The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center has opened its doors to the new UNM College of Nursing & Public Health Excellence (CON-PHE) building, a significant milestone in empowering the state's health care workforce. The primary goal of the CON-PHE building is to increase the capacity to educate and graduate more students in nursing and public health.
The new $43.2 million building includes $30 million funded by the general obligation bonds passed by New Mexico lawmakers and voters in 2020, along with additional allocations from recent legislative sessions, university funds and donors. The building stands as a testament to the commitment of both UNM and New Mexicans to health care education, research and expansion.
This is a big moment in the history of UNM Health Sciences, as we are actively endeavoring to grow our health care workforce, continue with our ever-expanding cutting-edge research, and increase access to fantastic heath care for our patients. This state-of-the-art facility represents an investment in a healthier, more prosperous New Mexico. And it is nothing short of a major investment in New Mexico’s future.
The design of the building fosters collaboration and promotes a sense of community. The classroom spaces are contemporary and flexible and allow us to harness technology to give New Mexicans from all parts of our state new educational opportunities. We’ve created a space where our students can thrive and receive a world class education.
UNM College of Nursing
For the UNM College of Nursing, the new space includes new state-of-the-art laboratory spaces, a transformative addition signifying a bold leap forward in nursing education and research. More than just a building, the cutting-edge facility showcases the remarkable advancements nursing is making and will continue to make in New Mexico and serves as an epicenter of collaboration and innovation for students, faculty and researchers.
The unveiling of the College of Nursing and Public Health Excellence Building is an important moment for our community. This new facility not only enhances our educational and research capabilities but also strengthens our commitment to health equity in New Mexico. Together, we are cultivating a strong, diverse nursing workforce dedicated to compassionate care and guided by collaboration and innovation.
Divided into three key spaces, the new College of Nursing labs include a 450-square-foot clinical research space, a 715-square-foot collaborative research space, and a 3,020-square-foot wet lab that includes specified spaces for autoclaves, microscopes, cell culture and specialized freezers.
The clinical research space will predominantly serve College of Nursing faculty researchers and their teams who investigate health issues that require a blend of scientific equipment and data from research participants. Principal investigators operating in this space explore research in adverse lactation outcomes, biobehavioral mechanisms of adverse pregnancy and infant outcomes and more. Rooms in this laboratory space can be partitioned for patient/research participant privacy or for observation.
Another new innovative space is the wet lab – a laboratory space where chemicals, drugs, and other biological materials are handled. This area serves scientific research that requires advanced technology. A lab space of this nature allows users to practice safe anti-cross contamination practices and use various materials to advance their projects. Researchers, their teams and student researchers utilizing this area are gathering and analyzing data to answer questions in biomedical sciences, environmental and occupational health sciences, as well as systems biology. Notable research areas include the health impacts of uranium mine dust, tissue culture engineering and the effects of microplastics on human reproductive health.
Also housed in the new labs is a collaborative research space designed to address multi-faceted, large group issues and offer an opportunity to bring in community members for insight and dynamic collaboration. It has access to high-speed data, allowing researchers to leverage data transfer rates of 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) to facilitate remote computational activities. This collaborative area includes will support research in critical topics such as disaster preparedness, policy related to the treatment of chronic illness during times of disaster and improving nursing transition to practice residency programs.
The new laboratory spaces offer boundless opportunities for the future of nursing in New Mexico. More than a milestone, the new labs are a beacon of progress – illuminating a path toward healthier, more informed communities cared for by compassionate and curious health care professionals.
UNM College of Population Health
For The UNM College of Population Health (COPH) the new building brings together staff and faculty who were previously scattered throughout the UNM Health Sciences campus and UNM’s central campus. COPH now occupies approximately half of the first floor in the new building. This has addressed the college's need for a central office space.
COPH was first established as part of UNM Health Sciences in 2015. Students learn the framework of integrated health strategies to work collectively with communities to improve their health and expand access, quality and affordability of health care. Since its inception, the College has continued to grow.
COPH Dean Tracie Collins, MD, MPH, MHCDS, said that this new space is proving crucial for that growth and is already aiding in recruiting and retaining talented public health practitioners.
Our new state-of-the-art building is more than just a physical space. This facility provides a dynamic space for learning, research, and collaboration, bringing our faculty, staff, and students together in an environment that fosters innovation and connection. It represents a new chapter for the college as we continue to expand our impact on public health in New Mexico and beyond.