Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli (D-Syracuse) announced that he secured $5 million in funding to support construction of the RESTORE Center for Environmental Biotechnology. The Center will be located within Syracuse University’s Life Sciences Complex.

“The RESTORE Center will be dedicated to increasing research and development in the field of environmental biotechnology,” said Magnarelli. “This center will not only provide opportunity for new research initiatives, but will bring in new jobs here at Syracuse University, as well as create new jobs with its business partners throughout Central New York. I am excited about the new opportunities this center will provide.”

The center will have four primary objectives:

• Create new knowledge and technologies to improve human health;
• Transfer new technologies to the market, commercialize technologies to develop new products and services to create spin-off enterprises;
• Create and retain jobs; and
• Prepare business and technology leaders for the demands of the environmental biotechnology industry

The center will be a major part of Syracuse University’s Life Science Complex, and will be working with other university departments, including the NYS Center for Advanced Technology in Computer Applications and Software Engineering (CASE Center). By working closely with the CASE Center, and other Syracuse University departments, the RESTORE Center will be able to expand its work in technology transfer and commercialization activities.

“By building this new center, we are not only expanding the Life Sciences Complex, we are expanding the possibilities of new discoveries and partnerships,” said Magnarelli. “This is an investment not only in higher education and the Syracuse community, but for our entire society.”

The RESTORE Center will enhance the life science area, expand graduate and undergraduate research initiatives, develop strategic outreach to start-up firms in Central New York and help develop partnerships with biomedical and pharmaceutical firms throughout the country.

Groundbreaking for the new RESTORE Center is part of the “Day of Discovery: A Life Sciences Celebration and Site Dedication Ceremony”. It will be on Wednesday, April 26th, in front of the Center for Science and Technology, on College Plaza on the Syracuse University campus. Expected to attend are actress Sigourney Weaver and “60 Minutes” correspondent and Syracuse Alumni Steve Kroft.