The new building of the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) was officially opened on 1st March 2017: IMP sponsor Boehringer Ingelheim constructed a new flagship for the Vienna Biocenter with an investment of 52 million euros. Here we look back at representatives from politics, industry and science joining the IMP staff in celebrating the opening.
The IMP building’s extraordinary architecture and well thought-out use of technology aims to make it a challenger for such major research locations as London and Boston: functionality and design were combined very smartly to meet the needs of a modern research institute. A flexible floor layout allows for the smooth adaptation to new methods and future work processes.
Opening Ceremony on video
In lieu of a red ribbon, scientist Emanuelle Charpentier cut a four meter-long, glowing DNA double helix, as a tribute to her revolutionary discovery of the CRISPR-Cas9-System: she laid the foundations for the development of a molecular-biological method to edit genomes very precisely during her work at the Vienna Biocenter.
Opening Ceremony
Over 200 well-known guests from politics, industry and science took part in the ceremonial opening. Austrian Federal President Alexander van der Bellen, Vice-Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner, Minister Sonja Hammerschmid and Vienna Councilor Renate Brauner, all came to congratulate in person.
Video: party, history and future
The evening party was attended by hundreds of IMP staff members and "friends of the house". A celebration of the new building, of a new era for the IMP - and a great opportunity to reflect on its history. The video above connects the roots of the institute with a shiny future.
Opening Party
