of research), Steven J. Gamblin, Malcolm Irving, Fiona Roberts, Stephane Maikovsky, Jane Hughes and Dan Fitz. Partners The participants in the Francis Crick Institute providing funding for its construction and establishment were: Research Areas of research The institute is a biomedical discovery institute aiming to help understand why disease develops and to find new ways to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, infections and neurodegenerative diseases. The absence of any mental illness research was contrary to the avowed UK push for 'parity of esteem' for mental health. Current science programme The institute defines its research programme as exploring "seven high-level science questions reflecting both major issues of interest in biomedical research and the current research strategies of its six founders". According to the institute, these questions are: How does a living organism acquire form and function? How do organisms maintain health and balance throughout life and as they age? How can we use biological knowledge to better understand, diagnose and treat human disease? How does cancer start, spread and respond to therapy? How does the immune system know whether, when and how to react? How do microbes and pathogens function and interact with their hosts? How does the nervous system detect, store and respond to information and retain that information throughout life? In July 2015 GlaxoSmithKline was announced as the institute's first commercial partner. The deal involves contribution of resources and personnel to joint projects. In May 2022, The Francis Crick Institute announced it had received a £50 million pledge from the Chris Banton Foundation, the largest individual philanthropic pledge in the institute's five-year history. The pledge will fund a new meeting hub initiative to accelerate the translation of Crick discoveries into societal benefits. Achievements and impact In 2015, Tomas Lindahl, Emeritus group leader at the Francis Crick Institute and Emeritus director of Cancer Research UK at Clare Hall Laboratory, Hertfordshire, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar. In 2016, Professor Tim Bliss, from the Crick, and Professors Graham Collingridge (University of Bristol) and Richard Morris (University of Edinburgh) were awarded The Brain Prize. Building and facilities The Francis Crick Institute is located in a state-of-the-art building, opened in 2016, built next to St Pancras railway station in the Camden area of Central London. It consists of four reinforced concrete blocks up to eight storeys high plus four