An online fundraising appeal for coronavirus (COVID-19) research at Oxford has raised more than £50,000 from over 200 individuals after launching just two weeks ago. The donations will be deployed immediately, boosting projects ranging from vaccine development to the delivery of new drugs to treat the virus.
The University is at the forefront of global efforts to understand and control the coronavirus pandemic, with around 135 principal investigators and 650 researchers, post-docs and students working around the clock to develop effective vaccines, drugs and public health measures.
Oxford is in a unique position to tackle the pandemic, but access to flexible funding is essential. Donations of all sizes will have an immediate impact on the University’s response to the crisis, filling gaps in funding to ensure that clinical trials can continue, that supply lines keep moving, and that researchers are able to work at both speed and scale.
Gavin Screaton, Head of the Medical Sciences Division at the University, says: ‘I am deeply grateful to everyone who has made a donation to the University of Oxford’s coronavirus appeal. Hundreds of Oxford’s scientists are leading their specialist research groups to help the world respond to this serious and unprecedented health challenge.
‘Oxford has incredible scientific capacity to make critical discoveries and is already producing valuable tools and insights. We have a vaccine and drugs in trials now, are working on design and production of ventilators and on real-time tracking to help people manage their exposure to risk. Your donations are enabling our response to be as effective and swift as possible, and to save lives.
‘Whilst we are receiving support from the government and foundations, philanthropic donations of any size are truly vital in enabling us to be agile, and to accelerate innovative and time-critical research without delay. The appeal is open and every gift we receive moves us one step closer to success.’
To support Oxford’s COVID-19 research effort, please make a gift to the appeal today.
Further information about the work being undertaken across the University can be found on the coronavirus microsite.