On Monday 14 May 2012, the new National Plant Phenomics Centre, which features the most advanced research greenhouse in the UK, was formally opened at Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences.
The new Centre (http://www.phenomics.org.uk/) is a Biotechnology and Biological Research Council (BBSRC) supported national facility and has been developed at a cost of £6.8m.
The research conducted at this new national centre will help to develop new plant and crop varieties to help tackle the global challenges of climate change, food security and replacing oil based products.
Located on the University’s Gogerddan campus, it was opened by BBSRC Chairman, Professor Sir Tom Blundell FRS at 12.00 p.m.
The new building is one of two significant capital investment developments that are being opened on the same day.
At 3.30 p.m. Welsh Government Education and Skills Minister Leighton Andrews opened new teaching and researcher facilities on the University’s Penglais campus.
The new Penglais facility represents an investment of £5.6m and houses the Bioinformatics and Spatial Modelling laboratories as well as offering a hub for undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.
Together the developments represent the culmination of a four year £25m capital investment programme made possible by financial support from the BBSRC, the Welsh Government and the European Union.
