UM System closing $10 million research facility

The University of Missouri System has closed a $10 million research facility in Columbia.

The International Institute of Nano and Molecular Technology closed as a result of continuing budget cuts throughout the system. The university says it expects to save around $1.5 million annually because of the closure.

“A lot of our research programs are sustained by the grants that they bring in,” said Christian Basi, a University of Missouri spokesman. “It’s imperative that these research programs continue to be competitive for grants. We had to make a decision based on the productivity that was going on, and this was the decision that was made.”

The closure is expected to affect 17 full-time and part-time employees at the institute. The university will make those cuts through layoffs and contract non-renewals.