New York announces $50M to expand SUNY Albany RNA Institute

The State University of New York at Albany’s RNA Institute will undergo a major expansion following a $50 million investment included in the state’s 2025-26 capital budget. The funding will increase research and training capacity at the university’s Life Sciences Research Building, supporting advances in RNA science, artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery and workforce development.

The RNA Institute conducts research focused on understanding, diagnosing and treating diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer’s, cancer and myotonic dystrophy — the most common form of adult-onset muscular dystrophy.

The $50 million allocation will support several key projects, including:

• Renovating and expanding laboratories: About 20,000 square feet of additional wet and dry lab space, collaboration zones and shared instrumentation suites will be added to the Life Sciences Research Building.
• Developing a preclinical and pilot manufacturing facility: A new 3,000-square-foot space will be created for biosafety testing and pilot Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) manufacturing to support RNA therapeutic research, commercialization and clinical trial readiness.
• Integrating artificial intelligence and health research space: The project will include high-performance computing, data visualization labs and collaborative workspaces. The new infrastructure will align with statewide AI research initiatives and expand capacity for data-driven biomedical research.
• Enhancing education and workforce training: The expansion will include community engagement elements, K-12 outreach and academic-industry recruitment to strengthen New York’s STEM workforce pipeline.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said the funding will ensure researchers and students have access to advanced facilities and resources.

“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 it can continue leading the way in RNA research,” King said.