An historical day for The Francis Crick Institute
11 October 2011
Two more of the world’s best universities join the partnership behind The Francis Crick Institute as a time capsule is buried under the building site.
King’s College London and Imperial College London have become part of the project to create the world-leading medical research institute in central London founded by the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, the Wellcome Trust and UCL (University College London). The Institute will have a distinctive vision of how medical and scientific research will be conducted. Its work will focus on understanding the underlying causes of health and disease and accelerating discoveries made in the laboratory into the clinic.
The signing ceremony followed the burial of a time capsule at the site of the Institute at St Pancras and Somers Town in London witnessed by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, the science minister David Willetts MP, and the Director and Chief Executive of The Francis Crick Institute Sir Paul Nurse. Francis Crick’s daughter Gabrielle, accompanied by several members of the Crick family, buried the time capsule.
The brass capsule, placed 12 metres under the foundations of the Institute, is not expected to be unearthed for decades to come. It contains letters from world-leading scientists and local children’s artwork as well as photographs and memorabilia.
David Willetts, the Universities and Science Minister said:
“The UK has a proud record of scientific achievement built on the work of great institutions like those involved in The Francis Crick Institute. It’s been a great honour to contribute to the time capsule being buried today. The Institute will maintain our country’s leading position in biomedical research and help translate the findings into benefits for patients and the economy.”
The Director and Chief Executive of The Francis Crick Institute, Sir Paul Nurse, said:
“This is a symbolic moment. In this time capsule, we are making clear our aspirations for the Institute to future generations who will be the final judges on whether we have succeeded in this extraordinary endeavour. With the accession of Imperial and King's to the partnership, we will have an opportunity to work with many of the best scientists and clinicians in the world. We hope that together they will improve lives and help deliver the innovations that will bring long-lasting benefits to the economy and people's health.”
Once the time capsule was buried on the site, Imperial College London and King's College London formally joined the partnership at a ceremony at the Wellcome Trust's offices in London.
Notes to editors:
For more information, please contact John Davidson at The Francis Crick Institute on 020 7611 2087 or email press@crick.ac.uk.
Event images to be made available on request.
Cancer Research UK’s Create the change campaign is inviting the UK and the world’s leading philanthropists to drive forward medical research and raise £100m towards the Francis Crick Institute by 2015. To find out more about the Create The Change campaign and supporting it with a major gift, please visit
The Francis Crick Institute will be a world-leading centre of biomedical research and innovation. It will promote connections between researchers, between disciplines, and between academic institutions, healthcare organisations and businesses. Dedicated to research excellence, the institute will have the scale, vision and expertise to tackle the most challenging scientific questions underpinning health and disease.
Due to open in 2015, The Francis Crick Institute is a charity supported by the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, the Wellcome Trust, UCL (University College London), Imperial College London and King’s College London. It will be world-class with a strong national role – training scientists and developing ideas for public good.
The institute will initially build on the complementary skills and research interests of two of the founders' research institutes, the MRC National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) and the Cancer Research UK London Research Institute (LRI), together with scientists from UCL, Imperial and King’s focusing on physics, computing, engineering, imaging and chemistry.
- NIMR is renowned for its research in a diverse range of fields, including developmental and stem cell biology, structural biology, neuroscience, immunology and infectious disease. Its 600 scientific staff are based in laboratories in north London at Mill Hill. NIMR's director is Jim Smith.
- LRI has an international reputation for basic cancer biology research, focusing on cell regulation and signalling, tumour and tissue biology, and genomic integrity. Directed by Richard Treisman, LRI has some 500 scientists working at laboratories at Lincoln's Inn Fields, central London and Clare Hall, Hertfordshire.
In addition to funding the cost of building the institute, the founders will provide ongoing research support. The Wellcome Trust will fund interdisciplinary research spanning biology, chemistry, physics, maths and engineering.
Imperial College London consistently rated amongst the world's best universities, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research that attracts 14,000 students and 6,000 staff of the highest international quality. Innovative research at the College explores the interface between science, medicine, engineering and business, delivering practical solutions that improve quality of life and the environment - underpinned by a dynamic enterprise culture.
Since its foundation in 1907, Imperial's contributions to society have included the discovery of penicillin, the development of holography and the foundations of fibre optics. This commitment to the application of research for the benefit of all continues today, with current focuses including interdisciplinary collaborations to improve global health, tackle climate change, develop sustainable sources of energy and address security challenges.
In 2007, Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust formed the UK's first Academic Health Science Centre. This unique partnership aims to improve the quality of life of patients and populations by taking new discoveries and translating them into new therapies as quickly as possible.
King's College London is one of the top 30 universities in the world (2011/12 QS World University Rankings), and the fourth oldest in England. A research-led university based in the heart of London, King's has nearly 23,500 students (of whom more than 9,000 are graduate students) from nearly 140 countries, and some 6,000 employees. King's is in the second phase of a £1 billion redevelopment programme which is transforming its estate.
King's has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise for British universities, 23 departments were ranked in the top quartile of British universities; over half of our academic staff work in departments that are in the top 10 per cent in the UK in their field and can thus be classed as world leading. The College is in the top seven UK universities for research earnings and has an overall annual income of nearly £450 million.
King's has a particularly distinguished reputation in the humanities, law, the sciences (including a wide range of health areas such as psychiatry, medicine, nursing and dentistry) and social sciences including international affairs. It has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped modern life, such as the discovery of the structure of DNA and research that led to the development of radio, television, mobile phones and radar. It is the largest centre for the education of healthcare professionals in Europe; no university has more Medical Research Council Centres.
King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts are part of King's Health Partners. King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) is a pioneering global collaboration between one of the world's leading research-led universities and three of London's most successful NHS Foundation Trusts, including leading teaching hospitals and comprehensive mental health services. For more information, visit: www.kingshealthpartners.org
The Mayor of London and the London Development Agency played critical role in supporting project partners, Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, University College London & Wellcome Trust, to initiate this project and secure the funding to purchase the site.
