Michael and Susan Dell commit over $1 billion to UT Austin, funding new medical center

AUSTIN, Texas — Michael and Susan Dell surpassed $1 billion in giving to the University of Texas at Austin and launched a plan to build a new medical center and advanced research campus in north Austin.

The donation will fund the UT Dell Campus for Advanced Research and the UT Dell Medical Center, set to open in 2030. Officials also announced a goal to raise $10 billion over the next decade and rank among the top 10 medical centers in the country.

“When you bring together a great research university, world-class talent, and a city that knows how to turn ideas into reality you create the conditions for breakthroughs that change lives,” said Michael Dell, Founder and CEO of Dell Technologies. “This represents the intersection of medicine, science, and computing.

The new $750 million dollar investment will allow the UT Dell Medical Center to expand to include a 27-acre research campus that will be built in North Austin near the intersection of MOPAC and Braker Lane.

“The future of healthcare is right here, right now,” said Texas Governor Greg Abbott. “With this new campus and new medical center, Texas will lead America in health care innovation.”

The UT Dell Medical Center will be the first in the nation that is built as an AI-native facility. It will be a new kind of academic medical center that takes advantage of the opportunity to start from scratch for the artificial intelligence era.

“What does that mean in practice? It means identifying risks earlier, often before symptoms appear. It means helping physicians make faster and better-informed decisions in real time,” said Dr. Claudia Lucchinetti, Senior VP for Medical Affairs and Dean, Dell Medical School at UT Austin.

UT MD Anderson cancer care will be integrated into the new medical center. Last year, thousands of Austin area patients traveled to Houston for leading-edge cancer care. In many cases, that will no longer be necessary.

“This relationship is different. Through UT Dell Medical Center, we deepened our commitment to this community by providing our world class cancer care right here in Austin,” said Dr. Peter Pisters, President, UT MD Anderson.

“The new Dell Campus for Advanced Research and the UT Dell Medical Center will change the world and save lives. The combination of the Dell Medical School at UT and MD Anderson Cancer Center will set a new standard for health innovation and care,” said Austin Mayor Kirk Watson.

The architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill will lead the design, with construction already underway. The UT Dell Medical Center will open in 2030 with a hospital tower, outpatient facilities, and a full service emergency department. Phased expansion of advanced specialty programs and facilities will continue through 2032.

“This is a defining moment for the University of Texas, We are at a new frontier,” UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife said. “We are transforming this site into a new campus the world has never seen before.”

“UT Austin, where Dell Technologies was founded from a dorm room, has always been a place where bold ideas become real-world impact,” said Michael Dell.

The gift ranks among the largest philanthropic commitments ever made to a U.S. university. The Dells’ previous support for UT includes founding Dell Medical School and establishing the Dell Scholars program, which has provided scholarships to students across Texas.