Engineering Buildings
Biotech Eight
737 N 5th St
Richmond, VA 23219
In 2016, the VCU College of Engineering expanded into the Virginia Biotechnology Research Park, a 34-acre life sciences community that houses private sector companies, research institutes, non-profits and state and federal laboratories adjacent to the VCU Medical Center.
The research park’s Biotech Eight is now home to many of VCU Engineering’s most advanced facilities. The college’s “wet labs” in Biotech Eight support VCU’s pharmaceutical engineering initiative with specialized instrumentation including nuclear magnetic resonance, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. VCU’s artificial heart lab, which features a mock circulatory loop and flow visualization, is in this facility. Biotech Eight also supports the college’s collaborative research programs with “dry lab” facilities including a Precision Imaging Research Laboratory (PIRL).
VCU’s pharmaceutical engineering outreach programs including Medicines for All and Pharmacy on Demand (see pages 14-17) are headquartered here. So is VCU’s Center for Rational Catalyst Synthesis (CeRCaS), the world’s first and only research center that focuses on understanding the chemical fundamentals of catalyst synthesis. The Center for Human Factors and Rehabilitation Engineering is also in Biotech Eight.
In addition to labs, VCU’s Biotech Eight facilities provide work areas that support the college’s culture of research, education and collaboration. It is the location of Institute for Engineering & Medicine offices and conference rooms. It is also where the college’s new Ph.D. program in pharmaceutical engineering will be headquartered.
East Hall
401 W Main St
Richmond, VA 23284
East Hall, constructed in 2008, contains the following:
Departments and offices
- Department of Biomedical Engineering
- Department of Computer Science
- Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering
Spaces and amenities
- 48 research labs
- 50 faculty offices
- Multiple student study spaces
- da Vinci Center for Innovation
Engineering Research Building
401 West Main St.
Richmond, VA 23284
The College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University officially opened its Engineering Research Building (ERB) Feb. 3, 2021, marking a major milestone in the college’s growth in research and workforce development programs. The four-story, 133,000-square-foot facility significantly expands the college’s laboratory capacity for advanced research. It also supports economic development initiatives and hands-on engineering education.
West Hall
601 W Main St
Richmond, VA 23220
West Hall, constructed in 1998, contains the following:
Departments and offices
- Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Dean’s suite
- Student Welcome Center
- Student services
- Career services
Spaces and amenities
- 50 faculty offices
- 24 labs
- Six classrooms
- Student study lounge
- 200-seat auditorium
- Machine Shop, Rapid Prototyping/3-D Printing