On Oct. 9, 2007, the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT was established with a $100 million gift from MIT alumnus David H. Koch.

The Koch Institute building houses faculty members from the Department of Biology (formerly in the MIT Center for Cancer Research) with faculty members drawn from a variety of departments in the MIT School of Engineering in one physical location.

The new collaborative research model was the first to bring cancer biologists and chemists together with biological, chemical, mechanical, and materials science engineers, computer scientists, clinicians, and others to develop new insights into cancer, as well as new tools and technologies to better treat, diagnose and prevent the disease.

Fresh perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches accelerated the development innovative platform technologies for cancer detection and treatment, novel materials for drug delivery and tumor monitoring, pioneering approaches to gene editing and cancer modeling, and systems-based approaches to assess the mechanisms of biological phenomena and drug response.

Rooted in MIT’s vibrant culture of discovery and innovation, the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research now serves as a model for other cancer centers across the country and around the world.