Biomedical Research Institute (BMRI)

Total value: R1,1 billion

The Biomedical Research Institute (BMRI) is Stellenbosch University’s first official 4-star rated green building. It is also the single most expensive educational building in the country, housing some of the world’s cutting-edge facilities, such as the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), which will provide the genomic sequencing for the development and evaluation of vaccine therapies in South Africa.  It is currently in the next phases of its R1,1 billion worth development. The BMRI is on a par with the most advanced biomedical research facilities in the world and is on track to host many world-class research groups in South Africa.

The project has involved the refurbishment of existing buildings, and the construction of new buildings. It has seen the expansion of areas and the upgrading of technology and functionalities within the University’s medical campus at Tygerberg in Bellville.

The BMRI also hosts the Biorepository Unit, a new, state-of-the-art facility which provides researchers with a secure and cost-effective alternative to long-term sample storage. It does this by using the latest in cutting-edge storage technology, the Hamilton BiOS L5 (BiOS), which is the first fully automated biorepository system in the Southern Hemisphere. The Unit will also provide sample processing and preparation for storage services with the sophisticated Hamilton easy Blood STAR.

The system has capacity for 3.5 million samples which is the equivalent capacity of a few hundred conventional ultra-low-temperature freezers. The BiOS allows for efficient and quick sample retrieval, even from multiple storage boxes.