Marcus Research & Innovation Center
Florida Atlantic University Laboratory Schools received a $2 million grant from The Marcus Foundation, established by Bernie Marcus, to launch the Marcus Research and Innovation Center at the A.D. Henderson University School and FAU High School campus in Boca Raton. This grant will enhance the pipeline of students at Henderson and FAU High as they strive to become talented researchers and innovators who can address the country’s most pressing challenges, while becoming part of a highly skilled workforce to meet the needs of the nation. It also will help to re-engineer education to train future school leaders and educators.
Boasting more than 12,000 square feet of STEM and research space to serve as a training center and incubator for current A.D. Henderson and FAU High students as they prepare to become the researchers and innovators of tomorrow. The labs within the center will focus on bioimaging, neuroscience, ocean science and conservation, along with a health care pipeline for teaching, high-performance computing, and rapid prototyping methods. Each of the labs will be equipped with top-tier research instruments not typically found in K-12 settings.
The center will also host visiting scholars and researchers, as well as advance the partnership and research already underway at the Marcus Neuroscience Institute at Boca Regional Hospital and Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine.
In addition, the Marcus Research and Innovation Center also will provide spaces to support the FAU Laboratory Schools’ Stiles-Nicholson STEM Teacher Academy (SNSTA) and The Cane Institute for Advanced Technologies (TCI). The SNSTA bridges high-caliber research settings with middle and high school instructors by developing experiential professional learning opportunities and instruction to inspire innovation and create lasting educational benefits for students nationwide. TCI is a premier, K-12 STEM continuum, and serves as the lab schools’ epicenter for STEM education and technology transfer.
Berlin Family Bioimaging Lab
The Berlin Family Bioimaging Lab is a state‑of‑the‑art facility dedicated to precision visualization, enabling researchers to explore biological structures from the cellular to whole‑organism scale. Its suite of instruments includes two micro‑CT scanners for ultra‑high‑resolution, non‑destructive 3‑D imaging and a scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) for nanoscale surface and compositional analysis.
Sample preparation is supported by a complete Leica histology suite—sample processing, embedding, and sectioning systems—paired with an inverted fluorescence microscope for vivid, publication‑quality imaging.
Data acquisition and storage are powered by dual high‑performance computers linked to a Synology NAS, ensuring rapid processing and secure archiving of massive datasets.
Together, these capabilities create a high‑efficiency, technology‑driven environment for breakthrough research and exceptional scientific training.
Wahoo Bay Ocean Sciences & Conservation Lab
In the Wahoo Bay Ocean Sciences & Conservation Lab, students develop advanced analytical chemistry skills through direct collaboration with Ocean First Institute scientists. Equipped with FTIR spectroscopy, ICP‑MS, and HPLC instrumentation, the lab empowers emerging researchers to decode the complexities of ocean microplastic pollution and trace its sources with precision.
Researchers process locally collected environmental samples from places like Wahoo Bay, transforming raw data into insights that address contamination in Florida’s waterways. Parallel studies probe heavy‑metal bioaccumulation, such as mercury, within marine food webs, advancing our understanding of ecological health risks.
This integrated environment of expert mentorship, state‑of‑the‑art technology, and mission‑driven science cultivates the next generation of ocean conservation leaders.
Neuroscience Lab
Understanding the brain is key to unlocking treatments for conditions ranging from neurodegenerative diseases to disruptions in circadian rhythms, as well as deepening our knowledge of the brain’s essential mechanisms. The Neuroscience Lab is designed for advanced neurophysiology, enabling real‑time recording of neuronal activity from model species with systems and cell types that closely mirror our own.
Using three fully equipped student electrophysiology stations, researchers can capture and analyze action potentials with temporal precision. A high‑resolution Nikon confocal microscope and calcium imaging system help our researchers uncover dynamic cellular processes, like synaptic signaling. Multiple dissection stations support meticulous specimen preparation, ensuring seamless integration from sample acquisition to high‑fidelity data capture.
Together, these technologies create a powerful platform for investigating how neural function is altered by disease, stress, and therapeutic interventions.
Simulation Operating Room Lab
Modeled after a modern surgical suite, this advanced training lab immerses students in the tools and techniques of contemporary clinical practice. A large grossing station, illuminated by a boom‑arm surgical lighting and integrated imaging system, provides a professional platform for dissections and procedural skill‑building. Multiple Arthrex nano‑scopes enable high‑fidelity practice of arthroscopic surgical techniques, offering real‑time visualization inside simulated joint spaces. The remainder of the lab is a flexible‑use space that accommodates full classes for hands‑on exploration across a range of scientific topics.
Together, these features create a dynamic, technology‑rich setting that bridges the gap between academic study and real‑world surgical environments.
Manjit Kaur High-Performance Computing Lab
The Manjit Kaur High‑Performance Computing Lab is powered by a fleet of precision‑engineered Dell workstations, optimized> for advanced computational AI and high-volume image processing workloads. With parallel processing, big data storage and memory capacity, and commercial-grade GPUs in mind, these systems deliver the speed and reliability demanded by intensive scientific analysis.
The lab serves as a hub for Python coding and computer vision immersions, data visualization workshops, and processing feature-rich 3D datasets generated by our micro‑CT scanners, confocal microscope, or imaging spectroscopy systems. Seamless integration of current computing hardware and specialized software environments accelerates discovery and innovation across disciplines.
This state‑of‑the‑art ecosystem transforms data‑driven science and engineering into an immersive, capable facility for scientists and students alike.
Rapid Prototyping Wing
The Rapid Prototyping Wing is a dynamic, research‑driven environment designed to immerse students in cutting‑edge technologies across engineering, life sciences, and environmental exploration. The wing is comprised of three main areas.
First is Skylab, home to a fleet of drones ranging from student‑friendly models to research‑grade platforms equipped with hyperspectral imaging systems and supported by flight simulators for precision training.
Across from Skylab is a 3D printing suite featuring basic extruder printers, a high‑resolution resin printer capable of replicating micro‑CT‑scanned specimens from the Berlin Family Bioimaging Lab, and two Stratasys digital anatomy printers that produce multi‑material, full‑color anatomical models.
The lab also includes a spacious instructional area tailored for middle school elective courses in biomedical and agricultural sciences, fostering interdisciplinary learning through hands‑on experimentation.
Together, these facilities empower students to engage with real-world research tools while developing technical fluency and scientific curiousity.