Image: University, state, and community leaders celebrate the grand opening of the new facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking the launch of expanded research and training opportunities/Image courtesy K-State

When students walk into the new Biomanufacturing Laboratory and Training Facility at Kansas State University, they enter a space designed to prepare future leaders in workforce development, research, and biomanufacturing. Located in Seaton Hall, the lab is a key part of the Biomanufacturing Training and Education Initiative, an effort to connect education, research, and industry while positioning Kansas as a national leader in biomanufacturing and biosecurity.

The facility gives students hands-on training with industry tools and processes, from operating bioreactors to developing purification methods and applying advanced analytical technologies. This immersive approach mirrors professional settings and builds skills needed in the fast-growing biomanufacturing sector.

Additional spaces, such as the Hays Family Interactive Classroom and the Hays Family WildCAT Laboratory, further support collaboration and problem-solving. The initiative is backed by $5 million in annual state funding and a $7 million federal appropriation that helped expand facilities and upgrade equipment. K-State continues to expand its efforts, including renovating space for vaccine and biologics production and hiring new faculty in critical research areas, ensuring students gain real-world experience while strengthening regional economic growth.