The campaign for Imperial's School of Public Health

Transforming Health

Spring 2021

A moment of exceptional opportunity

Join us as we work to transform the health of communities both on our doorstep and all around the world.

Launched in 2018, the fundraising campaign for Imperial’s School of Public Health seeks to raise £100 million to create a state-of-the art hub for health and wellbeing research, outstanding education and community engagement at White City.

The campaign comes at a moment of exceptional opportunity. Technological innovation, big data and advances in scientific knowledge hold great potential for addressing some of our most intractable health challenges, from the containment of deadly infectious disease, to the prevention of childhood obesity and the treatment of dementia and other age-related conditions.

Researchers from our world-leading School of Public Health are pushing these new frontiers, working with local communities, the National Health Service, local authorities, colleagues from across Imperial and organisations around the world. At the same time, Imperial is re-imagining the university at its White City Campus, deepening relationships with its neighbours and nurturing a thriving ecosystem that supports collaboration across disciplinary boundaries.

The £100 million campaign will enable us to deliver a state-of-the-art building at White City, support our academic leaders and degree programmes, and expand our research into current and emerging public health challenges.

We invite you to join us in seizing this moment.

The campaign

In our campaign for the School of Public Health we define public health as the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life and improving health.

The School of Public Health at Imperial’s White City Campus is founded on collaboration and partnerships within our community, with clinicians, with researchers here and around the world, and with visionary donors who share our commitment to health and wellbeing.

Activity at the School will:

Pursue an integrated, holistic, and multidisciplinary approach focusing on prevention and intervention.
Span the continuum between physical and mental health.
Use the power of data and technology to understand population health and bring health innovations to those who need them most.
Apply what we learn from global health in our local community and use local knowledge to be more effective globally.
Educate the public health leaders of the future through cutting-edge learning techniques and a population and person-centred approach.

We have already raised over £57 million towards our £100 million goal.

Since its 2018 launch, the campaign has attracted significant philanthropic support. A donation of £25 million from Marit Mohn established the Mohn Centre for Children’s Health and Wellbeing, where researchers will tackle the health threats affecting children in London, the UK, and beyond. Gifts from Humphrey Battcock and anonymous donors, totalling £3.5 million, are enabling Imperial to convene Europe’s largest grouping of researchers working on air pollution and health. In partnership with Community Jameel, Imperial in 2019 established the Jameel Institute, a major new initiative which unites expertise in data analytics and epidemiology, to improve understanding of diseases and health emergencies in the most vulnerable populations across the globe.

The founding of the Jameel Institute was announced in 2019. President Alice Gast is shown here with Hassan and Fady Jameel, Vice Chairmen of Community Jameel.

The founding of the Jameel Institute was announced in 2019. President Alice Gast is shown here with Hassan and Fady Jameel, Vice Chairmen of Community Jameel.

The White City ecosystem

Imperial’s White City Campus is a place where world class academics, corporate partners, entrepreneurs and the local community can work together, share ideas and turn cutting-edge research into benefits for society. The School of Public Health will both enhance and draw strength from this thriving, collaborative environment. There is no better place to transform local and global community health.

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View aerial footage of the site

A home for world-leading research

Philanthropic support will transform and amplify work in four key areas: world health, life-long health, community health and policy, and children’s health and wellbeing.

World health

Disease knows no borders. Taking a global view, we are combining advanced data science and medical expertise to treat, control and prevent disease, and reduce health inequality around the world.

In recent decades, we have seen the impact of public health research and policy on world health outcomes. Global average life expectancy has increased by five years since 2000, the fastest increase since the 1960s. In the same period, we have seen deaths from malaria fall by more than 25 per cent, and HIV has become a disease that can be managed with treatment. Today, researchers in the School of Public Health continue to deepen our understanding of disease. We apply cutting-edge machine learning and statistical methodology to understand the associations between genes and disease and the features that drive disease dynamics and progression. Our fundamental research into the population ecology and evolution of parasites helps us to understand the determinants of infectious disease outbreaks.

This vital research shapes our focus on the prevention of disease. For non-communicable diseases like heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease this requires large-scale studies to understand the barriers to behaviour and lifestyle change, as well as close collaboration with healthcare practitioners, policymakers, non-governmental organisations and patients.

For infectious disease, we are leaders in the development of new vaccines, and our research evaluates the public health impact and cost effectiveness of vaccinations against COVID-19, malaria and yellow fever, Ebola, HPV, HIV and polio.

Where we still lack the knowledge and resources to prevent diseases, Imperial researchers are at the forefront of their treatment and management. Our research informs the management of infectious disease outbreaks and we are at the front line of efforts to address and manage emerging health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recent advances in data availability and affordable high-performance computing mean that mathematical models of disease now offer the potential to provide predictive, quantitative analyses of alternative disease control and treatment strategies. These analyses are the foundation for a new era of evidence-based public health policy.”
Professor Neil Ferguson, Director of the Jameel Institute and MRC-GIDA

Professor Majid Ezzati talks about non-communicable disease, health inequality, and why this is an exciting time for public health research at Imperial.

Dr Katharina Hauck talks about her research in health economics and the economics of infectious diseases.

The opportunity
The campaign for the School of Public Health will enable the School’s leading world health researchers to be located together, in a dedicated building, for the first time. Philanthropy will provide space and technology to underpin new research collaborations and the expansion of the School’s renowned Master’s in Public Health, including an online programme accessible to students anywhere in the world.

Health care workers wearing preparing to decontaminate a home during the 2014 Ebola epidemic. Imperial researchers provided the official figures used by the WHO to manage the international response. Image:
Corporal Paul Shaw/MOD

Professor Neil Ferguson is Director of the Jameel Institute, which has helped to inform the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, both in the UK and internationally.

Life-long health

It’s not just about adding years to life, but also life to years. Our research is giving more people the chance to live actively and independently into old age.

Worldwide, people are living longer than ever before. But gains in life expectancy are not matched by improvements in health. Millions of older people experience long-term conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and dementia that limit their independence and enjoyment of life.

With no cure for dementia yet available, early diagnosis and prevention is key. We run large-scale studies that track the cognitive health of participants over an extended period of time, before any symptoms appear. This gives us unique insight into risk and protective factors for neurodegenerative disease, which can inform methods for early detection and prevention. From diagnostic tests for Alzheimer’s that detect changes in the back of the eye that are associated with early-stage disease, to evidence of the protective effect of lifestyle changes in middle age, our research has clinical and policy impact.

Although genetic factors play a part, how healthy we are in old age is largely shaped by our experiences throughout life. Imperial researchers are unpicking the complex causes of common diseases of old age to identify what factors put us at greater risk of ill health in later life. From pioneering work on the long-term health impact of biomolecular changes caused by poverty in childhood, to research into sex-specific factors that shape women’s health over the life course, our work provides policymakers with new evidence on how to promote healthy living and healthy ageing.

Our expertise is shaping care for older people. From international studies that predict future life expectancy around the globe, to the use of biomarkers to improve forecasting of the number of people with dementia in the future, our research gives policymakers the tools to plan for future care needs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Imperial researchers showed how government guidelines put more than 7 million people aged over 60 at risk, by recommending that only the over-70s shield themselves.

Making a difference, and improving health worldwide, requires input from a diverse range of disciplines. Academic collaboration is not just a ‘nice to have’, it is essential. Corridor conversations with colleagues can provide the starting point and impetus for thinking big and developing large-scale initiatives to address global challenges.”
Professor Robyn Norton, Acting Executive Director of the George Institute for Global Health UK

Professor Robyn Norton introduces her work in women's health and the opportunities that partnerships within the School of Public provide.

The opportunity
With philanthropic support, we can take our research on health through the life-course to the next level. Additional research capacity will enable us to expand existing projects focusing on dementia and to begin major new activity in women’s health, in collaboration with the George Institute UK. At the White City Campus, we can translate our findings into recommendations that will enable people to live longer, healthier lives in the UK and internationally.

Work at the School of Public Health is aimed at improving health throughout life, by providing treatments, interventions and prevention plans for disease.

Professor Robyn Norton is Acting Executive Director of the George Institute for Global Health UK and leads an international programme to promote women’s health, emphasising gender differences in non-infectious diseases and health issues particular to women.

Community health and policy

Communities are at the heart of public health. From White City to West Africa, from the young to the elderly, we are devising and delivering tailored care, education and prevention programmes to support all communities.

Improving the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities through prevention, intervention and policy is central to the mission of public health research.

The health of hundreds of millions of people worldwide has been improved over time thanks to vaccination programmes, policy initiatives and the dissemination of research findings to the public. At the School of Public Health, we are leading the way in tackling the major health challenges of this and future generations, such as COVID-19, obesity, air pollution, and diseases of ageing, including dementia. We use our expertise and extensive networks to improve the physical and mental health of communities – locally, nationally and around the world.

The insights of general practitioners and primary care professionals working at a community level can have global impact. We work closely with GPs, NHS partners, industry, local authorities, overseas governments and universities to improve public health and primary care through high-quality research, training and advocacy. We are preventing disease by better understanding conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease and combining the discovery of risk factors with prevention and education programmes in the community. We use our expertise in data science to harness the power of routinely collected health data in the improvement of healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.

We provide the evidence base for more effective interventions at population level, from finding the links between cancer and environmental factors worldwide, to the evaluation of policies aimed at reducing smoking, child obesity and air pollution.

With bold, realistic and moral leadership, there is enormous potential to reduce air pollution and end its toll on our health. We have never been so well equipped to tackle this profoundly important set of challenges. Imperial is the ideal place to reshape research and policy to improve our quality of life."
Professor Frank Kelly, Battcock Chair in Community Health and Policy

Professor Frank Kelly talks about why he brought his Environmental Research Group to Imperial's School of Public Health.

The opportunity
The campaign for the School of Public Health is a landmark moment in Imperial’s commitment to the White City community. With space for collaboration with patients and the public, the School of Public Health will bring cutting-edge research expertise to the public health challenges that affect our community. What we learn from our work in White City will have global implications for health and wellbeing.

Children from White City take part in a 'Science and Sport Day', hosted by Imperial and the Queens Park Rangers football club. Imperial works closely with our White City partners, from schools and GP practices to local businesses and sporting teams, to improve the health of our community.

A new Centre for Air Pollution Research led by Professor Frank Kelly, Battcock Chair in Community Health and Policy, will offer a suite of advanced laboratories for aerosol and toxicology research, plus dedicated space for cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Children’s health and wellbeing

All children deserve the best chances in life. By preventing chronic disease and infection in the early years of life, we are ensuring future generations have every opportunity to thrive and succeed.

The effects of disease, lifestyle and social disadvantage in childhood and infancy are felt throughout life, often becoming apparent only in old age.

By understanding genetic and lifestyle risk factors, and by intervening early in life to prevent disease and improve child health, public health research can alter the trajectory of the whole life course. Researchers in the School of Public Health are looking at how early interventions in childhood can reduce the risk of individuals developing chronic diseases.

We are exploring new ways of tackling excess weight in children, including by improving the way that obesity is measured and piloting new web-based tools to help clinicians. Our work on respiratory diseases like asthma uses birth cohort data and statistical machine learning to identify genetic and environmental risk factors, ultimately informing the development of new drugs.

Working with clinicians, local authorities and local community organisations, we are developing a combined approach to mental and physical health in children. One new project is exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of adolescents in the UK. Working with 5,000 London teenagers, researchers will look at what factors promote resilience to any mental health problems caused by the pandemic, and whether changes in use of digital technology, such as social media usage, during the pandemic have had a positive or negative impact on mental health. In White City, we are leading a childhood obesity intervention that reaches children and young people in every aspect of their lives, from the playground to the place of worship.

Donations make a huge difference to our research capacity and, for the Mohn Centre, they can help change the direction of a child's life."
Professor Mireille Toledano, Mohn Chair in Population Child Health and Director of the Mohn Centre for Children’s Health and Wellbeing

Professor Mireille Toledano talks about the vision for the Mohn Centre and the importance of bringing everyone together at the White City Campus.

The opportunity
Imperial is internationally recognised for its expertise in the diseases of childhood. Our research is informing health policy and interventions, shaping vaccination programmes and leading to new treatments. At White City, we have an opportunity to connect this expertise with the community, learning directly from children and their families about their health needs, and developing solutions that will have a major impact on child health, not just in London, but around the world.

The iMprOVE study is investigating how initiatives like The Daily Mile, which encourages children to run or jog for 15 minutes daily, impact the physical and mental health, wellbeing and educational attainment of primary school children. It will be the largest ever study of its kind.

Professor Mireille Toledano is Mohn Chair in Population Child Health and Director of the Mohn Centre for Children’s Health and Wellbeing. She is an epidemiologist with wide-ranging interests in the health effects of environmental exposures, particularly in the reproductive period and early life through to adolescence.

A state-of-the-art facility

The new School of Public Health building will be more than bricks and mortar. It will be a place for new ideas, new opportunities for working with a diverse community and new research that transforms health.

The main entrance to the School of Public Health, viewed from Wood Lane. At the new School, our world-leading public health researchers will be together under the same roof, making closer collaboration across teams and disciplines possible.

Located at Imperial’s White City Campus, the building will benefit from close proximity to our Molecular Sciences Research Hub, the Sir Michael Uren Building and Hammersmith Hospital.

Adaptable spaces can be configured for teaching, group work and meetings, with state-of-the-art technology to facilitate distance learning and telecommunications.

Communal social and breakout spaces will create opportunities for informal meetings, chance encounters and collaboration.

Engagement spaces will welcome members of the public and our community partners to workshops, events and consultations.

View of the main entrance to the new School of Public Health building.

A university embedded in the community

Working in partnership with the people we serve

Our work with our neighbours in White City is focused on respecting the talents and abilities of the people we are serving and amplifying the power of neighbourhood organisations to deliver impactful and lasting change.

In the field of public health, our roots in the White City community are strong and provide huge potential. The nearby Hammersmith Hospital, where the College has a major campus, has served the area for almost 100 years. We are working with both the NHS and local authorities to make improvements in healthcare delivery. We are lending our expertise in data analysis and evaluation to a consortium of local organisations, to deliver a programme designed to improve health literacy and lifestyle choices, serving more than 2,000 individuals most at risk of loneliness, social isolation and chronic disease.

In our wider work, Imperial has delivered events and programmes with national sports teams, youth and community clubs, charities and local authorities. The Invention Rooms, our flagship community space and point of entry for White City residents, provides workshops and hackspaces for our neighbours to work personally and directly with Imperial staff, students, alumni and partners to develop and test their creative ideas and share in the excitement of research and innovation.

These strong ties see Imperial uniquely placed to bring cutting-edge research expertise, and evidence-based solutions, to the public health challenges that affect our community most profoundly, creating a revolution in intervention, treatment and policy that will have both local and global impact.

The Reach Out Makerspace at the Invention Rooms is a unique immersive environment that provides young people with a space to experiment, design and innovate.

The Reach Out Makerspace at the Invention Rooms is a unique immersive environment that provides young people with a space to experiment, design and innovate.

Join us

Help tackle the greatest health challenges of our, and future, generations

Imperial’s £100 million fundraising campaign will create a new, innovative and interconnected School of Public Health at our White City Campus. All gifts at every level will help make this vision a reality.

Your support will enable us to create a ground-breaking multidisciplinary hub for leading research, education and community engagement in health and wellbeing. The new building will have collaborative, flexible and interactive spaces to bring together our academics, collaborators, students and the local community. The campaign will also support academic leadership through the creation of chairs and fellowships, and help educate and inspire the next generation of health leaders through new teaching programmes and scholarships.

However you choose to direct your support, you will be helping Imperial bring better health to people both on our doorstep and all around the world, for many years to come.

To discuss opportunities to support the campaign, please contact:

Angela Bowen
Director of Development – Faculty of Medicine and Global
angela.bowen@imperial.ac.uk
+44 (0)20 7594 1277