By: Donna Duperron
This week I had the opportunity to visit The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. It was founded in 1952 on the campus of Harbor General Hospital, acquired by Los Angeles County following World War ll. Comprised of numerous wooden structures – former army wards and barracks – considerable breakthroughs were accomplished in these primitive structures until the first substantial research building was inaugurated in 1987.
The Lundquist Institute (TLI) is a world-leading nonprofit biomedical research institute. Affiliated with the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, TLI has an international reputation for advancing clinical and translational research, training physical scientists, and delivering valued community service programs.
Annually, The Lundquist Institute carries out hundreds of research projects conducted by roughly 848 full-time and part-time employees including 100+ principal investigators (MDs, PhDs, and MD/PhDs) working on more than 600 research studies, from unraveling the mysteries of heart and kidney disease to developing therapies for numerous, and often fatal diseases.
The Lundquist Institute Science Education Pipeline consists of four programs that begin in elementary school, continue through high school and college internships, and cap off with a PhD Program in Translational Research.
Ivan Shin, Senior Vice President, walked me through the Lundquist Little Einsteins program, Summer Fellow program, Internship program, and the PhD Program in Translational Research. Each program provides the opportunities to develop an interest in science with the hope of a career in medicine, health care and research.
The discoveries made at The Lundquist Institute in the past 70 years have been nothing short of miraculous. A chamber member since 1996, The Lundquist Institute is appreciated for the life-saving treatments developed and the ability to integrate them into the care of the underserved community in our area. To learn more, please visit Lundquist.org.