Swiss philanthropy Fondation Botnar has launched a new research institute in Basel to help advance work on global child and adoscelent health. 

The Botnar Institute of Immune Engineering will focus on developing immune-based diagnostics and therapeutics to help address gaps in advanced healthcare technologies. 

Fondation Botnar is supporting the research facility with an endowment of $1 billion over 15 years.  

The engineering centre will partner with the University of Oxford in the UK as it increases its capacity. 

A bespoke facility is to be built and opened in by 2027.  

Dr Alexander Schulze, previously the interim CEO of Fondation Botnar at the time of the announcement, says the science-based endowment is ‘in line with our mission to improve the wellbeing of young people.’ 

‘With this investment in an independent institute that provides cutting-edge research in immune engineering, not only we continue the Botnar family’s frequent support of biomedical research, but also firmly believe to make a difference in the translation of scientific innovation into healthcare practice,’ he adds. 

Shafi Musaddique is the news editor of Alliance magazine