Imagine a place where future doctors train next to leading scientists developing precision cancer therapies, just down the hall from engineers prototyping wearable technology that detects infections before symptoms appear.
A place where medical education doesn't just happen in lecture halls and labs – but in a powerful ecosystem for discovery and learning, where ideas move fluidly between disciplines and education is infused with innovation.
That's the exciting vision behind the Western Bioconvergence Centre: a once-in-a-generation facility set to transform medical education and super charge biomedical research at Western University.
"This is not just a building – it's a transformational investment in our future," Western President Alan Shepard says of the planned 300,000-square-foot facility, among the largest capital projects in the University's history.
"Innovations emerge when clinicians, scientists, engineers and other experts work side by side, blending knowledge to create truly life-changing solutions. The Bioconvergence Centre will bring together brilliant minds across fields to drive health advancements for Canada and beyond," says Shepard.
Designed by HOK and Tillmann Ruth Robinson Architects, the state-of-the-art facility will house Schulich Medicine's MD program and bring together problem-driven interdisciplinary teams with members from Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, and the Faculties of Science, Engineering and Health Sciences. Anatomy and teaching labs, dry and wet research spaces, and collaborative zones will power both education and discovery under one roof.
With record MD program enrolment and amid a rapidly evolving health-care landscape, Dr. John Yoo, dean of Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, says the Bioconvergence Centre will give learners front-row access to the kind of interdisciplinary thinking and collaboration that's driving today's medical pioneers toward the next wave of breakthroughs.
"Whether it's health-care leadership, biotherapeutics, medical implants or precision diagnostics, modern challenges demand a collaborative approach where experts from different fields work together," he says. "The Bioconvergence Centre is a key part of our plans to ensure that our learners, researchers and scientists aren't just equipped to meet the future – but to shape it."
As a cornerstone of Western's historic fundraising campaign, this visionary facility invites the support and leadership of the University's alumni, he says.
"This is a promising opportunity to help shape the future of our University, and to fuel the next century of care, discovery and leadership," he says. "We want our students and graduates to see themselves in this exciting project and to help us bring it to life."
Construction on the new facility, which will rise at the centre of campus on the site currently occupied by the Medical Sciences, Kresge and Natural Sciences Centre buildings, is slated to begin next year, with doors expected to open in 2029.
Want to help build the future of health-care innovation at Western University? Find out how you can support the Bioconvergence Centre by contacting Kristen Lesko at kristen.lesko@schulich.uwo.ca
