The Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre to be operational in June 2022
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, March 29, 2022
The University of Glasgow has honoured John Shaw, former Vice-Chairman of Biocon, and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson of Biocon and Biocon Biologics, by naming the University’s new research centre after them.
The Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre will be home to over 500 researchers from a range of disciplines, facilitating world changing collaborative research. The £116 million building will officially open in June 2022.
Mr John Shaw, who is a Glasgow University graduate, along with his wife Ms Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw had gifted $7.5 million to the University in July 2019. Their donation has been used to set up a new research hub within the University campus and to create a Professorial Chair, the Mazumdar-Shaw Chair of Molecular Pathology. Their contribution to the University complements philanthropic investments made by them across the world, stimulating research and innovation and supporting education. The University wanted to recognise their generous contribution and commitment to support the science & innovation ecosystem in Glasgow and accordingly decided to name the Centre as The Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre.
Ms Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said: ”John and I are honoured to have this fantastic research facility bear our name. The decision to gift to Glasgow was easy, we both feel very strongly that there is a responsibility to share wealth to make a difference. The ARC is about catalysing change in research and that resonates with us. Philanthropy can be a catalyst for change, growth, improvement and development. We are both grateful that we are in the fortunate position to contribute to John’s alma mater and help the University achieve its aspirational goals.”
The University’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, said: “We are really grateful to John and Kiran and we wanted to ensure that this extraordinarily generous gift was recognised appropriately. The Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre is on its way to becoming operational. It is an incredibly exciting time on campus; every week more researchers are moving in, and this summer the ARC will fully open its doors to the wider community. The global challenges that we face require team approaches and collaboration across disciplines, and this unique environment will encourage and support interdisciplinary research breakthroughs. The relationship we have with John and Kiran is a fantastic example of how a university can work with its communities to make a real difference in the world. Through our partnership, we are building on the University’s work with Biocon to explore initiatives such as joint PhDs which provide industry experience and help solve real world problems.”
The $7.5 million donation was used to help fund the building of the Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre and create a Professorial Chair, the Mazumdar-Shaw Chair of Molecular Pathology.
Mr John Shaw is an alumnus of the University of Glasgow, where he completed his M.A. (Hons.) in History and Political Economy in 1970. He was educated at Glasgow High School. As Vice-Chairman and a key member of the management team, he contributed majorly to the transformation of Biocon from a small enzymes company to a globally recognized biopharmaceutical company. In his 22 years at Biocon, he played an important role in building Biocon, ensuring the highest levels of corporate governance in the Company, as well as, contributing to the financial and strategic development of the Group. He also worked for over 30 years with Coats Viyella Plc, serving in financial and general management positions in Latin America, Africa and Europe. He was Chairman of Madura Coats Ltd from 1991-98.
Ms Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is a pioneering biotech entrepreneur, a healthcare visionary, a global influencer, and a passionate philanthropist. She holds key positions in various industry, educational, government and professional bodies. She was elected full-term member of the Board of Trustees of the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), U.S., in 2018 and as a Member of the National Academy of Engineering, U.S., in 2019. She is also among the earliest Indian signatories to the Giving Pledge, a global commitment to dedicate majority of her wealth to philanthropy. Follow her on twitter: @kiranshaw
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