The Institute for Medical Innovation will focus on five major disease areas linked by a misfiring immune system, cancer, dementia, sight loss, infection and respiratory and allergic conditions.
The new facility aims to bring together medicine, computer science and engineering under one roof, using AI, genomics and tissue analysis to accelerate the development of new treatments and enable earlier diagnosis.
‘Having worked with the benefactors for almost 30 years, I know how proud they would be to see their hard-earned funds being used for such an important project in a place that provides a lifeline for people living in Guernsey,’ said a trustee of the trust from which the donation was made.
‘They were great believers that investing in research is the only way to make lasting change and this donation will accelerate outcomes in diseases that devastate too many lives. We wish the team the best of luck securing the remaining funding needed.’
The £100m. project is backed by a £50m. commitment from the university, with the remaining £50m. to be raised.
With early support, plus the donation from Guernsey, the university already has £11m. in gifts.
The University of Southampton held a series of events to launch the campaign, including one locally at the St Pierre Park Hotel, where retired advocate Chris Bound gave a talk about his experiences of being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2010, which returned in 2022 and 2024.
‘Living with cancer has been very difficult at times, especially when it returned most recently, but the care I’ve had from Southampton has been excellent,’ he said.
‘We are in a fortunate position to have specialists come over to the island. It’s been a lifesaver for many other people and for me.’
The IMI will be located next to the Centre for Cancer Immunology and is hoped to be fully operational by 2030.
Head of the university’s philanthropy team Katherine de Retuerto said the donation was testament to the relationship with Guernsey and the trust people placed in Southampton’s research.
‘We’ve been very fortunate to have received fantastic support from people in Guernsey and we are proud to have such a committed and long-standing relationship with the island,’ she said.
‘It is a privilege to launch this campaign and we look forward to working together to make the IMI a reality for people here, on the island, and beyond.’
Many Guernsey residents are treated by Southampton specialists who come to the island to run clinics, and more are referred to the UK for treatment.
In 2024 and 2025, more than 10,000 referrals were made to Southampton.
Local patients have also taken part in trials and research studies run by university scientists and others have donated to the university.
Earlier this year, Specsavers co-founder Dame Mary Perkins funded a four-year research project using AI to better understand how age-related macular degeneration progresses from its early stages to the late, sight-threatening stage.
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