The Center for Medical Science

The Center for Medical Science (CMS) building was designed by Perkins & Will/Shaw to foster collaborations among individual scientists and among programs. The architects regularly sought input for design from the scientists who were to occupy the facility to ensure maximum efficiency of use of space.

Laboratories have common doors allowing for free-flow between them. Each laboratory floor has discussion clusters, conference rooms equipped with audio-visual equipment, a small library – consistent with today’s decreasing dependence on hard copy materials – and kitchen facilities. The center of each floor is designed to foster core development and provide shared services and equipment areas. Examples include imaging stations, tissue culture facilities, a flow cytometry station and a confocal microscopy unit. CMS also contains a microarray facility and a high-throughput screening unit with extensive molecular libraries for matching newly identified biologic targets with inhibitor or agonist agents.

The CMS is ventilated with a variable air volume system that maintains critical directional air flow while reducing energy costs. Each 2,000-square-foot laboratory module is outfitted with adjustable laboratory casework, RO/DI water, house carbon dioxide, house vacuum and a chemical fume hood.

The CMS is provided with centralized services including an offsite stockroom for next-day delivery of critical items, 24-hour security, a full-time safety officer, chemical, solvent, radioisotope and medical waste disposal, custodial and laundry service, as well as building maintenance and operations.

In addition to housing the Ordway Research Institute, CMS contains laboratories of the Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health.