UAlbany’s College of Integrated Health Sciences Opens its Doors in the Pine Bush Building

Four people are pictured under a white event tent with strong sunshine coming through. A woman wearing a purple blazer stands at a wooden podium. Three men wearing blazers sit at a table with a purple tablecloth, all smiling at the camera. Purple “University at Albany” banners are behind them.

From left: Dean of the College of Integrated Health Sciences Erin Bell, NYS DOH Commissioner Dr. James V. McDonald, UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez, CEO and President of Albany Med Health System Dr. Dennis McKenna. (Photo by Patrick Dodson)

By Erin Frick

ALBANY, N.Y. (Oct. 9, 2025) — The University at Albany’s College of Integrated Health Sciences opened its doors to the community on Friday to celebrate its newly refurbished space on the Uptown Campus. The ribbon cutting event marked the official opening of the College’s new wing in the Pine Bush building and doubled as an opportunity to formally renew its 40-year partnership with the NYS Department of Health and announce a new relationship with the Albany Med Health System.

“In recent years, the College of Integrated Health Sciences has made important strides to expand our collaborative reach internally and forge new partnerships with Capital Region institutions,” said Erin Bell, dean of the college. “Improving health and well-being for all requires an interdisciplinary approach. By bringing our own academic and research units together and deepening our relationships with partner institutions, we are bolstering opportunities for faculty and students to pursue new research horizons and engage in cutting-edge experiential learning.”

UAlbany’s former School of Public Health and the School of Social Welfare came together to form the College of Integrated Health Sciences in 2024. Key to the vision of creating new research and academic offerings was the relocation of UAlbany’s public health departments from the Health Sciences Campus in Rensselaer to the main Uptown Campus. The renovated wing in Pine Bush houses refreshed teaching and office space, including a new Anatomy and Physiology Lab established to support UAlbany's nursing programs.

UAlbany’s College of Integrated Health Sciences Cuts the Ribbon on its New Uptown Campus Home

Celebrating Local Partnerships

Friday’s ribbon cutting gave visitors an opportunity to explore the college’s new space and, with more than 50 posters on display, get a taste of student and faculty research underway across the college. It was also a celebration of local collaborations, old and new.

NYS Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James V. McDonald delivered remarks, and, with UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez, signed a renewed memorandum of understanding between the institutions, underscoring a shared commitment to advancing research, education and innovation for the betterment of public health and well-being. The new MOU includes funding to support 20 additional masters-level internships at the DOH, up to 10 doctoral level graduate and research assistantships, and additional funding for graduate and post-doctoral fellows at the College’s Center for Health Workforce Studies and the Cardiac Quality Improvement Initiative.

CEO and President of Albany Med Health System Dr. Dennis McKenna also delivered remarks, and, with President Rodríguez, signed a new memorandum of understanding between UAlbany and Albany Med designed to enable the creation of additional nursing degree programs at UAlbany.