The Human Genetics building in Brownsville has been under construction since October 2021 and will be finished by October 2023, according to James Rodriguez, the director of facility planning for the UTRGV School of Medicine. Estefania Ramirez/ THE RIDER PHOTOS
Construction continues on the UTRGV School of Medicine’s Department of Human Genetics building in Brownsville and the Cancer and Surgery Center in McAllen.
The Human Genetics construction began in October 2021 and is expected to be completed by the end of next month.
James Rodriguez, the director of facility planning for the School of Medicine, said that it was supposed to be completed in June of 2023 but there have been delays because of certain equipment not arriving on time.
Now, construction is back on track and Rodriguez said it is about 93% done.
He said one of the reasons the Human Genetics building is essential is because the department focuses on diabetes research.
Sarah Williams-Blangero, chair of the Department of Human Genetics, said the new building will be “transformative.”
“There’s a dedicated imaging genomics facility in the building that will allow us to really expand the types of research we do and focusing on issues that are of great importance to the [Rio Grande] Valley,” Williams-Blangero said.
She said fatty liver disease is an important public health problem for the local community.
“That [facility] will allow us to expand our studies of liver disease in the local population,” Williams-Blangero said.
The construction budget for the Human Genetics building is $12 million.provided from grants and the Permanent University Fund, Rodriguez said.
He said there are several companies working on these projects, including TreanorHL architects and SpawGlass contractors.
Biomedical sciences senior Ginelle Novilla said students are encouraged to conduct research.
“It’s actually part of the curriculum,” Novilla said.
Novilla said these new buildings will provide new opportunities for collecting research and will help students on their medical educational journeys.
Construction of the Cancer and Surgery Center started in late September 2022 and is expected to be completed in December 2024.
Rodriguez said the first floor is complete and the columns on the second floor are being built in order to support the third floor. Sewer and utility infrastructure is also complete and one of their priorities is to work on electrical overhead and IT infrastructure.
The budget for the Cancer and Surgery Center is $147 million. Gifts and local funds contributed to the budget as well as the Permanent University Fund. The architecture firm is HKS Inc. and the contractor is Vaughn Construction.
Rodriguez is passionate about the Cancer and Surgery Center because it is going to have cancer treatment and fusion therapy.
The MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston has partnered with the Cancer and Surgery Center to help with design and operation.
Rodriguez said this new development will contribute to the community.
“[It’s] not only important for the university and for teaching purposes, but obviously for patients that are sick and, you know, don’t have the resources to drive to Houston and have to pay a hotel,” he said. “They’ll be able to stay here in the [Rio Grande] Valley and be able to get their services here.”
Novilla said it is important to “cater to people in the Valley.”“If we have research, more research, regarding cancer and genetics and tie it back to the [Rio Grande] Valley, I definitely do think it does have a great impact in our community and our society,” she said.
