Lab rehab costs rising to approach those of new construction As discussed in the July issue (page 1), new lab construction costs this year are expected to rise by 6 to 10%, with the higher end of the range occurring in major research hubs. Drivers include high oil prices, spikes in commodity prices, aggressive labor demands, and an active construction market. Duke’s cross-cultural partnership creates a new medical school in Singapore Increased competition for National Institutes of Health funding and tougher visa regulations are driving medical schools to Asia and the Middle East in search of more robust research environments: Harvard Univ. has a large medical campus in Dubai; Cornell Univ. opened the first U.S.-based medical school in Qatar; and now Duke Univ. is forming the first graduate medical school in Singapore.