IRVINE, Calif., May 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- University Lab Partners (ULP), a premier nonprofit wet lab incubator located in Orange County, CA, has been chosen to lead the diagnostics and medical devices hub in the next generation of the BARDA Accelerator Network of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The next generation of the BARDA Accelerator Network builds on lessons learned from the first iteration of the Network and from the COVID-19 pandemic regarding the importance of agile and scalable mechanisms to support innovation. This network will be comprised of at least five hubs across the U.S. that will focus on supporting innovations in: Diagnostics/Medical Devices, Therapeutics/Vaccines, Digital Health Tools, Special Populations, and Enabling Technologies.  Together, these five hubs will enable BARDA to foster the growth of the innovation ecosystem and partner with entrepreneurs, innovators, and companies to develop adaptable, scalable, sustainable, accessible, and equitable health security solutions.

"We are looking forward to this partnership with BARDA and the opportunity to collaborate with the other hubs as a key partner in the next generation of the BARDA Accelerator Network," said Karin Koch, Executive Director of University Lab Partners. "This partnership highlights our dedication to driving innovation in the life sciences and leverages Orange County's strength in the medical device sector, ultimately contributing to the enhancement of national health security preparedness."

ULP is partnering with the Consortium for Improving Medicine with Innovation & Technology (CIMIT) at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School and Science Exchange to establish the International Consortium for Research, Engineering, Acceleration of Technology Excellence (I-CREATE). This hub will focus on developing diagnostics and devices to detect, prevent, or respond to medical consequences that result from health security threats.

Additionally, VITAL, a global accelerator based in Cambridge, MA, with innovation hubs in the U.S., Asia, Europe, and South America, in collaboration with Advise Connect Inspire (ACI) and BioInnovation Labs (BioLabs), will form the VITAL (Vaccine Innovation and Therapeutics Acceleration Launchpad) hub to support therapeutics and vaccines innovation.  

The BARDA Accelerator Network aims to provide comprehensive support to health security innovators, startups, and BARDA portfolio companies through wrap-around accelerator services, technical and business/commercialization expertise, and resources. The network will facilitate the rapid development, evaluation, validation, and commercialization of medical countermeasures.

This project has been supported in whole or in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), under agreement number 75A50124C00007.

To learn more, visit www.universitylabpartners.org/BARDA

About University Lab Partners

University Lab Partners (ULP) is a premier nonprofit wet lab incubator located in Orange County, CA. Operating two facilities in Irvine and Aliso Viejo, ULP offers highly equipped wet lab facilities along with the benefits of peer-to-peer interactions and accelerator services among a life science-focused entrepreneurial community. For more information, visit www.universitylabpartners.org.

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SOURCE University Lab Partners