The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta, and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president. The university is a major economic driver in the region, with an annual economic impact of over $12.3 billion. It is also a member of the U15, a group of research-intensive universities in Canada. The university has a strong focus on research, with over 500 research groups and 250 research chairs. It is also home to the National Institute for Nanotechnology and the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology.