Further £5 million boost for Victor Phillip Michael Dahdaleh Heart and Lung Research Institute

With £1 million pledged to endowed PhD studentship at Trinity College

As a further commitment to global education and healthcare research, Dr Victor Phillip Dahdaleh has committed a further £5 million to support the Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart and Lung Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, taking his support for the Institute to £21 million over the past two years. 

The Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart and Lung Research Institute, which opened in 2023, houses over 450 staff from the University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals, and Royal Papworth Hospital, and is uniquely positioned to address complex cardiovascular and lung health challenges.

The new donation will significantly enhance the Institute’s capacity to conduct groundbreaking research to improve cardiovascular and lung health. The gift comprises £4 million towards a newly created endowment fund at the Institute.

A key focus of the endowment fund is to create opportunities for PhD students, Postdoctoral Fellows, Principal Investigators, and Professors, further cementing Cambridge’s position at the forefront of cardiovascular and lung research.

Additionally, Dr Dahdaleh has pledged £1 million to establish an endowed PhD studentship at Trinity College for a student working within the Institute.

Dr Dahdaleh said: “I am thrilled to further support this world-class Institute. My initial support for Cambridge focused on research into mesothelioma and then COVID during the pandemic. Since then, I have wanted to provide more support, given how many people each day suffer from heart and lung diseases. I would encourage others to also support the Institute’s work so that we can continue to transform care for all people facing these diseases. We are very proud that our support regularly attracts further matched or complementary funding.’

Professor Charlotte Summers, the Institute’s Director, expressed her gratitude: “Dr Dahdaleh’s extraordinary generosity will have a transformative impact on our ability to tackle the global challenges of cardiovascular and lung diseases. This endowment ensures we can continue to pursue innovative research and attract the brightest minds in the field.” 

Professor Dame Sally Davies, Master of Trinity College, commented: “We are immensely grateful for Dr Dahdaleh’s vision in establishing this studentship. It will undoubtedly attract exceptional talent and contribute to the advancement of heart and lung research at Cambridge.” 

For further information on the Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Foundation and its support for programmes in Global Health at York University in Toronto, in Genomic Medicine at McGill University in Montreal, Heart and Lung research at Imperial College, and Innovation in Health at St Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia is available here.