Speed & Scale · company → industry
Paul & Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology
The single largest bet UVA has made on translation.
~$400Mtotal raised
350Ksquare feet
2027doors open
Overview
A four-story, 350,000-square-foot institute for research, GMP manufacturing, clinical trials and patient care. It topped out in October 2025, opens in 2027, and is already operating virtually — including an AstraZeneca master research collaboration signed in January 2026.
- Five therapeutic areas: oncology, immunology, neurology, cardiovascular & metabolic, infectious disease
- cGMP bioprocess manufacturing for cell and gene therapy at scale
- BRITE — Biomanufacturing Research & Integrated Training Environment
- Funding: $100M Manning · $100M Commonwealth · $150M UVA · $50M in 2025 gifts
Leadership
Mark Esser, Ph.D.Chief Scientific Officer and Head
Mark Weathers, MBAChief Operating Officer
Brian Wamhoff, Ph.D.Chief Strategy & Business Officer
In the news
All storiesBiotechnology · January 2026
AstraZeneca signs a master research collaboration with the Manning InstituteThe Paul & Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology is already operating — a year before its doors open.
Connected across the map
Speed & ScaleFontaine Park54 acresTranslationManning SPARK6 × $50,000The SchoolsMedicine46% of all venturesThe NationNational industry & VCAstraZeneca · RA Capital · DroiaThe CommonwealthLife Sciences Package$66.7M + $100M matchSpeed & ScaleInnovation CorridorStrategy and ExecutionThe CommonwealthVirginia Catalyst$40M · 75 grantsThe NationNIH$203M to UVA · #36