$6 Million in Philanthropic Gifts Establishes UVA Biotech Innovation Fund

The University of Virginia Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology received gifts totaling $6 million from philanthropists to establish the UVA Biotech Innovation Fund. This fund will provide long-term support for the UVA SPARK Innovative Medicines program, helping accelerate promising discoveries toward new treatments and cures.

“The mission of the UVA Manning Institute of Biotechnology is to transform science into medicines,” said Mark T. Esser, Chief Scientific Officer and inaugural Head of the Manning Institute. “This gift will accelerate our work to turn innovative discoveries into medicines that help patients.”

The UVA Biotech Innovation Fund will serve as a sustainable source of support for the SPARK program. The Manning Institute hosts an annual SPARK Tank competition for UVA faculty and students to pitch their innovative scientific breakthroughs. As part of the SPARK program, researchers receive critical resources, mentorship, and strategic support to advance science to medicines to improve human health.

The aim of the annual SPARK Tank competition is to identify and invest in some of the most promising discoveries. Winners receive funding to help them navigate the critical gap between discovery and clinical application which is often the greatest challenge in biotech innovation. This gap is referred to as the “translational valley of death”. The Manning Institute was created to help bridge this gap by combining industry expertise and drug development resources to move discoveries closer to commercialization and clinical impact.

“Coming out of our inaugural SPARK Tank competition, we are now funding a pipeline of 12 potential medicines in brain, colorectal, ovarian, skin and prostate cancers, atrial fibrillation, immunology, infection diseases, Alzheimer's, Type 1 diabetes and a pediatric rare neurological disorder,” said Brian Wamhoff, Chief Strategy and Business Officer and Director of SPARK at the Manning Institute. “Each of these programs has the real potential to become a medicine and the Manning Institute and SPARK will bring the rigor necessary to move the science through translational valley of death.”

The inaugural SPARK Tank competition, held August 2026, attracted strong interest from researchers across UVA and resulted in the selection of several high-potential projects spanning multiple therapeutic areas. The new fund will ensure that future cohorts have access to the financial, project management and regulatory resources needed to transform science into medicines for patients.

At the heart of the SPARK program is the Manning Institute’s mission to accelerate science into medicines by fostering innovation, creating a biotechnology ecosystem via new jobs and companies, and educating the next generation of biotechnology leaders, to benefit patients, Virginia, and beyond.

The gift further strengthens the vision established by Paul and Diane Manning through their landmark investment in the Manning Institute and reinforces UVA’s commitment to becoming a national leader in biotechnology innovation. By supporting researchers at the key earliest stages of drug discovery and development, the UVA Biotech Innovation Fund will help create a pipeline of new medicines to improve and save lives. Help accelerate the next generation of medicines by investing in the fund and supporting innovative discoveries that have the potential to transform patients' lives. Consider supporting the Manning Institute’s mission and donate to the fund here.