A $4.3 million expansion and renovation of McLaughlin Research Institute will give scientists more room to study and possibly find cures for diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis.
"This expansion is important to furthering the research to cure the diseases that, sad to say, affect all of us," said Leslie Oakland, chairwoman of McLaughlin's fund drive committee, at Friday's dedication of the updated facility.
Oakland's committee raised $2.3 million for the expansion. That money was matched by a $2 million grant from the Montana Department of Commerce.
The construction, which took place over the last two years, added 6,000 square feet to McLaughlin's building, located at 1520 23rd St. S., and renovated another 13,000 square feet.
The changes will make room for two new scientists, one of whom started last year, and their mice.
"Our animal space has increased at least 40 percent," said Julie Amato, McLaughlin's animal resource center manager.
The McLaughlin Research Institute moved into its current building in 1993. It didn't take long for the institute to outgrow its mice-handling areas, said George Carlson, institute director.
"This project actually came about because of the success in generating mouse models to study disease," Carlson said.
Scientists at McLaughlin insert human DNA into mice, which creates a mouse model that can be used to study human diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's.
McLaughlin currently has about 15,000 mice, Amato said. She expects that to grow to 40,000 to 50,000 mice now that there is room for them.
The additional state-of-the-art space will help the institute recruit more scientists, she added.
The remodel also will help keep the mice sterile. The building's new design features separate areas for dirty mice and supplies, and clean mice and supplies. That will help keep the mice free of pathogens, Amato said. The expansion includes two new cage washers, which increases the number of animals that staff can care for on a daily basis.
The remodel was complicated by the fact that scientists continued their research in the building throughout the construction process.
"We didn't move the mice out," Carlson said.
During the project, staff had to make sure mice were in areas where they weren't disturbed by noise and vibration from the construction.
Sletten Construction Company, the general contractor for the project, did a great job of working around the scientists and their animals, Carlson said.
Tony Preite, state director of commerce, expects the expansion to bolster the Great Falls and Montana economies because of the high-paying jobs it will add. He also noted the importance of work that could lead to cures for certain diseases.
"This is an import project not only for Great Falls, not only for Montana, but for everyone on earth," he said.
The research McLaughlin scientists do is vital, Oakland added.
"We have to have basic bio-medical research," she said. "Without that, we couldn't treat these diseases."
Reach Tribune staff writer Erin Madison at 791-1466, 800-438-6600 oremadison@greatfallstribune.com.
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