Masaryk University has received a building permit for a construction project worth 2.5 billion crowns

Brno – Masaryk University in Brno has obtained a construction permit for the MUNI BioPharma Hub project for approximately 2.5 billion crowns. Shortly after, it launched a public tender for the general contractor of the construction. The construction of the new building in the University Campus in Bohunice is expected to start this August, with operations potentially commencing in mid-2026, stated the university spokesperson Radim Sajbot in a press release.

The strategic project represents the combination of modern teaching spaces of the Faculty of Pharmacy and the research infrastructure of the Preclinical Center and the Center for Molecular Medicine. The building will also provide support for scientific training in pharmacological or biomedical research. On six floors and 13,500 m² of the future MUNI BioPharma Hub, students and educators will find modern spaces for educational and research activities. The Faculty of Pharmacy will be closer to the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Science, as well as to the CEITEC research center, thus supporting inter-faculty collaboration, sharing of research findings, and technological equipment.

In the underground areas of the new building, laboratories are planned that will enable proper manufacturing practices in drug forms. Thus, the faculty will be able to produce smaller certified batches of medicines for cooperating pharmaceutical companies or other partners. Moreover, students will already gain experience in drug manufacturing during their studies.

"Currently, such a possibility for producing small batches is lacking in the country and its surroundings. We believe this could ultimately lead to more intense drug development, which could contribute to the drug self-sufficiency of the Czech Republic and other EU countries," said the dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, David Vetchý. Thanks to the new facilities, the faculty will also offer new study programs responding to the current situation in the job market and will admit a larger number of students into the first years than has been the case so far.

The university is currently preparing the project documentation. Great emphasis is placed on sustainability to create an energy-efficient building. "For example, we are counting on skylights that allow as much daylight as possible inside, producing our own electricity through photovoltaic panels, or reusing the heat from the data center. The MUNI BioPharma Hub will also utilize heat from 53 geothermal boreholes beneath the building, and there will also be a tank for collecting rainwater for flushing toilets or further irrigation. Greenery will also adorn the roofs," added David Póč, director of the MU 2021+ strategic development project.