The Icahn School of Medicine is the academic teaching arm of the Mount Sinai Health System. ISoM’s Department of Microbiology recently hired Dr. Jeffrey R. Johnson Ph.D., a new senior faculty member, who’s investigations rely heavily on mass spectrometry-based proteomics technologies. FCA was charged with converting an original 1974 lab space in the 26 story Annenberg building, in one of the busiest urban research campuses in the world, into a state-of-the-art faculty research and mass spectrometry lab. The research lab is biology-focused with no fume hoods. It is being retrofitted to comply with ISoM’s current lab bench and casework standards, a flexible core-wall system in peninsular arrangement, while accommodating floor equipment such as incubators, biosafety cabinets and freezers.
The mass spectrometer facility has proven to be the most difficult challenge. Cooling alone for two mass spectrometer set-ups required a careful combination of tapping into limited HVAC capacity and augmenting with chilled water cooling, also tied in to a limited system. Understanding existing conditions, and employing balance and resourcefulness has been key to making the design work. This renovation has required careful attention to detail and efficiency by the design team to enable the facilities management group to quickly deliver highly functional lab space to the school of Medicine.
