Former Google boss among latest backers of Stockport-based health research database

Stockport-based health research database, UK Biobank, has secured £16 million in donations, match-funded by the UK government, including from former CEO and Chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt.

UK Biobank is a world-leading biomedical database, containing in-depth genetic and health information from half a million UK volunteers. Approved researchers can access the data to further their advances in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Former CEO and Chairman of Google Eric Schmidt, and Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel and founder of Griffin Catalyst have been announced as the first members of a new consortium that will shape UK Biobank’s future, and have together donated £16 million. The government will match philanthropic and private contributions up to £25 million.

Donations will fund the expansion of the organisation’s health data, and enable new research, such as deploying AI analysis to draw new insights from large datasets.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Michelle Donelan said:

“UK Biobank is one of the jewels in the crown of UK science, making an unparalleled contribution to improving everyone’s health through the sheer scale of information it puts at researchers’ fingertips. 

“We are determined to ensure that it can continue to support life-changing breakthroughs, combining with new technologies like AI to help those suffering from arthritis, dementia and more. But this is about more than just putting up public funding: I want to unlock a new wave of private and philanthropic donations, right across our science and tech sectors. To have 2 titans of business such as Eric Schmidt and Ken Griffin join us at the start of this exciting journey is testament to our scientific capabilities.”

Citadel Founder and CEO Ken Griffin said: 

“UK Biobank is revolutionizing our understanding and treatment of disease. I am honored to support this groundbreaking initiative to advance scientific discoveries, improve public health and save lives.”

Eric Schmidt, former CEO and chairman of Google said: 

“Scientific advancements have the potential to bring profound transformations to humanity for generations to come. It is vital that we cultivate an environment that fosters and supports revolutionary applications of science and technology, such as UK Biobank, while creating opportunities for further innovation for public benefit.”

Professor Sir Rory Collins, Chief Executive Officer and Principal Investigator of UK Biobank, said:  

“It is 15 years since we first saw our incredible half a million volunteers for their baseline assessments, with most of our participants engaging in follow-up analyses. It is down to the dedication and altruism of each of our volunteers that we have been able to grow UK Biobank into the world’s most comprehensive database for scientific and health related research.  

“We are immensely grateful for today’s funding, which will allow us to pilot new projects that will add further depth to our already rich goldmine of data for scientific researchers everywhere. UK Biobank data has already resulted in over 9,000 peer-reviewed papers, including studies looking into cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, depression, tinnitus and heart disease. The research that we are helping to power is generating evidence which is relevant to everyone, from patients and carers to healthcare providers and practitioners everywhere.”