UC San Francisco Takes In $1.6 Billion

UC San Francisco has raised $1.6 billion in seven years, the largest amount reaped by any fundraising campaign in the campus’ history, officials announced Thursday.

The money will aid stem cell, cancer and HIV/AIDS research and relieve crowding on the campus. Nearly $300 million will go toward the construction of a 43-acre Mission Bay campus south of downtown San Francisco.

The campaign, which exceeded its target of $1.4 billion, was established in 1998 as budgets were being slashed, healthcare costs were rising and buildings were becoming more and more decrepit and overcrowded. California funds 9% of UCSF’s yearly budget.

UCSF is the only University of California campus that principally focuses on healthcare sciences. The campus has schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry and pharmacy.

The campaign will provide:

* $54 million for basic science research.

* $35 million to help build a cancer research building, scheduled to open in 2008.

* $28 million to study slowing the spread of AIDS in Africa, from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

* $17 million to study the nationwide nursing shortage.

* $12 million to support stem cell research and the campus’ new Institute for Stem Cell and Tissue Biology.

UCSF’s campaign ends as other universities, particularly public campuses, run multibillion-dollar private fundraising efforts as funds from state governments decline.