The Department of Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University has been selected to receive a $5 million grant as one of five universities sharing $17 million in The Whitaker Foundation's final round of Special Awards for building construction. The five grants were made from applications in the final competition for Leadership-Development Awards. These awards have enabled 38 universities to establish biomedical engineering departments and enhanced dozens of other departments and programs across the United States. Five previous Special Awards were made for building construction.

Purdue will use the award to construct a new building on its West Lafayette campus that will be filled entirely by the Department of Biomedical Engineering. A ceremonial groundbreaking for the new building was held on September 26, 2003, and was attended by Peter Katona, President and CEO of the Whitaker Foundation.