Discussions are now underway at Harvard Medical School about who will move their labs to the new Allston campus. A Globe article today talks about how department heads are considering the option of moving and how such a move could be a huge change to the historic Longwood area. And it’s going to be a controversial change, no doubt.

I certainly got that impression when I talked with some Harvard PIs (both from the medical school and the main campus) last year about moving to Allston. There’s definitely hesitation (ie “You go first!”) and some admit it’s going to be a tough sell.

We ran a story last summer about HMS’s new systems biology department (see here) where the chair Marc Kirschner talked about his concerns about moving to Allston.

People are afraid of being isolated and losing their existing connections at their current campuses. We all know what a nightmare it can be getting around the city by any mode of transportation.

So there are going to be many more delicate discussions among faculty over the next year or two as construction of the first science buildings begin.