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ost of the 60 lead immunologists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) conduct their research in the institute's Immunology Building, on the southern end of campus. Now, due to the terms of the original lease, TSRI has the one-time opportunity to purchase the building--for below current market value.

Most of our fundraising efforts are currently focused on raising money to buy the Immunology Building," says John Diekman, Ph.D., who chairs the TSRI Board of Trustees Development Committee. "Land is no longer available on the Torrey Pines Mesa, which makes acquiring the building an important priority."

The goal is to raise a minimum of $16 million in private funds, which would enable the institute to commit to the purchase.

While in general it is a difficult time for raising money--the stock market's fluctuations have affected discretionary funds and individual wealth--members of the development team remain optimistic. They are making their case for the long-term medical potential of work that goes on within the Immunology Building's walls, emphasizing that research in this field could lead to treatments for some of the world's major killers--including cancer, HIV, diabetes, and septic shock.

"Last year, 64 million people suffered from cancer, HIV, diabetes, and septic shock," notes Cary W. Colwell, president of the Scripps Foundation for Medicine and Science. "Breakthroughs in immunology could affect so many lives."

The Immunology Building has housed some of the world's leading researchers over the last 23 years. Now, the institute has the opportunity to ensure that the building will continue to provide a home to the innovative work aimed at unlocking the secrets of the human immune system and its potential to alleviate suffering.

Diekman acknowledges that the success of the fundraising effort all comes down to people. "We need to find and connect with those forward-looking individuals with the vision, passion, and means to make the purchase of the Immunology Building possible," he says.