One step forward for neuroscience
Renovations begin in Nelson Labs
Archived article from Dec 11, 1998
By Amy Vames
Walls came tumblin' down Dec. 4 -- both literally and figuratively -- for the Center for Collaborative Neuroscience.
About 200 people gathered that evening on the second floor of Nelson Biology Labs on the Busch campus for a "wall breaking" to celebrate the start of renovation work that will transform 10,000 square feet of empty space into a state-of-the-art center for neuroscience research.
On hand for the celebration were actor Christopher Reeve; Chinese gymnast Sang Lan, who became paralyzed earlier this year at the Goodwill Games; President Francis L. Lawrence; the center's director, Wise Young; members of the university community; and spinal-cord-injured people and their families.
Reeve told the crowd that the literal wall breaking was symbolic of the fact "that so many walls have already been broken down. We now have a new level of cooperation among researchers that never existed before."
After an accident three years ago left him paralyzed, Reeve challenged scientists to compare their search for a cure for paralysis to the quest more than 30 years ago to put a man on the moon. "We're working together in the same manner that all those scientists and engineers at NASA did to land a man on the moon," Reeve said. "I really believe it can be done, and this new center will be one of the places that leads the way."
Sang Lan, speaking to an audience in English for the first time, told the attendees that she dreams of walking again. "I hope you can make my dream come true. I love you all," she added.
Lawrence told the crowd that with the breaking of the wall, "a lot more than just Sheetrock will come down. Also crumbling away will be all the old notions that spinal cord injuries cannot be healed, all the feelings of pessimism that paralyzed individuals will never walk again and all the frustration that the paralyzed and their loved ones have felt for so long."
Young, who also heads the center's Spinal Cord Injury Project, expressed his sense of urgency about the need for a cure. "Every minute, every day that passes that we don't do anything about this problem is a shame. I'm committed, my staff is committed, this community is committed to this goal, so let's make it happen."
After the presentation of checks totaling $375,000 to the American Paralysis Association and the Christopher Reeve Foundation -- the result of a fund-raiser this past summer in New York City -- audience members were invited to help pull on ribbons attached to a shiny black wrecking ball. At first, the wall refused to give way, but a subsequent mighty push of the ball accom-plished the task.
The 10,000-square-foot center will contain laboratories, conference areas and offices. Con-struction is scheduled to begin in January and should be completed next fall.
|
