Qualcomm's president will donate $10 million to help build a research building on UC San Diego's medical campus in La Jolla, the university announced today.
Steve Altman and his wife Lisa have pledged the money toward the Altman Clinical and Transnational Research Institute building, which will provide labs and clinical research space for studying diseases and finding ways to treat them, according to UCSD.
The Altmans made the gift in part because their 21-year-old son has type 1 diabetes and because the disease runs in their family, Lisa Altman said.
"Our teenage daughter tested positive for certain antibodies, so we have also been living for years with the realization that she is likely to contract the disease,'' she said. "It is of critical importance to us and so many other families that a cure for type 1 diabetes be found.''
The family currently travels to San Francisco for experimental therapy for their son and said they want to provide a space for that type of treatment in San Diego.
We know how difficult it is to see a disease change the life of one's own child, and we are pleased that we can play a small role in helping UC San Diego bring together the resources needed to help cure type 1 diabetes and so many other diseases that impact our community and the world,'' Steve Altman said.
Groundbreaking for the building is scheduled for 2012, and the building is expected to be finished in 2016, according to UCSD. Construction costs are estimated at $269 million, and will mostly be paid for with external funding.
