingham) called the building “a key milestone and landmark that will increase our footprint as a nationally renowned center for research and innovation.”
Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens said people from surrounding counties can visit the facility and receive the type of treatment that he’s found.
“As someone who recently completed cancer treatment, I have a newfound appreciation for Southern Research and its history as a true center of excellence in oncology research,” Stephens said. “When I look at this building today, I see so much more than investment and infrastructure and even jobs. I see hope.”
