She said: “Over 20 years ago a lady with MND asked me what I would do with £20m of funding for MND research.
“I didn’t think it was a serious question, but I described SITraN – a dedicated facility to bring together scientists, doctors and patients from all over the world under one roof with a shared ambition to improve the lives of people living with neurodegenerative diseases.
“It is quite remarkable how far we have come since SITraN first opened.”
Established in 2010, the university said SITraN had outgrown its current capacity, with an initial research team of 64 now exceeding 300.
The expanded building will be constructed adjacent to the current facility, opposite the Royal Hallamshire Hospital.
Representatives of the The Ian Pratt MND Foundation and the Mel Evans Foundation attended for the brick laying ceremony as well as the family and friends of Tim Shone, external and Gemma Middleton, external, who both died with MND.