Lease extension allows STLCC’s Center for Plant and Life Sciences to continue lab and classroom instruction in key biotechnology hub
St. Louis, MO (April 30, 2024) – St. Louis Community College has announced that it has
extended its lease with the Bio-Research & Development Growth Park (BRDG Park), on
the campus of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in Creve Coeur.
BRDG Park has been the home of STLCC’s Center for Plant and Life Sciences since
2008. The Center houses state-of-the-industry labs, classrooms and office space to
support the College’s Biotechnology and Life Science Lab Assistant programs. Its
location allows for an array of partnerships, giving STLCC students cutting-edge
education and workforce training.
“We have been extremely satisfied with our relationship with BRDG Park and the
Danforth Plant Science Center over the past 16 years,” said Jeff L. Pittman, Chancellor,
St. Louis Community College. “Our students have benefited from their proximity to life
sciences professionals and state-of-the-art equipment as they train and prepare for
high-paying, in-demand jobs. We look forward to many more years of collaboration and
cooperation.”
The Center works closely with a number of industry partners, especially those start-up
companies that also reside in the BRDG Park facility and nearby Helix Center to move
the growth of the regional biosciences forward; allow start-ups access to Center
equipment through lab use agreements; and provide access to student talent through
grant-funded internships, procured by the Center’s grant program, allowing companies
to try a student intern at no cost, while providing the student a paid internship
opportunity.
“The STLCC’s Center for Plant and Life Sciences was one of three initial organizations
we recruited to BRDG Park, and we could not be happier that they will continue to be on
our campus,” said Stephanie Regagnon, executive director of Innovation Partnerships
at the Danforth Plant Science Center. “I cannot overemphasize the value they bring by
providing a skilled workforce that is critical to growing and recruiting agtech companies
to our innovation ecosystem.”
STLCC’s lease with BRDG Park is now in place through Dec. 31, 2027.
About St. Louis Community College
Established in 1962, St. Louis Community College is the largest community college district in Missouri and one of the largest in the United States. STLCC has four campuses: Florissant Valley, Forest Park, Meramec and Wildwood. The College annually serves more than 50,000 students through credit courses, continuing education, and workforce development programs. For more information about STLCC, visit stlcc.edu.
About BRDG Park
Located on the campus of the Danforth Plant Science Center, Bio Research & Development Growth (BRDG) Park serves as a vital resource for both early to mid-stage startups, and for international companies that have established their North American headquarters in our thriving ecosystem. In addition to providing world-class wet laboratories, office space and an onsite biotechnician training program, BRDG Park’s location on the Danforth Center’s campus facilitates access to the intellectual capital of top scientists, and cutting-edge greenhouses, growth chambers, bioimaging, proteomics and plant transformation facilities and other vital resources. Learn more at www.BRDG Park.com.
About the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Founded in 1998, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is an independent, nonprofit research institute with a mission to improve the human condition through plant science. Research, education, and outreach aim to have impact at the nexus of food security and the environment and position the St. Louis region as a world center for plant science. Follow us on Twitter at @DanforthCenter.
Media Contact:
Bill Raack
Communications Manager
St. Louis Community College
wraack@stlcc.edu
314-602-0696