The University of Texas at Austin said it is moving forward with its planned academic medical center after receiving a $100 million gift from Austin residents Tench and Simone Coxe, one of the largest donations in the university’s history.
UT said the new medical center is intended to integrate the university’s research enterprise, Dell Medical School, and UT MD Anderson cancer care into a digitally enabled, patient-centered academic health system aimed at delivering more complex, high-acuity care in Central Texas. University leaders described the donation as a catalyst for expanding access to advanced treatments locally and reducing the need for patients to travel out of the region for specialized care.
A key component of the plan is the development of a new UT hospital focused on serious and complex conditions, alongside an expansion of UT MD Anderson Cancer Center’s presence in Austin. UT cited estimates that as many as 25% of people in the region currently leave the area to seek care for serious medical needs.
Because the Coxes’ gift is unrestricted, UT leaders said they will be able to direct funding to the most urgent priorities as development progresses, including recruiting clinicians and scientists, supporting construction, investing in technology, and expanding programs aimed at improving access and community health.
Tench Coxe, whose venture capital career included early support for companies such as Nvidia, said he was drawn to the opportunity to help build an institution from the ground up and cited confidence in UT’s leadership after meeting Claudia Lucchinetti, UT’s senior vice president for medical affairs and dean of Dell Medical School. The Coxes said they initially planned to remain anonymous but chose to make the gift public in hopes it would encourage additional support for the project.
UT said the medical center will build on existing assets and partnerships, including UT’s outpatient clinics, Dell Medical School, and affiliated relationships with Ascension’s Dell Seton and Dell Children’s medical centers, as well as Central Health and CommUnityCare Health Centers. The university also said its broader research capabilities—spanning fields such as artificial intelligence, engineering, robotics, pharmacy, nursing, and social work—will help drive new approaches to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
The UT medical center is expected to open in 2030.
KEY QUOTES:
“Great medical care changes lives, and we want more people to have access to it. What inspired us was a bold vision to build something here that could become a new model for health care in Austin and beyond.”
Simone Coxe
“We have a close friend who had to travel to Houston for care she should have been able to get here at home. Having spent my career backing strong leaders, meeting Claudia made it clear: Supporting the vision for the UT medical center is exactly the opportunity Austin needed.”
Tench Coxe
“This extraordinary act of generosity adds momentum to bring our boldest aspirations to life and change health care in Austin as we know it.” “UT’s medical center will unite care, discovery and education in ways that redefine what’s possible, for Texas and beyond.” “We are confident this gift will inspire others to join us in shaping the future of health.”
Claudia Lucchinetti, M.D., Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean, Dell Medical School
“Integrating UT’s world-class research into this new, advanced medical system will be a game changer. What is starting here will change medicine, life sciences research, and the health and vitality of countless lives. The Coxes’ generosity is transformative in making this happen, and we cannot thank them enough.”
Jim Davis, President, The University of Texas at Austin
