Imperial College London has announced a $67 million (£40 million) gift from alumnus Michael Uren ('43), founder of Civil and Marine Ltd., toward construction of a biomedical engineering center.

To be located on the college's new twenty-five-acre research and innovation campus in west London, the Michael Uren Biomedical Engineering Hub will house research facilities for the development of affordable technologies that address a diverse range of medical conditions. The facility, which will enable engineers, scientists, and clinicians to work alongside newly incubated companies, will include clinical areas designed to provide patients with direct access to innovations in health care.

"From our original narrow focus on joint disease and its huge societal burden, we are expanding to address other areas where human tissues fail," said Justin Cobb, director of the MSk Lab at Imperial College. "Engineering is now essential in this enterprise — it encompasses everything from writing computer code for neurotechnology devices to the 3D bio-printing of replacement parts. The Michael Uren Biomedical Engineering Hub will create the environment where we work together to engineer these solutions. Our challenge is that of affordable health care — restoring patients' quality of life at a sustainable cost. The benefits of this donation will be felt for generations."