Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I N O. V M A R C H 1 0 , 2 0 2 5 10 L I F E S C I E N C E S / I N N OVAT I O N F O C U S R esearch organizations across the state have expansion projects in the pipeline, as they tackle various goals to enhance facilities, partnerships, research capabili- ties and education. There are also varying levels of concern around funding uncertainties at the federal level. Biodiversity Research Institute expansion on track Construction of a 5,400-square- foot expansion at the Biodiversity Research Institute in Portland is two months ahead of schedule. "I hope to be moved in by the end of July," said David Evers, the insti- tute's founder, executive director and chief scientist. e expansion, at the institute's 276 Canco Road campus, broke ground last November and reflects the con- servation research nonprofit's gradual but steady growth in recent years In 2024, the staff grew from 51 employees to 60. ere are five posi- tions open. Evers said he expects to hire another 10 to 15 people in the coming year. e added space will have 18 offices, staffed by employees who have already been hired but are working remotely from locations across the U.S. Evers said he prefers to have staff- ers in-person and that the new hires are ready to move to Portland. "We are still growing so we will fill the offices immediately," he said. e project has been modified a bit over the months. "We have a dedicated freezer room for long-term sample manage- ment," said Evers. "For example, we have biotic tissue samples from the late 1990s that we are using to assess PFAS levels in the past." e city of Portland helped finance the expansion and leverage further investment through bank partners by issuing a commercial loan from the Portland Development Corp. Coastal Enterprises Inc. and the U.S. Small Business Administration pro- vided assistance. Evers, a conservation biologist, founded the nonprofit institute in 1998 to assess emerging threats to wildlife and ecosystems through collaborative research. Scientific findings are used to advance environmental awareness and inform decision-makers. e institute has a nearly $10 mil- lion annual budget, four centers of excellence and 16 research programs. Its scientific research spans over 50 countries on five continents. e expansion is expected to cost close to $3 million, Evers said. e insti- tute has been at the location for a decade, leasing at first and now owning it. American Building Group, a construction company also at 276 Canco Road, is handling the project. Whipple|Callender Architects in Portland provided the design. e need for more space is driven by expanded demand for services in several of the institute's revenue hubs, he said. at includes consulting government and commercial entities on potential offshore wind sites to identify those with minimal impact on marine life; projects in the carbon credit market that help identify benefits to habitat and communities; and work related to ecotoxicology and contaminants. Evers said he doesn't expect the work to be significantly impacted by funding uncertainties at the federal level. "We purposely have a relatively small, but important, connection [to] the federal government," he said. "We have been impacted, but in a way that we can pivot to other projects while some federal projects are on pause." LIFE SCIENCES / INNOVATION LIFE SCIENCES / INNOVATION Roundup b y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r Biomedical and conservation research are driving expansion of organizations across Maine Biodiversity Research Institute's expansion is the lighter-shaded building, added to the existing building. The Biodiversity Research Institute recently broke ground on an expansion of its headquarters at 276 Canco Road in Portland. R E N D E R I N G / C O U R T E S Y A M E R I C A N B U I L D I N G G RO U P P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y C I T Y O F P O R T L A N D We have been impacted, but in a way that we can pivot to other projects while some federal projects are on pause. — David Evers Biodiversity Research Institute

• Cover