Research in science and technology advances so quickly, that everything from concepts to textbooks may become obsolete in the blink of an eye. The changing face of science education has inspired Niagara University to formally plan for and implement the construction of a new integrated sciences center. 

The generous lead commitment for this center, $10 million, was made by B. Thomas Golisano, a Rochester area businessman and philanthropist.

When formally opened in the fall of 2013, the science center will be a building to celebrate the integration of the sciences with student-faculty research. The B. Thomas Golisano Center for Integrated Sciences will enrich Niagara's academic programs, offer additional outstanding resources for students, attract top-flight faculty dedicated to conduct collaborative and multidisciplinary research with students, provide state-of-the-art facilities for learning and research, and encourage interaction between students and faculty. Essentially, it will forever change the research and teaching that happens on Niagara’s campus. 

The heart of the new facility will contain a cutting-edge blending of teaching laboratories, technologies and teaching space to support research collaborations among faculty and students in biology, chemistry and physics as well as many other disciplines, including bioinformatics. Faculty members will combine lecture with laboratory practice, making the classroom experience hands-on and participatory. Students will be more significantly prepared for graduate level studies and to advance in the workforce.

Bioinformatics has already attracted partnerships leading to new programs within biological, biochemical, chemical and computational sciences. New lab resources have resulted in a first patent application by a Niagara faculty member, and also in new research partnerships with several major organizations including Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center and Roswell Park Cancer Institute.