On January 26, 2015, representative of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), local government officials, and a member of the National Reform and Development commission joined staff of the Kunming Institute of Zoology (KIZ) construction officially started on the new research facilities of the Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KIZ, CAS) in the north of Kunming City’s Panlong District at Ciba Park.  

KIZ's new research facility is part of ongoing development of the "Southwest Comprehensive Biodiversity Research Platform” and several larger initiatives aimed at enhancing the development capacity for the Institute to conduct world-class research and build partnerships throughout the region by moving the institute closer to the Kunming Biodiversity Regional Center for Large Scale Facilities and Southwestern China Biodiversity Center in the north of Kunming.

In total, the new facility will be one of the largest life sciences research facilities in Southwestern China and Southeast Asia, including 31,715 square meters of space spread across 11 floors. Current estimates place completion of the new facility sometime in late 2017 or early 2018.

(By Andrew Willden)