Bio Meets Tron. And Insects Scatter.

Having watched this project develop from being just a concept and a plot of land, I was glad to finally have the chance yesterday to tour the nearly completed Biotron, a new $30-million research facility on campus at The University of Western Ontario. A name like that makes me think of some futuristic movie rather than a very large science experiment.

A movie, it is not -- but futuristic would certainly apply. The one-of-a-kind facility is, according to the international scientific community anyway, a decade ahead of its time and will allow researchers to reconstruct entire mini-ecosystems so they can address complex interactions that occur between biological organisms in air, soil and water, particularly in light of changes to our climate and environment. Specially constructed chambers will even allow biologists to reproduce climates ranging from 40 above to 40 below.

Why? Among key studies, researchers will be better able to evaluate issues of biodiversity, safely testing genetically modified organisms and performing gene transfer experiments for developing crops. Providing particular benefits to third-world countries, these crops could be used to grow food in harsh environments and to develop protein-rich plants used in pharmaceuticals.

Another neat component of the project is that, through high speed computing, researchers around the world will be able to conduct and monitor experiments at the Biotron without ever leaving their desks. Using computers and imaging tools installed in the facility, they will be able to control and manipulate microscopes while receiving real-time data and communicating with colleagues across the globe about their observations. It does indeed almost seem to be the stuff movies are made of.

Walking around in awe of the size and capabilities the facility will have once construction is complete, I still found myself chuckling at what was without question the funniest part of the whole tour: we were told there's going to be a full-time "bug chef" employed to make food for insects that will be part of the various modules. Yum -- I have to get my hands on one of those business cards.