A gleaming new building in South Manchester pierces the skyline. But this is no ordinary tower block, no ordinary story of urban renewal.
It represents a remarkable story of hope over despair, of triumph over tragedy, and the future of cancer research in the north of England.
On the 26th of April 2017, disaster struck. For scientists and support staff at the Paterson Building in Withington – home to the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute and adjoining the world-renowned Christie Hospital – the day started out normal enough as scientists headed to the labs and began their experiments.
Then the fire alarms sounded.
At first, most assumed it might be a drill, though not a scheduled one. But within a couple of minutes, it became clear that it wasn’t. Outside, acrid smoke could be seen billowing from the building which was ablaze.
Around 100 firefighters were scrambled as stunned researchers poured onto the pavement outside. All they could do was look up and witness their work – in some cases projects that had been years in the making – being consumed by flames.
The Paterson building housed over 400 scientists and support staff from around the globe, it was a beacon of hope for cancer patients and their families. ‘Was’, because by this point it was suffering significant damage.
Surgery at The Christie had to be halted and patients in the midst of chemotherapy were evacuated.
A fire service investigation found that the blaze had been accidentally sparked by repair work being undertaken on the roof. Fortunately, no one was injured. But the inferno left scars – not only on the local landscape, but also on the spirits of researchers who suddenly found themselves without a workplace
Within weeks, temporary lab space was secured at the sprawling Alderley Park science campus in Cheshire. The quest to find new treatments for people with cancer went on. It had to.
Regeneration – ‘bigger, better and more visionary than ever’
Over the past few years, Cancer Research UK, The Christie and The University of Manchester have been working in partnership – securing funds to not only rebuild, but to come back bigger, better and more visionary than ever.
Through a combination of insurance payments, philanthropic giving, local charity support and investment from government agencies, a new £150m research centre has risen from the ashes.
Earlier this year over 300 scientists and 400 clinicians and operational staff moved into the dramatic, polished structure. At over 25,000 square metres, the building is twice the size of the previous facility, allowing experts to deliver discovery research and translate this into innovative clinical trials at scale.
