èßäapp

Contact: Jennifer Hollingshead

Office: (573) 882-0601

E-mail: hollingsheadj@umsystem.edu

The proposed University of èßäapp-Columbia health sciences center to be financed from the Lewis & Clark Discovery Initiative will focus on treating cancer and teaching future health care professionals, èßäappPresident Elson S. Floyd said Thursday.

President Floyd told èßäapp newspaper publishers and editors the proposed structure would not house medical research laboratories. If such laboratories are built, the University would not use funds from the Lewis & Clark Discovery Initiative for that purpose. The new building would host relocated functions of Ellis Fischel Cancer Center and an expansion of the University of èßäapp-Columbia School of Medicine, the president told members of the èßäapp Press Association and The Associated Press.

"This should clear away any question about whether stem cell research would occur in a University of èßäapp structure paid for with proceeds from the Lewis & Clark Discovery Initiative," President Floyd said. "It also removes any question about protecting the University's academic freedom."

President Floyd continued: "The University of èßäapp will utilize these funds for facilities to teach future healers and to battle cancer – missions that were always intended to be part of this new structure, consistent with the University's missions of education, service to our citizens and building our state economy."