Los Angeles-based University of Southern California is expanding its biomedical research sector by establishing new partnerships across the southern half of the state, reports The San Diego Union-Tribune.
The university has hired top biomedical scientists to fill its new research centers. USC will open a number of research centers this fall, including the USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, which will bring together biological scientists, physicians and engineers from across the university.
San Diego-based Biocom, the life science trade group for California, named Steve Kay, director of the Michelson Center, a member of its board June 1. The trade group aims to develop the life science sector in the state.
"Let's see what we can do for the Southern California region," USC Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Michael Quick, PhD, told The San Diego Union-Tribune. "I think if we're going to solve these big problems, we need huge amounts of human capital, probably bigger than any one university can bring."
Dr. Quick added he'd like to see California universities collaborate to support communities that need the most help.
"What would happen if [UC San Diego] and the University of San Diego, and the biotech community there, and [UC] Irvine, and USC and Caltech said, let's get together," he continued. "Let's bring all the capital we have to bear on these kinds of problems, whether it's homelessness, whether it's immigration or whether it's dementia."
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