A rendering of the permanent Scripps Florida campus currently under construction. The new facilities are scheduled to open in 2009. (Courtesy of Zeidler Partnership.)

Ceremony Dedicates Scripps Florida Campus

The Scripps Research Institute officially dedicated its Scripps Florida campus on March 9 to "increasing human knowledge, advancing biomedical science, educating the researchers of the future, and improving the health of humanity."

At a ceremony before some 400 Scripps Florida employees and guests at the construction site on Florida Atlantic University's Jupiter campus, Scripps Research President Richard A. Lerner thanked the people and leaders of Palm Beach County and the State of Florida for their contribution toward the establishment of Scripps Florida.

"We are honored to have with us today to share in this celebration Palm Beach County Commission Chair Addie Greene, former Governor Jeb Bush, and Governor Charlie Crist," Lerner said. "Each has been instrumental in bringing Scripps Florida to where it is today and contributing to its future positive impact on the community, science, and human health."

Construction on the first phase of Scripps Florida—three buildings totaling 350,000 square feet of laboratory and administrative space—is expected to be ready for occupancy in early 2009. Some 200 researchers, technicians, and administrative staff are currently at work in two buildings and several trailers adjacent to the construction site. The buildings will be turned over to FAU when the new permanent facilities open.

After remarks from Commission Chair Greene, former Governor Bush, and Governor Crist, John J. Moores, chair of the Scripps Research Institute Board of Trustees, made the formal dedication.

"On behalf of the Board of Trustees, faculty, employees, and friends of The Scripps Research Institute, we dedicate the Scripps Florida campus to increasing human knowledge, advancing biomedical science, educating the researchers of the future, and improving the health of humanity," he said.

Marshall Criser, former chair of the Scripps Florida Funding Corporation that oversees the allocation of $310 million of state funding, was recognized for his steady leadership during the first three years of Scripps Florida's development.

The expansion of the institute in Florida was originally announced by Lerner and Bush in October 2003. Initial plans called for construction on a parcel of land made available by Palm Beach County in the western part of the county, but legal and other issues caused the county to decide a year ago to situate the facilities on 40 acres of the FAU campus and ultimately on an adjacent 100-acre property.

Scripps Florida, which will employ a minimum of 545 staff by the end of its state funding, is focused on the discovery of new drugs to treat such conditions as Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, diabetes, and a variety of autoimmune and infectious diseases. It uses the latest cutting-edge technologies to speed the drug discovery and development process.

For more information on Scripps Florida, including a live webcam of the construction site, see the Scripps Florida web page.

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

"On behalf of the Board of Trustees, faculty, employees, and friends of The Scripps Research Institute, we dedicate the Scripps Florida campus to increasing human knowledge, advancing biomedical science, educating the researchers of the future, and improving the health of humanity."

—John Moores