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Seattle Children's opens new research facility to advance work in treating pediatric diseases

SEATTLE — Seattle Children's Hospital opened its new research facility Tuesday in downtown Seattle, a space ambitiously called Building Cure.

The 10 story, 540,000 square-foot research facility at the corner of Terry & Stewart in South Lake Union will expand the hospital’s lab space by ten fold.

This is where researchers will continue their work on groundbreaking treatments for diseases like pediatric cancer and Type 1 Diabetes.

The kind of work that has made a difference for patients like 16-year-old Jed Feliciano.

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He was diagnosed with leukemia two years ago and now he’s cancer-free after undergoing an immunotherapy clinical trial at Seattle Children’s.

“After treatment, I am feeling really good,” said Feliciano. “I am looking forward to going to school, back to my friends and making new friends.”

Researchers hope Building Cure can one day do just that as they work on cell-based therapies for up to 1,000 kids a year, not just here in Seattle but around the world.

“Without this place we couldn’t make the leap from the laboratory to the hospital bedside. This is critically important,” said Dr. Michael Jensen with the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research Center. “I think of it as Cape Canaveral for launching those moon shot clinical trials that kids need”.

The first floor of the building will also serve as a launch pad for students interested in pursuing a career in science and medicine. It’s home to a new education lab for kids to learn from working doctors and researchers.

People like Feliciano, now a junior in high school, said he will be forever grateful.

"I am thankful that they chose this career path because without them I wouldn’t be here,” he said.