The new Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building at the University of Toronto, which officially opens its doors today, embodies the university's commitment to providing a first-class education to students says U of T president David Naylor.

"This outstanding facility provides a state-of-the-art environment that will enhance the student experience both inside and outside of the classroom. It will also boost morale for our current faculty and staff, and facilitate recruitment of the best and brightest faculty and students in future."

The Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building is the first Canadian commission for renowned British architects Foster and Partners, designers of the Reichstag renovation in Berlin and the Great Court of the British Museum in London. Located at the southeast corner of the University of Toronto, the building is a gateway to the campus, situated in the heart of the health sciences district, close to medicine and nursing and the Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research.

The 15,600 square metre structure is home to more than 1,300 students, faculty and staff. The increase in infrastructure has allowed the faculty to double its student enrolment in the undergraduate pharmacy program and significantly increase its number of graduate students.

The $75-million project was funded by the Ontario government, the university's infrastructure investment fund and the support of private donors. Pharmacy alumnus and founder of generic pharmaceutical manufacturer Novopharm, Leslie Dan donated more than $13 million to the project.

The building is divided into three separate areas to accommodate the Faculty's diverse teaching and research needs. Undergraduate lecture theatres are located in the basement levels; the five-storey colonnaded area houses study and administrative offices; and research and teaching laboratories and faculty offices are located throughout the upper seven storeys.

Established in 1827, the University of Toronto is Canada's largest university, recognized as a global leader in research and teaching. The university is sustained environmentally by three green campuses, where renowned heritage buildings stand beside award-winning innovations in architectural design.