A new state-of-the-art research building opened on McKinley Avenue in 2015. In October 2017, the building was dedicated as the Debra and George W. Couch III Biomedical Research Building. Through their philanthropy and leadership, Debra and George Couch are longtime champions of Washington University and the research at the School of Medicine. Their endowed fund supports interdisciplinary research within the building and across the university.

The state-of-the-art research facility features highly flexible open laboratories to facilitate collaboration and accommodate new research teams. With six stories and 138,000 square feet of lab space, it houses researchers involved in genetics, genomics and regenerative biology, and consolidates most Department of Genetics faculty into a single location closer to important collaborators from other departments.

Located southeast of the East McDonnell Building, the Couch Biomedical Research Building’s green space faces Scott Avenue. Dedicated food truck parking and outdoor seating have made the lawn a popular place for people across the campus to gather.