$13.5 million gift to university from Igor and Anastasia Bukhman aims to accelerate type 1 diabetes research and care
The University of Oxford has announced a gift of $13.5 million from the Bukhman Foundation to support ground-breaking research into type 1 diabetes (T1D).
This generous funding will establish the Bukhman Centre for Research Excellence in Type 1 Diabetes, as well as create new academic posts and scholarships, helping to accelerate progress towards better treatments and ultimately a cure.
T1D is an autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.
Without insulin, people with T1D cannot regulate blood glucose levels effectively, leading to serious health complications.
T1D affects an estimated 400,000 people in the UK alone, and tens of millions worldwide.
Current treatment relies on insulin replacement through injections or pumps, but patients often face significant challenges, including hypoglycemia, long-term complications, and burdensome daily management.
The Bukhman Centre for Research Excellence in Type 1 Diabetes will bring together experts from across Oxford – including in medical sciences, chemistry, bioengineering and computer science – to drive collaborative, cross-disciplinary research.
By leveraging Oxford’s unique breadth and depth of expertise, along with cutting-edge technology and infrastructure, the center will catalyze innovative breakthroughs that can be rapidly translated into life-changing advances for patients.
David Hodson, Professor of Diabetic Medicine at the Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism in the Radcliffe Department of Medicine, said, ‘With this generous gift, we will for the first time be able to bring a multidisciplinary research approach to bear on type 1 diabetes. Oxford’s expertise in medical and physical sciences will allow us to make rapid and ground-breaking discoveries that will benefit individuals living with type 1 diabetes.’
Within its overarching goal of finding a cure for T1D, the center will focus on three integrated research themes: identifying individuals at risk of T1D to enable selection for cutting-edge immunotherapy trials to delay disease progression; developing immune strategies to prevent T1D from occurring in the first place; and producing more effective cell therapies to help patients live well with T1D.
Professor Keith Channon, Head of the Radcliffe Department of Medicine, said: ‘The Bukhman family’s investment will catalyze new cross-disciplinary research innovations to find a cure for T1D, as well as new treatments and techniques to prevent the disease and improve the lives of those already diagnosed.’
The Bukhman Foundation’s gift will also support the recruitment and funding of senior academic posts – including fellowships and a professorship – to lead research into T1D.
Additionally, new scholarships will provide support for DPhil students, helping to foster the next generation of researchers and educators in the field. This will allow Oxford to attract the best minds in T1D research and teaching, building a vibrant and sustainable research community and ensuring Oxford remains at the forefront of this field.
John Todd, Professor of Precision Medicine in the Nuffield Department of Medicine, said, ‘It’s a truly historic period for type 1 diabetes care since insulin therapy was developed over 100 years ago. We can now scan whole populations for those children and adults at risk of the disease and therefore establish ways to prevent the earliest events in the disease process, thus eliminating the need for insulin therapy.’
The Bukhman Foundation was established in 2023 by Anastasia and Igor Bukhman to help improve lives and generate a positive impact on people and their communities.
The foundation focuses on T1D medical research, supporting open science, long-term collaboration, and visionary thinking; and arts and culture, celebrating and expanding access, and helping the next generation of artists and cultural professionals to be represented, be innovative, and excel.
In 2025, the foundation announced a historic $135 million pledge over the next 10 years to advance research and advocacy in T1D.
By backing innovative projects and fostering collaboration among top researchers, the Bukhman Foundation aims to spearhead efforts to address the unmet needs of millions of people living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) worldwide.
Anastasia Bukhman, co-founder of the Bukhman Foundation, said, ‘It’s an honor to be supporting Oxford University in establishing the Bukhman Centre for Research Excellence in Type 1 Diabetes. T1D is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide, and we know that Oxford’s expertise and world-class research will be transformative in accelerating progress toward new treatments and, ultimately, a future where this condition no longer defines or limits lives. At the Bukhman Foundation, we know first-hand the profound impact that T1D has on individuals and families, and we are determined to bring about real and lasting improvements to the lives of those living with T1D today.’
Dr. Rachel Besser, Consultant Pediatric Endocrinologist and a Principal Investigator in the Nuffield Department of Medicine, said, ‘Type 1 diabetes impacts every aspect of an individual’s life and that of their families. This incredible gift is an investment in research that has the power to drive meaningful change for those with or at risk of type 1 diabetes. We owe a great deal of thanks to the Bukhman Foundation for their vision and generosity.’
The Bukhmans made their fortune by founding Playrix, a global online and mobile gaming giant best known for its hit games, including Homescapes, Gardenscapes, Fishdom, and Township.
Starting in the early 2000s in Russia, they initially created simple PC games and gradually expanded to casual and puzzle games, capitalizing on the shift to mobile gaming platforms.
Playrix’s success is driven by its popular “free-to-play” games, which feature in-app purchases, generating billions in annual revenue.
By 2025, the Bukhman brothers’ combined net worth was estimated at over $16 billion, with Playrix ranked among the world’s largest and most lucrative game publishers.
The company remains privately owned by the brothers, who managed its growth without raising outside capital and expanded internationally after leaving Russia in 2016.