In an integrated extension of the Prince of Wales Hospital Acute Services Building (ASB), UNSW Sydney will house state-of-the-art research, clinical innovation, biomedical and teaching facilities across 10 floors. Fit out of the UNSW teaching and research space, known as the ASB Eastern Extension, began in May, with the extension expected to become operational in early 2024. UNSW Director Strategy and Precincts, Dr Zoe Terpening believes the value of co-location and collaboration across the Precinct is central to advancing excellence and innovation in healthcare and research.
The UNSW education and research space within the ASB will bring together education and medical researchers, clinicians, industry partners and public health experts to foster rapid translation of research, innovation and education.
"We’ll work alongside our health colleagues to help address our community’s needs. Embedding a world leading University within a leading tertiary hospital fosters a culture of exploration, collaboration, and discovery, amplifying the potential for transformative outcomes.Together, we can create a tapestry where patient-centric care, ground-breaking research and education intertwine, propelling society forward and shaping a brighter future of health for all," said Dr Terpening. The UNSW extension will include dedicated research, teaching, innovation and collaboration spaces, in addition to laboratories for clinical and translational research linked to the ASB. The spaces will align with work happening at the hospital, maximising the benefits of co-location to improve health outcomes for our community. Across from the hospital’s first floor operating theatres will be medical technology ideation, bio-printing, rapid prototyping and testing laboratories. In these spaces we will see UNSW Engineering prototyping new devices for health care in real time. On the second floor, UNSW will have space for clinical prototyping: co-design for implants, prosthetics, orthotics, devices, surgical robotics and computational modelling. It will also include a sample preparation facility for specimen reception and distribution, molecular processing and short-term cryostorage. The Intensive Care Unit and Community Assessment Unit on level three will link to UNSW’s data visualisation spaces, co-working zones for data interfacing with the hospital. To maximise links with the hospital’s Haematology, Oncology and Aged Care units on level four, a laboratory is planned. It will have shared services for clinical research as well as a haematology translational research space and a high-end analytics lab for cell therapy. On levels five through seven, UNSW will have dedicated clinical education and translational research zones to encourage collaboration and learning. These spaces correspond to the hospital’s Aged Care and Orthopaedics, Surgery, Respiratory and Spinal units. Across from the Neurosciences unit on level eight, UNSW’s space will include a second research laboratory, stroke research and education space. Learn more about the UNSW Eastern Extension project.