The University of California Los Angeles will use a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to establish the UCLA Biodesign Hub for Medical Technology and Digital Health Innovation, the university announced Sept. 4.
The $750,000 Regional Innovation Strategies i6 Challenge Award was matched by UCLA Health and UCLA's medical school, ensuring a total of $1.5 million in funding for the hub over three years. The facility will be part of the Innovation at UCLA Health initiative.
With an official launch date set for Oct. 1, the UCLA Biodesign Hub will work with industry partners, leveraging UCLA Health's clinical resources, to advance entrepreneurship and create jobs in the life sciences sector. The hub has already received support from tech giants such as Medtronic, Google and Samsung.
"Tech has become synonymous with the development and adoption of health care innovations," said Jennifer McCaney, PhD, executive director of the UCLA Biodesign innovation fellowship program. "Scaling our regional health technology footprint, however, requires expertise and resources that have yet to be leveraged in Los Angeles."