UMD News Releases

Duluth Native-Bruce Paddock Donates $2 Million
to Benefit School of Pharmacy, Duluth

The $15.2 million renovation of the 38 year-old UMD Life Science Building was kicked-off in a 2 p.m. celebration ceremony held on the campus today. Set to open Fall Semester 2007, the fully-renovated building will house the College of Pharmacy, Duluth and the UMD Department of Biology in a state-of-the-art facility designed for 21st century science education and research.

The total renovation project includes 76,740 gross square feet. The 2005 bonding bill provided $10.1 million in state funding, with $5.1 million coming from the University.

College of Pharmacy, Duluth
Duluth native and donor Bruce Paddock, president of Minneapolis-based Paddock Laboratories, spoke at the event. Paddock Laboratories donated $2 million to the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy toward the renovation of the UMD Life Science Building and the furthering of pharmacy education efforts at UMD. The gift will enable the College of Pharmacy, Duluth to assume a leadership role in alleviating the critical shortage of pharmacists in Greater Minnesota. Nationally, Minnesota has one of the highest demands for pharmacists.

The pharmacy program at UMD will occupy the first and second floors of the refurbished building, and will be named the Paddock Laboratories Pharmacy Education Center. The Center will have five classrooms and two large laboratories (for faculty laboratory research and student professional practice experience). In addition, there will be study space, computer laboratories, and a student lounge.

An expansion of the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, the College of Pharmacy, Duluth began admitting students on the UMD campus in the fall of 2003, beginning with a class of 52. With increments of approximately 50 students each school year, enrollment is now at 150. Total class enrollment for Fall 2006 is projected at 200, which is the targeted maximum enrollment for the college. Currently there are 19 faculty members, with a total projected goal of 23 to 25 faculty upon completion of the facility. The College of Pharmacy, Duluth is presently located on the third floor of Kirby Plaza.

UMD Department of Biology
Since 1968, the Life Science Building has been the primary home of the UMD Biology Department. When renovation is completed (fall 2007), the Life Science Building will become the eastern extension of the UMD Department of Biology, complementing the departmental facilities in the new Swenson Science Building (opened fall 2005).

Approximately one-half of the biology instructional laboratories and offices will be housed on the ground and third floors of the renovated Life Science Building. The six new instructional laboratories (for plant and animal science courses) will complement the six instructional and twelve research laboratories in the Swenson Science Building. The combined laboratories will serve the over six-hundred undergraduate UMD Biology Department students.

The renovated Life Science Building will also provide space for state-of-the-art chemical preparation and storage areas, wet and dry animal collections, a laboratory preparation room, biology student clubs, greenhouse preparation areas, two research laboratories, and offices for faculty members, staff, and graduate teaching assistants. As part of the project, the Olga Lakela Herbarium will be moved to newly renovated space in Marshall W. Alworth Hall.

The Department of Biology is one of UMD's largest undergraduate programs, serving over 600 majors and pre-professional students. The department offers B.S. degrees in Biology and Cell Biology in addition to supporting many pre-professional programs. Faculty includes 15 professors along with three full-time instructors.

Postgraduate study complements the strong undergraduate programs in the department. Thirty two graduate students affiliated with the Department of Biology are currently working on M.S. and Ph.D. degrees primarily in the Biology and Water Resource Sciences graduate programs.