Photos By Rich McManus

John Edward Porter, the former congressman from Illinois who used to chair the House appropriations subcommittee overseeing the NIH budget, got a special VIP tour on Apr. 2 of the new John Edward Porter Neuroscience Research Center under construction on the southwest side of the NIH campus.

Former Rep. John Edward Porter (l, R-IL) enjoys a briefing about his namesake building — modeled on the table — from Dr. James Battey Jr. (c), NIDCD director, and from Dr. Story Landis, NINDS director.

His tour guides were NIH director Dr. Elias Zerhouni; Robert McDonald, project director; and the directors of three institutes whose scientists will inhabit the new facility: Dr. James Battey, Jr. of NIDCD; Dr. Thomas Insel of NIMH; and Dr. Story Landis of NINDS.

Also on hand were NIH deputy director Dr. Raynard Kington, NIH deputy director for intramural research Dr. Michael Gottesman, project architect Rafael Viñoly and several intramural scientists who joined the tour and explained some of the building's finer points.

"There's not only plasticity in the nervous system," noted Landis, "but also in this building." Porter was impressed with the facility and relished the orientation. He was also happy to hear the input of NINDS intramural scientists Kenneth Fischbeck, Jeff Diamond and NIMH's Heather Cameron, who will have lab "pods" in the building.

Architect Rafael Viñoly (l) comments on aspects of the new research center with (from l) NIH director Dr. Elias Zerhouni, Porter and Amy McGuire, executive director of the Foundation for the NIH. Phase I of the 2-phase project is due to be complete this coming June, according to the Office of Research Facilities Development and Operation.

Explaining to Porter the purpose of the new facility's interior spaces are (from l) NIMH director Dr. Thomas Insel, project director Robert McDonald and Landis.

Porter chats with architect Viñoly at a briefing in Trailer 40B, headquarters for construction of the John Edward Porter Neuroscience Research Center. On the wall are architectural drawings of the facility.

Joining Porter for the building tour were (from l) Battey; Landis; Dr. Michael Gottesman, NIH deputy director for intramural research; and Insel.