Foundation Medicine

Project Overview

Foundation Medicine was founded in 2010 with a mission to bring deep molecular information to the point of care for every patient living with advanced cancer. They have built a powerful portfolio of comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) tests that—via both blood and tissue samples—evaluate more than 300 genes known to drive cancer.

The existing building at 11010 Torreyana Road was completely renovated to support Foundation Medicine as a new tenant. This three-story building located in Torrey Pines Mesa consists of laboratory and office space and is surrounded by numerous prestigious institutions, government agencies and biotechnology companies.

The project consisted of multiple phases starting from the core and shell through multiple TI projects. The core and shell consisted of revitalizing the buildings central utility plant and shifting the HVAC and plumbing utilities of the building for primarily research and development use. The core and shell spaces included several amenities such as a sports simulator room, a fitness area, a lobby kitchenette, and several exterior renovations.

Phase I consisted of providing over 15,000 SF of ISO 8 ready laboratory spaces with humidity control and full HEPA filtration. The laboratory spaces were outfitted with a cGMP validated RODI water system, a cGMP validated cold room and freezer, as well as lab vacuum and compressed dry air systems. For much of the building is critical to have emergency power, so the building is equipped with existing generators and the addition of a new generator with full paralleling switchgear, ATS’s, and UPS backup for all controls. This made for a complex emergency power system which was fully tested and adjusted during GMC Commissioning’s Integrated Systems Testing (IST)

During the integrated systems test, GMC Commissioning identified several critical issues that would have resulted in loss of product and/research quality during a power outage. Once these were resolved a follow up test was conducted to assure all resolutions were properly completed; this gives the owner peace of mind know their fail-safes are operating correctly in the event of an emergency. In addition to the laboratory spaces and utilities, a new warehouse with moveable storage system and 25,000 of new office space was built out and commissioned.