Francis Crick Institute: something new for London

…Somers Town

I was in The Library next to St Pancras Station this morning and was intrigued by the new building emerging behind it. I went round to have a closer look and got quite excited when I discovered what the new building will be for. This is something entirely new for London.

‘The Francis Crick Institute will be an inter-disciplinary medical research institute. Its work will help understand why disease develops and find new ways to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses such as cancer, heart disease and stroke, infections, and neurodegenerative diseases.

By bringing together scientists from all disciplines, it will not only help to improve people's lives but will also keep this country at the forefront of innovation in medical research, attract high-value investment, and strengthen the economy.

The Francis Crick Institute is a consortium of six of the most successful scientific and academic organisations - the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research, the Wellcome Trust, UCL (University College London), Imperial College London and King's College London.

The organisations in the consortium will invest a total of around £650 million to establish the institute and to ensure that it is resourced to make a major impact when it opens in 2015.

When it is fully operational, the Francis Crick Institute will employ 1,500 staff, including 1,250 scientists, and have an operating budget of over £100 million a year.’