We are delighted to launch the largest fundraising campaign in the University’s history: to build the Institute for Medical Innovation (IMI).

A £100 million investment, the IMI will be a place at the heart of Southampton General Hospital where clinicians, scientists, engineers and data specialists will work together under one roof, to tackle diseases like cancer and dementia faster, so more lives can be saved and improved.

“The Institute for Medical Innovation represents a once-in-a-generation chance to transform medical research, bringing new technologies to bear on the healthcare challenges that matter most to patients and society.”

Professor Paul Elkington, Director of the Institute for Medical Innovation

The IMI will focus its efforts on five major disease areas that touch almost every family: cancer, dementia, sight loss, infection, and respiratory and allergic conditions. While these conditions seem distinct, they are united by a common thread: a misfiring immune system and an urgent need for more research.

Southampton holds internationally recognised leadership and expertise in each of these fields. Because discoveries in these areas frequently overlap – particularly through immune-related pathways – the cross-disciplinary approach of the IMI will amplify our impact.

Finding solutions to these health challenges increasingly depends on our ability to combine clinical expertise with powerful new technologies capable of analysing vast amounts of health and biological data. By uncovering patterns that would otherwise remain invisible, researchers can develop earlier diagnoses, more effective treatments and ultimately improve lives.

The Institute will house purpose-built facilities, with brand new transformative kit, designed to support discovery, innovation and translation. These include: 

The largest Biomedical Imaging Unit on the South Coast

Twelve specialist laboratories equipped with advanced imaging technologies, including X-ray, light and electron microscopy, enabling researchers to examine biological samples in unprecedented detail.

A specialist MedTech Engineering Laboratory

A dedicated space where medics and engineering can work side-by-side to design, develop and test new medical technologies, accelerating the translation of research into practical healthcare solutions.

A Digital Collaboration Hub

A secure environment that enables researchers to harness NHS and University data resources, applying advanced analytics and artificial intelligence to address complex healthcare challenges.

A Category Level 3 Suite

Specialist facilities for the safe study of high-risk pathogens, strengthening Southampton’s ability to respond to future public health threats.

The Institute for Medical Innovation will occupy a unique position at the heart of one of the UK’s leading healthcare environments. Located on the University Hospital Southampton campus, and alongside Southampton’s world-renowned Centre for Cancer Immunology, the Institute will place researchers closer than ever to the patients they serve.

This proximity is more than a matter of convenience; it has the power to transform the pace of medical discovery. By connecting laboratory research directly with clinical practice, the Institute will enable a continuous flow of knowledge between scientists, clinicians and patients. Researchers will have rapid access to clinical expertise, patient samples and real-world insights, helping to accelerate the journey from discovery to diagnosis, treatment and improved patient outcomes.

This “bedside to bench and back again” approach ensures that patients remain at the centre of every stage of the research process. It creates an environment where scientific breakthroughs can be translated into tangible benefits more quickly, bringing new hope to those affected by some of the most challenging health conditions of our time.

Just as importantly, the Institute will help nurture the next generation of scientific leaders. Within a shared environment designed for collaboration, PhD students and early-career researchers will learn alongside experienced clinicians, academics and innovators, gaining invaluable experience and developing the skills needed to drive future advances in healthcare.

The University has already committed half of the funding to deliver this transformational £100m project by 2030, and work is underway. However, we urgently need to raise the remaining £50m to help this campaign reach its full potential.

By supporting the IMI, our community will help build the very best laboratories, provide collaborative spaces where people can think differently, and attract outstanding global researchers.

Thanks to you, we have done it before – raising £27m to open the Centre for Cancer Immunology in 2018. Now, we can scale up our research and save and improve more lives. Together we can create a brighter tomorrow, today.