University of New England

Governor John Baldacci speaks at UNE's groundbreaking for biomedical research center

BIDDEFORD - The University of New England broke ground for the Pickus Center for Biomedical Research at a ceremony held on Oct. 7, 2007 on the University’s Biddeford campus.

The Pickus Center is UNE's first building dedicated exclusively to research.

Governor John Baldacci. More photo highlights

Addressing more than 100 attendees at the groundbreaking, Governor Baldacci spoke about the research center’s importance in helping to build a foundation where the people of the State of Maine will have better work opportunities within the state, and he congratulated the University and encouraged them to continue such efforts.

John Richardson, Maine's commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development, also spoke at the event about the public and private partnership and the bipartisan efforts put forth in making the center a reality.  “The Pickus Center for Biomedical Research is important to the community and the region – there’s an opportunity in the biosciences field to make something really special happen in the state,”  he said,
   
The Facility
The new $6.16 million, 22,086-square-foot Pickus Center will house a state-of-the-art research facility. It will eventually house ten or more teams conducting important biomedical and other research. This will allow the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine's faculty to dedicate themselves to educating physicians and advancing the practice of medicine, while giving students greater opportunities to experience research as part of their medical studies. Construction began this fall with planned occupancy in 2008.

Recognition
The center is named in recognition of Owen Pickus, D.O., trustee of UNE, and his wife Geraldine Ollila-Pickus '88, D.O. '93, whose $1 million challenge grant got the campaign started and made the prospect of this important facility a reality. 

Another significant donor is Peter Morgane, Ph.D., a researcher and professor of pharmacology at the University of New England’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Morgane presented the University with a gift of $1 million, along with an additional $300,000 fundraising challenge that must be met by the end of 2007. The gifts are both given in memory of his late wife, Cécile.

UNE President Danielle Ripich, Ph.D., acknowledged Drs. Pickus and Morgane, and others, for their support in bringing the Center into reality. Thanking everyone in attendance, President Ripich said, “The new building will help us to build upon the strong base of research that is already occurring at the College of Osteopathic Medicine.”

Examples of research already underway at the University include that of: Ian Meng, PhD., who was recently awarded over $1.25 million from the National Institutes of Health to study how chronic exposure to painkillers may lead to increased frequency of headaches; Edward Bilsky, Ph.D., who is conducting research on a new family of safe, non-addictive drugs that could replace morphine for treatment of severe pain; Amy Davidoff, Ph.D., who is studying the relationship between diabetes and heart disease; and Peter Morgane, Ph.D. and David Mokler, Ph.D., who have been collaborating with researchers at several institutions, including Boston University and Harvard. They recently secured a five-year, $1 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health, which will fund their research on the effects of protein malnutrition on the prenatal brain.

Attendees represented supporters from around the state: Board trustees, faculty, staff and students from UNE, several Maine state legislators, Biddeford Mayor Wallace Nutting, and Sandra Featherman, president emeritus, whose leadership in the early stages was important to the center’s success. 
 
For more information, view:  www.une.edu/giving/facility.asp