Now open, the Institute of Neuroscience at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) School of Medicine has been developed as a world-class facility for brain health education, personalized treatment, and research.
Construction on this $30 million project began in November 2019, setting up a location for research and a place to enhance education in neuroscience for medical professionals in the field. The project was partially funded by a $15 million donation from the Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation. The facility will focus on a central goal of advancing brain health in Rio Grande Valley and beyond.
More about the Institute of Neuroscience at UTRGV
The vision for this new Institute of Neuroscience is to act as a catalyst for community partnership, research, clinical care, and education. Housed at the facility are master clinicians and renowned scientists who represent departments such as the:
- Department of Neuroscience
- Department of Neurology
- Department of Psychology
- Department of Internal Medicine
- Department of Human Genetics
- Department of Psychiatry
- Department of Behavioral Health
The Institute of Neuroscience (ION) boasts an advanced neuroimaging suite that will now be the home to CT/PET machines and a 3T MRI. At one time, this suite could handle up to four patients.
Within ION, there is also a Clinical Research Unit. There will be a dedicated research pharmacy, clinical research laboratory, two neuromodulation laboratories, behavioral examination rooms, meeting rooms, and sample processing space. Additionally, there will be a community outreach program.
At the Institute of Neuroscience, experts will go on to study neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. Some of the disorders that will be studied and treated here include epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, early psychosis, multiple sclerosis, and others. Additional areas of study include:
- Neurodegenerative diseases
- Age-related disorders
- Substance abuse
- Mood disorders
Many new doctors and scientists will be coming on board at this cutting-edge facility. They’ll meet patients in the state-of-the-art neurology outpatient clinic. They’ll work under the direction of Dr. Michael Dobbs, the chair of the Department of Neurology and vice dean for Clinical Affairs at UTRGV.
As of August 2020, Dr. Ihsan M. Salloum is the new chair of the UTRGV School of Medicine’s Department of Neuroscience and director of the Institute of Neuroscience in Harlingen. He will be leading the way as this approximately three-year project, and comprehensive neuroscience facility is completed and opened to the community.
Zero/Six’s Involvement in the Construction of ION
Zero/Six Consulting, LLC, was hired to perform quality control site visits, air, and water filtration testing, roof uplift testing, and to track ongoing and closed deficiencies with an Outstanding Issues Log (OIL).
During the construction phase of this project, Zero/Six Consulting performed:
- Two site visits weekly for six months for quality assurance and quality control
- Daily field reports
- Outstanding Issues Log tracking
In the subsequent commissioning phase, Zero/Six Consulting:
- Performed ASTM E1105 and ASTM E783 air/water infiltration testing
- Performed ASTM E907 roof uplift testing on nine specimens
Following this, Z6 provided a detailed commissioning report to go over the testing procedures and results.
Z6 worked with Architect Munoz & Co. and Contractor Vaughn Construction during this project.
Get In Touch with Zero/Six Consulting for More Information
Zero/Six Consulting was founded in 2003 and is an industry leader in high-performance and cohesive building envelope systems. Working with our team of architects, LEED green associates, registered reroofing observers, field specialists, project managers, engineers, and others, we take a “whole building” approach to creating and maintaining building envelopes. We use a three-step process to deliver excellent results for every project. We offer various services, including energy performance and optimization services, pre-construction services, forensic and aviation services, testing services, and preventative maintenance programs. Contact us today for a consultation and to learn more about how Zero/Six Consulting helps create better building systems.
