New York State has announced a $50 million capital investment to expand the State University of New York at Albany’s RNA Institute. The funding, included in SUNY’s 2025-2026 capital budget, aims to increase research capacity at the Life Sciences Research Building and advance the institute’s work in RNA science, drug discovery, and workforce development.
Governor Kathy Hochul stated, “Identifying new ways to attack deadly and debilitating diseases will not only ensure the State University of New York at Albany is at the cutting edge of research and technology, it will help New Yorkers live longer, more fulfilling and healthier lives. This is an investment in a better future, and it is being developed right here in New York. I am proud to announce this historic investment, and I thank the University for the lifesaving and life-affirming work its researchers do.”
The RNA Institute conducts basic research on diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and myotonic dystrophy. The new funding will be used for renovations and expansion of laboratory space by approximately 20,000 square feet. Planned upgrades include next-generation instruments, expanded wet/dry lab areas, collaboration zones, shared instrumentation suites, and data infrastructure.
A dedicated 3,000-square-foot facility will be created for preclinical development and biosafety testing. It will feature pilot-scale cleanrooms and bioreactors to support biotech commercialization efforts as well as clinical trial readiness. These additions are intended to foster biotech workforce development within New York.
There will also be spaces designed for artificial intelligence-driven health research. These facilities will connect with Governor Hochul’s Empire AI initiative and SUNY Albany’s AI Plus Initiative by providing high-performance computing access, data visualization labs, collaborative workspaces, and community-oriented health research areas.
Community engagement elements are part of the plan as well. The project includes interactive educational resources for K-12 outreach aimed at diversifying New York’s STEM pipeline.
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. commented: “While the federal government is retreating from its historic role spurring cutting-edge academic research, SUNY is on the move and deeply thankful for the commitment and financial support of our Governor and the State Legislature to equip our researchers and students with state-of-the art facilities and resources to drive innovation. The State University of New York at Albany’s RNA Institute is one of SUNY’s premiere research institutions, and we are excited for this investment into the institute so the State University of New York at Albany can continue leading the way in RNA research.”
The SUNY Board of Trustees said: “This investment into the State University of New York at Albany’s RNA Institute will advance the institute’s world-class research capabilities, and cement New York as a leader in RNA research. Thank you to Governor Hochul for her support of research at SUNY, and commitment to investing in the health and well-being of humanity.”
State University of New York at Albany President Havidán Rodríguez noted: “UAlbany’s RNA Institute is world-renowned for pioneering new approaches to biomedical research, using artificial intelligence to develop innovative technologies and treatments that can help people live longer, healthier lives. With Governor Hochul’s generous $50 million investment in the Life Sciences Research Building, the RNA Institute will be able to expand and enhance its research capacity, providing state-of-the-art facilities for researchers and hands-on training for the next generation of New York’s workforce — establishing the University and the Capital Region as a leader in RNA science and biotechnology.”
Empire State Development President Hope Knight highlighted economic implications: “Investing in SUNY Albany’s RNA Institute strengthens New York’s position as a leader in the life sciences while further growing the skilled workforce that will drive our biotech economy of the future. By expanding world-class research and training infrastructure, we’re accelerating breakthrough medical discoveries…and creating high-quality jobs in the rapidly growing RNA therapeutics sector — an industry revolutionizing how we treat some of the most challenging diseases.”
Other officials echoed similar sentiments about improving public health outcomes through advanced biomedical science; these included Dr. James McDonald (New York State Health Commissioner), Greg Olsen (Office for Aging Director), Win Thurlow (LifeSciencesNY Executive Director), Christos Kyratsous (Regeneron Senior Vice President), Jamie Grabowski (Curia President R&D), Senators Toby Ann Stavisky & Patricia Fahy; Assemblymembers John McDonald & Alicia L. Hyndman; Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy; City Mayor Kathy Sheehan.
As part of this initiative there will also be a rebranding effort aligning UAlbany more closely with SUNY branding across all university centers.
The RNA Institute was launched in June 2010 focusing on innovative medicines development using state-of-the-art labs which facilitate both global collaboration among researchers as well as advanced computational modeling—including applications utilizing artificial intelligence—to accelerate drug discovery processes.
Last year saw $15.8 million awarded to UAlbany’s RNA Institute from various sources including state agencies like Department of Defense or National Institutes of Health along with industry partners.
SUNY remains one of America’s largest higher education systems serving approximately 1.4 million students system-wide with extensive outreach programs across 64 colleges/universities statewide (suny.edu). System-wide academic research expenditures reached nearly $1.16 billion during fiscal year 2024.
