Michigan Center for Regenerative Medicine breaks ground on new center

A new stem cell laboratory is well on its way to becoming a reality in Plymouth now that ground has broken on the Michigan Center for Regenerative Medicine this week.The newly renovated 30,000-square-foot facility will combine a wet lab, offices, and manufacturing space. The Michigan Research Institute in Ann Arbor will manage the center, with Innovative Bio Therapies serving as its anchor tenant. The institute is currently recruiting other smaller firms to fill out the rest of the space, which constitutes about 75 percent of the facility.The Michigan Center for Regenerative Medicine will focus on research and development, manufacturing, and commercialization affiliates of adult stem-cell and regenerative medicine technologies. About 2,600 square feet will be dedicated to a Good Manufacturing Practice/Current Good Tissue Practice facility for human stem cell propagation and stem cell device fabrication, storage, and shipping.Wayne County is backing the project construction with $2.2 million from the U.S. Dept of Housing and Urban Development. The idea is to create a cluster of facilities that will provide a one-stop shop for stem cell research and commercialization. The Michigan Life Science Innovation Center, a former Pfizer facility run by Ann Arbor SPARK, is also located nearby and is nearly at capacity.Source: Wayne CountyWriter: Jon ZemkeRead more about Metro Detroit’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.