See what facilities projects are on the horizon: Iowa Board of Regents meeting preview
Learn more about three proposed projects across our UI Health Care campuses.
UI Health Care will present three projects at the Feb. 25–26 meeting of the Iowa Board of Regents aimed at modernizing aging infrastructure to improve patient care and research capabilities.
Creating state-of-the-art lab space
UI Health Care is seeking budget approval to renovate approximately 19,000 square feet of laboratory and administrative space in the Bowen Science Building. The renovation will support continued access to state‑of‑the‑art research and training areas for faculty, staff, and students.
Flexible lab space, support rooms, and equipment zones will be designed to accommodate the present and future interdisciplinary research needs of many departments across the Carver College of Medicine. The renovated space will support wet bench research, departmental administrative functions, and upgrades to corridor and lobby space.
Upgrading this facility is part of a systematic effort to support the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and further advance the Carver College of Medicine’s nationally recognized standard of research and education.
These renovations reflect a commitment to UI’s current and future world‑class researchers, providing an enhanced environment that will support their dedication to changing medicine and changing lives every day.
Improving the patient imaging experience at the downtown campus
Budget approval is also being requested for the first phase of a multi-step process to upgrade radiology space and equipment at the downtown campus. Existing imaging equipment is aging and in need of replacement to continue providing excellent patient care.
This phase includes replacing two computed tomography (CT) machines and two nuclear medicine machines, introducing updated technology that will strengthen the quality of radiology and imaging services.
The main corridors and patient waiting areas will be moved to accommodate better patient flow and provide space for two additional CT units. Space will also be created in the Nuclear Medicine area for a new cardiac camera and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT machine with support rooms.
These renovations are part of a multi-year effort to increase radiology and imaging resources and improve patient experience at the downtown campus. Through this expansion, we are supporting our clinical care teams, advancing comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services for patients, and investing in the future of health care for Iowans.
Combining sleep lab services into one location
UI Health Care is requesting approval to relocate and combine two sleep labs into a new, central sleep lab space that will be constructed in UI Health Care’s clinic on Heartland Drive in Coralville.
The current sleep lab locations are in the downtown campus and the Center for Disabilities and Development on the university campus. Having a central location specifically designed for sleep lab services will help improve coordination, consistency of care, and patient experience. This will also vacate the outdated Center for Disabilities and Development building, which is scheduled to be razed in 2027.
The new shell space will include ten sleep lab testing rooms, reception/waiting areas, controls space, and staff support spaces. Sleep disorders affect nearly every aspect of a person’s life, and consolidating these services into a single, modern facility will help make sure patients receive accurate diagnoses and the best possible treatment UI Health Care experts have to offer. This investment aligns our facilities with the high caliber of clinicians who are advancing sleep medicine and helping Iowans reduce their risk of serious health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
