Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU) has officially opened a state-of-the-art Neurosciences Research Laboratory, a 5,267-square-foot facility designed to accelerate the study of neurological disorders. The $10 million enterprise, funded by the Rowan University/Rutgers-Camden Board of Governors (RURCBG), marks a significant expansion of Camden’s growing life sciences corridor.
The new laboratory serves as a collaborative hub for multiple research teams, focusing on high-impact conditions such as stroke, addiction, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. By housing researchers in a shared environment, the school aims to foster a “bench-to-bedside” pipeline, directly linking laboratory discoveries to clinical applications at the Neurological Institute at Cooper University Health Care.
The opening represents more than just a facility upgrade; it is a cornerstone of a broader vision to establish Camden as a national epicenter for medical innovation.
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Growing research power: Over 30% of CMSRU’s biomedical faculty now focus on neuroscience, supported by over $10 million in active funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Heart Association.
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Capacity for growth: The space is designed to accommodate three to four major research teams, providing room for both current faculty and the recruitment of future neuroscientists.
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Regional synergy: The lab complements the nearby Joint Health Sciences Center and the recently broken-ground Coriell Institute Life Sciences Campus, strengthening the “Meds and Eds” ecosystem in downtown Camden.
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, regional leaders emphasized the social and economic impact of the investment. “This space reflects a shared vision and sustained support,” Dr. Annette Reboli, dean of CMSRU said. “The beneficiaries will be patients in our region and across the country.”
Rowan University Chancellor Anthony Lowman noted that the lab is “just the beginning” of a vision for Camden to become a hub for life sciences incubation and innovation.
As the only four-year, MD-granting medical school in South Jersey, CMSRU continues to leverage its partnership with Cooper University Health Care to tackle complex public health problems. The new lab is expected to play a transformational role in brain health research, positioning New Jersey at the forefront of neurological discovery.
