University of California, San Francisco - Barbara and Gerson Bakar Research and Academic Building

Improving Human Health through Translational Research

The Barbara and Gerson Bakar Research and Academic Building (BRAB) will be a vital translational research hub for groundbreaking biomedical discoveries.

BRAB will connect principal investigators and leading researchers within flexible, sustainable, and reconfigurable research spaces. These spaces are designed to facilitate multidisciplinary collaboration and support long-term, groundbreaking research. The nine-story, 323,000 GSF facility will feature 147,100 SF of universal research labs with centralized and decentralized lab support including a central freezer farm. Additionally, the building will include an 8,000 SF clinical research suite. Primary research programs include cancer, microbiology, diabetes, immunology, and cell biology. The building will also have dedicated spaces for key UCSF initiatives such as the Benioff Center for Microbiome Medicine, iMicro, Bakar ImmunoX and CoLabs.

Located near the UCSF Helen Diller Medical Center at Parnassus Heights, BRAB will include a dedicated area for clinical research, offering participants access to the most advanced therapies. Designed to drive innovations in scientific research and education, the building will include dynamic academic spaces that promote multidisciplinary learning and will serve as a new home for the UCSF School of Nursing. Connectivity is a crucial element in the design of the laboratories. The research areas are intended to be dynamic and inviting spaces that foster human interactions, where people can discuss science, decompress, and share experiences. Connectivity is addressed on multiple levels: micro (floor/cluster), macro (neighborhoods/institutes), and campus-wide (encouraging cross-disciplinary interactions). The floor plans are enhanced by the strategic placement of “Habitats” within a circulatory system that promotes chance encounters and human interaction.

BRAB, which is being designed by HGA in partnership with Snøhetta, will be prominently located at Parnassus Heights on the former site of UC Hall, the first University of California hospital building dating back to 1917. Plans include revitalizing the Parnassus Streetscape and introducing a new east-west promenade with native plants and a public campus connection between Golden Gate Park and the peak of Mount Sutro. Designed as an all-electric building, BRAB will advance carbon neutrality and achieve a minimum of LEED Gold certification. Sustainable design features address water use, air quality, and waste reduction — while bird-safe glazing will reduce glare, minimize solar gain, and help protect wildlife.