A FLAGSHIP £25 million research facility at the University of York is expected to create new jobs as well as house groundbreaking research projects.

Academics, students and support staff are busy moving into a three-wing biology building at the university's Heslington campus.

The massive investment will allow new research programmes to be undertaken and university bosses expect it will create new posts in research, technical, secretarial and administrative areas.

Community members are to benefit from increased access as the department intends to expand its work in the general understanding of science and host more open public events.

The university's vice chancellor, Sir Ron Cooke, said: "This is a first-class scientific environment, the equal of any in the UK.

"It reflects the continuing success of the university and, in particular, the biosciences."

Professor Alastair Fitter, head of the biology department, said the "superb" facility will allow department members to make progress with their ground-breaking studies.

Research projects include investigations into the causes and treatment of cancer, sustainable agriculture, and the understanding of biodiversity in the natural world.

The building has state-of-the-art laboratories and a unique central technology hub housing specialist equipment worth £5 million.

The hub, known as the Technology Facility, will allow international research teams to use the most modern technologies in areas such as cancer research, plant biotechnology, and ecology.

The building and equipment was funded by the government's Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council with a grant of £21.6 million awarded in December 1999.

The biology department is known as one of the largest and most successful in the country, with an international research rating. It has been awarded the highest possible score for its teaching quality.

The funding grant is one of the largest-ever awarded, and work will now begin to refurbish the existing biology laboratories in a second phase which will be completed in 2003.

Updated: 11:45 Wednesday, July 03, 2002