An institute at University of California-Irvine has won a $24 million grant to “pursue better health for all.”
The National Institutes of Health awarded the grant, which will be spread over five years, to UCI’s Institute for Clinical and Translations Science.
“With this award, the institute will continue to lead the development of innovative approaches,” said Dr. Dan Cooper, director of ICTS.
“It will also enable us to expand the reach of our work to diverse communities, setting new standards for clinical research in the U.S. for a generation to come.”
The focus of the institute is to assist in translating the biomedical research into practical applications and processes that can positively affect patients who might benefit from such novel treatments.
Mentorships, Collabs
Recent accomplishments at the ICTS include incubating research regarding heart valve replacement technology that led to the formation of a new biotech company, providing mentorships to more than 100 UCI medical students and collaborating with University California-San Diego and Stanford University to “transform flow cytometry,” which is an AI cancer detection tool.
Another goal of the ICTS is to help boost participation in UCI clinical trials among special populations, such as homeless, veterans, babies and children. It also aims to establish electronic medical records to be utilized as a powerful tool for healthcare breakthroughs.
OC’s First
The ICTS was the first medical research institution in Orange County when it was formed in 2006; it’s now one of 60 such organizations across the U.S. to receive such funding from the NIH.
To date, the Institute has provided a safe clinical center for more than 27,000 encounters with research volunteers, supported 1,112 investigators, helped generate 1,468 peer-reviewed papers published in major biomedical journals, and been instrumental in securing $789 million in grants for UCI researchers.
