Rennebohm foundation gives $15m to UW for medical research

Madison, Wis. — The Oscar Rennebohm Foundation has contributed $15 million toward the operation of planned medical research facilities on the University of Wisconsin-Madison's west side that will cost about $134 million to build.

Called the Interdisciplinary Research Complex, the facilities will include labs, offices, an imaging center and animal quarters. Groundbreaking is tentatively planned for this summer.

About $24 million of the cost will be covered by the state, the rest being made up of donations from private sources such as the Rennebohm foundation.

The university plans to bring together researchers from several disciplines within the Medical School in this final piece of the 1997 HealthStar program, a public-private partnership. Finished HealthStar buildings are the Rennebohm Pharmacy Building and the Health Sciences Learning Center.

The new complex is expected to focus on research into cancer, imaging, regenerative medicine such as stem cells, molecular medicine, neuroscience and cardiology.

Governor Jim Doyle and university representatives announced the latest Rennebohm donation on Friday.