New Building Boosts Engineering, Dental and Medical Collaboration
The new state-of-the-art building will transform education at UMKC
BY KRITHIKA SELVARAJOO
Wantong Wen uses a pipette under the fume hood. PHOTO / BRANDON PARIGO
The $145 million Healthcare Delivery and Innovation Building, the university’s largest capital investment to date, on the UMKC Health Sciences Campus is currently under construction and is projected to open in 2026. The building will house and support the UMKC School of Medicine simulation labs, the UMKC School of Dentistry clinics, the UMKC Health Equity Institute, the Data Science and Analytics Innovation Center and the UMKC biomedical engineering program. Bringing these schools and programs together into one building will provide opportunities for transformative education, healthcare research and interdisciplinary collaboration.
The five-story, 160,000-square-foot building will especially be a huge benefit to the in-demand biomedical engineering degree program at the School of Science and Engineering, providing students with a space to work alongside physicians, dentists and fellow engineers for faster, more effective collaboration between medicine, science and engineering. This shared space, in an industry-grade facility, will accelerate product development for medical implants, imaging technology and surgery tools.
It will also provide opportunities for the next generation of healthcare providers to find newer and better ways to serve patients in need and facilitate greater interdisciplinary partnerships with hospitals in the UMKC Health Sciences District, including Children’s Mercy and University Health, to fuel innovation and research.
“The proximity to Children’s Mercy is one of the reasons why I chose UMKC, and my dream is to work on designing prosthetics that will change children’s lives and give them their childhood back,” said Jacey Brewer, a junior pursuing a biomedical engineering degree. “This new building will provide the foundation for cutting-edge research and technological advancements in healthcare.”
Brewer is in the first cohort of biomedical engineering students at UMKC. The program introduces students to both medicine and engineering principles to support innovation and discovery in biomechanics and orthopedics, imaging, bioinformatics, biotransport, bioelectronics and medical devices.
Professors from multiple disciplines — including engineering, medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing and biological sciences — make up the biomedical engineering faculty, reflecting the multiple opportunities in this field.
“The program exposes students to clinical aspects of biomedical engineering through collaborations with our medical school, which is not always the case in undergraduate programs,” said Antonis P. Stylianou, Ph.D., an associate professor in the biomedical engineering program.
Isaac Woodward and Gregory King, Ph.D., demonstrate the use of a modified trocar with motion capture markers. PHOTO / BRANDON PARIGO
Biomedical engineering students already have access to the Innovation Studio and the research labs in the $32 million, state-of-the-art Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise and Research Center, which is equipped with cutting-edge technology, including 3D printing labs to build prosthetics. The new space in the Healthcare Innovation Delivery Building will further enhance students’ access to advanced labs and equipment.
In addition to the benefits for students and patients, the biomedical engineering degree program at UMKC has a significant impact on the economy.
On average, a single engineering position creates 1.5 staff jobs and brings 2.5 households to the Kansas City area. Also, the employment of bioengineers and biomedical engineers is projected to grow 10% from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The UMKC Healthcare Delivery and Innovation Building promises to become a vital hub of discovery and collaboration, equipping students with the skills and facilities they need to lead in biomedical innovation. With its state-of-the-art technology and strategic location alongside prominent healthcare providers, UMKC is not only shaping the future of healthcare education but fueling economic growth and advancing patient care, providing a lasting impact within Kansas City and beyond.
All in the Same Building
School of Science and Engineering biomedical engineering program School of Dentistry clinics School of Medicine simulation labs UMKC Health Equity Institute Data Science and Analytics Innovation Center